Related Experiment Video
Updated: Jun 28, 2025
Bridging the Technology Divide in the COVID-19 Era: Using Virtual Outreach to Expose Middle and High School Students to Imaging Technology
Published on: September 28, 2022
The Australian health workforce: Disproportionate shortfalls in small rural towns
Colin H Cortie1, David Garne1, Lyndal Parker-Newlyn1
1Graduate School of Medicine, University of Wollongong, Wollongong, New South Wales, Australia.
Introduction:
The distribution of health care workers differs greatly across Australia, which is likely to impact health delivery.
Objective:
To examine demographic and workplace setting factors of doctors, nurses and midwives, and allied health professionals across Modified Monash Model (MMM) regions and identify factors associated with shortfalls in the health care workforce.
Design:
Descriptive cross-sectional analysis. The study included all health professionals who were registered with the Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency in 2021, and who were working in Australia in their registered profession. The study examined number of registrations and full-timed equivalent (FTE) registrations per MMM region classification, adjusted for population. Associated variables included age, gender, origin of qualification, Indigenous status and participation in the private or public (including government, non-government organisation and not-for-profit organisations) sectors.
Findings:
Data were available for 31 221 general practitioners, 77 277 other doctors, 366 696 nurses and midwives, and 195 218 allied health professionals. The lowest FTE per 1000 people was seen in MM5 regions for general practitioners, other doctors, nurses and midwives, and allied health professionals. Demographic factors were mostly consistent across MM regions, although MM5 regions had a higher percentage of nurses and midwives and allied health professionals aged 55 and over. In the private sector, FTE per 1000 people was lowest in MM5-7 regions. In the public sector, FTE per 1000 people was lowest in MM5 regions.
Discussion:
A disproportionate shortfall of health workers was seen in MM5 regions. This shortfall appears to be primarily due to low FTE per capita of private sector workers compared with MM1-4 regions and a low FTE per capita of public sector workers compared with MM6-7 regions.
Conclusion:
In Australia, small rural towns have the lowest number of health care workers per capita which is likely to lead to poor health outcomes for those regions.
More Related Videos
Related Concept Videos
01:30Specialized Care Centers and Settings-II
Rural health centers are specialized care facilities in remote locations with very few medical personnel. The primary care providers who run the centers are mostly Registered Nurse Practitioners. Here, emergency treatment is provided to critically ill or injured patients before they are transferred to the closest hospital. Fortunately, due to advancement in technology, many rural healthcare facilities and professionals have easy access to diagnostic and treatment...
01:28Current Trends in Nursing I
01:30Current Trends in Nursing II
01:30Primary Healthcare Services
In 1978, international leaders convened in Alma-Ata, Kazakhstan, for what would be a pivotal event in global health. The Alma-Ata Declaration was the first to call...
01:29Issues And Trends In Healthcare Delivery System
Cost Containment
Payment for healthcare services has historically promoted adoption of costly and often unnecessary or inefficient...
01:18Introduction To Health Care Delivery System
The Institute of Medicine (IOM) advocates for a patient-centered, effective, safe, timely, equitable, and effective healthcare system. The National Priorities...