Expenditure on non-admitted patient palliative care

In 2023–24, 229 public hospitals reported non-admitted patient palliative care data to IHACPA, with a hospital expenditure of $218.9 million on non-admitted patient palliative care.

Of the $218.9 million spent on non-admitted patient palliative care:

  • salaries and wages accounted for 66% of the total costs, with nursing salaries and wages accounting for the largest proportion (33%)
  • 87% was for clinical services, followed by pharmacy and allied health (7.1% and 3.3%, respectively)
  • direct clinical costs accounted for the largest share of total expenditure (60%), with 33% for nursing, 14% for medical and 12% for clinical supplies
  • the majority of expenditure was funded through the Health Service Budget (91% of total expenditure), followed by the Medicare Benefits Schedule (6.5%).

Sociodemographic and regional characteristics

In 2023–24, for expenditure on non-admitted patient palliative care:

  • people aged 65 and over accounted for 69% of expenditure
  • people living in the most socioeconomically disadvantaged areas accounted for a higher share of expenditure (24%) compared to people in the least disadvantaged areas (13%)

There were regional variations in expenditure which generally aligned with population distributions across states and territories. Major cities accounted for 53% of expenditure compared to just 3.3% in remote and very remote areas.

Note, that regional differences may be influenced by variations in hospital admission policies, practices, and service types. 

Trends

Since 2013–14:

  • Expenditure on non-admitted patient palliative care has increased substantially at an average annual rate of 16%, in real terms.
  • The number of non-admitted patient palliative care reporting hospitals more than doubled (from 113 in 2013–14 to 229 in 2023–24). 
  • When accounting for the number of non-admitted patient palliative care reporting hospitals each year, expenditure per reporting hospital (in real terms) has also more than doubled, from $448,000 in 2013–14 to $960,000 in 2023–24.

Total expenditure almost doubled between 2019–20 and 2023–24 (from $118.9 million to $218.9 million, in real terms). This growth largely driven by a steep increase between 2020–21 and 2022–23 (32% average annual increase).

Figure EXP 2: Expenditure on non-admitted patient palliative care in public hospitals

Figure 2.1: This interactive bar graph shows expenditure on non-admitted patient palliative care in public hospitals, by selected characteristics (salaries and wages, cost bucket, cost centre) in 2023–24.

Figure 2.2: This line graph shows an increasing trend in the number of public hospitals and expenditure on non-admitted palliative care in these hospitals between 2015–16 and 2023–24.

Figure 2.1: This interactive bar graph shows expenditure on non-admitted patient palliative care in public hospitals, by selected characteristics (salaries and wages, cost bucket, cost centre) in 2023–24.Figure 2.2: This line graph shows an increasing trend in the number of public hospitals and expenditure on non-admitted palliative care in these hospitals between 2015–16 and 2023–24.
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