AUSTRALIANS are starting to lose confidence in their ability to obtain and afford quality healthcare, revealing the human side of the debate over funding and sustainability. But research commissioned by The Australian for the GE Path to Prosperity series highlights the potential for telehealth and other technologies to make the health system more productive and efficient. According to Newspoll, the proportion of Australians who are confident they would receive high-quality and safe medical care if they became seriously ill has fallen in the past two years, from 88 per cent to 86 per cent. GRAPHIC: How healthcare sees its future The proportion of least confident people has increased, and is highest, at 7 per cent, among baby boomers aged 50 to 64. In the older age group 3 per cent are "not at all confident." The proportion of Australians who are confident they could afford the care they need has also fallen in that timeframe, from 77 per cent to 75 per cent. A separate survey of people working in healthcare-- the largest proportion of whom were doctors and GPs -- identified the biggest challenges facing the system over the next decade as funding (58 per cent) and the ageing population (46 per cent). The survey, conducted for The Australian by Hall & Partners Open Mind, found that while funding was the most important factor (46 per cent) in ensuring an efficient and effective system over the next decade, greater use of digital or internet technology -- such as e-health, telehealth and health apps -- was second, at 27 per cent. With a shortage of medical professionals in regional and remote areas, the survey found technology would have the most impact in providing better healthcare access for remote communities (39 per cent). Similarly, improved communication networks and high-speed broadband were considered most likely to change the face of healthcare over the next decade. And yet, despite the potential of such technology, 21 per cent were pessimistic about the government embracing e-health over the next five to 10 years. Consumers also appear reluctant to embrace new technology. Newspoll found that, if given the choice, 81 per cent of people would prefer to visit their doctor or GP than use a video link. Those most open to using telehealth were aged 35-49, where 29 per cent would prefer a video link, whereas 90 per cent of those aged over 65 wanted a face-to-face consultation. Experts in telehealth, who took part in a panel discussion as part of the Path to Prosperity series, called for new funding mechanisms and national standards to encourage the take-up of new technologies and ensure consumer confidence.