The National Health Performance Authority report provides the most detailed picture yet about the region’s use of GP services. Thinkstock
A STUDY has given Mackay residents a fairly healthy diagnosis.
The ground-breaking National Health Performance Authority report has found almost 20% of people in the Mackay and Townsville region did not consult a GP in 2012/13.
The report provides the most detailed picture yet about Australia’s frequent users of GP services.
The study found almost 10% of people from the region visited GPs at least 12 times.
Fewer than 5% saw GPs 20 or more times.
About 57% of Australians who attended GPs 20 or more times were over 60 and one-third reported having three or more long-term health conditions.
The people who visited GPs more often tend to be older, less well off and more likely to have several long-term health conditions.
They were also found to have seen several different GPs.
Australians visit GPs an average of five or six times annually. The amount of money Medicare paid out for non-hospital services on average for very high and frequent GP attendees in the region was $2180.
NHPA chief Dr Diane Watson said there would be different factors at play in each local area explaining its mix of frequent and less frequent GP attendees.
“Patients who see GPs much more than the average are of interest to health and hospital managers, doctors and nurses because they have the most need for effective, well co-ordinated health care,” Dr Watson said.
“The report will give vital information to health providers in each community that may help them to better understand their unique patient populations.”
One in eight Australians saw a GP at least 12 times in 2012/13, accounting for 41% of the $16 billion Medicare paid out in out-of-hospital benefits.
About one-third of this group saw five different GPs or more in that year, although some of these GPs might have been the same doctor practising in a different location.
People who visited the GP 20 or more times:
- 75% were aged 45 or above
- Were almost twice as likely as low attendees to have lived in areas of low socio-economic status
- More than 40% reported visiting an emergency department
Source: National Health Performance Authority
REGIONAL STATISTICS:
People who visited the GP 12 or more times:
- Townsville-Mackay – 9.9%
- Central Queensland – 9.9%
- Darling Downs-south west Queensland – 10.4%
- Metro north Brisbane – 11.4%
- Greater metro south Brisbane – 12.6%
- Sunshine Coast – 15.4%
Source: National Health Performance Authority