Data
Australian Healthcare Atlas
The following maps present information on specialist fees, GP visits and psychiatrist services across different Statistical Area Level 3 (SA3) regions, based on the latest available data from the Person Level Integrated Data Asset (PLIDA).
Check costs and waiting times in your local area by zooming in to where you live on the map.
Policymakers can use this data to identify disparities in healthcare access and affordability. Regions with higher average fees or longer waiting times may indicate a lack of specialists, suggesting a need for policy interventions to attract more healthcare providers to these areas. The data can also guide resource allocation decisions. For instance, regions with longer waiting times might benefit from additional funding to increase service capacity. In addition, the data can help establish performance benchmarks for healthcare providers, encouraging improvements in service delivery and efficiency.
Patients can use the average fee information to anticipate potential healthcare costs and make informed decisions about which specialists to see based on their budget. Patients might prefer specialists with shorter waiting times, especially if their condition is urgent. This data can help them find providers who can see them sooner. If a patient is flexible about travel, they might choose to see a healthcare provider in a region with lower average fees or shorter waiting times.
Specialist Fees in 2023
The findings presented are based on an analysis of Medicare claims data for the entire population using PLIDA data, aggregated at the Statistical Area Level 3 (SA3).
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Psychiatric Specialists in 2023
These results are derived at the SA3-level from the universe of Medicare claims for adults (16 and above) within PLIDA. Psychiatric specialist in-person consultations are identified by MBS item codes 296, 299, 300, 302, 304, 306, and 308 in 2023.
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General Practitioner (GP) in 2021
These results are derived at the SA3-level from the universe of Medicare claims for adults (16 and above) within PLIDA. GP services are defined based on the Broad Type of Service (BTOS) Category 101 in 2021.
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General Methodology
All monetary values have been adjusted to reflect the 2023 Australian dollar value, using the Australian Consumer Price Index. We exclude all SA3 regions with an effective design population of zero (e.g., large National Parks), non-spatial regions (e.g., migratory, offshore), and, in accordance with data usage agreements, all regions which had less than ten specialists, GP, and psychiatrist services. These maps will be periodically updated to capture contemporary data. Additional details are available in Zhang (2024). Findings based on the use of Australian Bureau of Statistics 2023, Person-Level Integrated Data Asset (PLIDA),
Project credits
Funding for this work is from Australian Research Council Australian Future Fellowship award funded by the Australian Government (project ID FT200100630), and the University of Melbourne Faculty of Business & Economics HALE Hub funding.
Suggested citation
Liang, C., Saxby, K., Yang, O., & Zhang, Y., (2025) HALE Hub Data: Australian Healthcare Atlas, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, The University of Melbourne.
https://melbourneinstitute.unimelb.edu.au/research/HALE-Hub/data