Indicators published by the AIHW illustrate differences between Australia's health system performance in rural and urban areas.
For example:
- People living in Remote and Very remote areas have higher rates of hospitalisation than those living in Major cities.
- Compared with Major city residents, hospitalisation rates for selected hospital procedures, notably procedures used in the management of heart disease, are lower for people living in Remote and Very remote areas.
- Compared with Major cities, participation in breast cancer screening among women in the target age group (50-69years) is higher in all, except Very remote areas.
Health workforce
- Primary care practitioners and nurses are more evenly distributed across geographic areas, while supply of medical specialists and dentists decreased with increasing remoteness.
- As remoteness increases, the average number of hours worked by health professionals increases.
For more detailed statistics on health system performance see Rural, regional and remote health: indicators of health system performance.