City versus bush – a mixed picture of health system performance

Data on health system performance in rural Australia paint a mixed picture, according to a report released by the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare.

The report, Rural, regional and remote health: indicators of health system performance, found hospitalisation rates were up to 55% higher for people living in remote areas than for people living in major cities.

It also found that rates for several common medical procedures were lower for people living in remote areas than for those living in major cities.

Examples include medical procedures for heart disease management, such as coronary artery bypass graft.

Death rates from coronary heart disease were up to 40% higher in remote areas compared to cities.

In general, the number of medical specialists and dentists per head of population decreased with remoteness, but their working hours increased.

On the other hand, the supply of nurses and primary care doctors was more evenly spread across regions.

People with disabilities living outside major cities were significantly less likely to access disability support services than those living within major cities.