Australians only receive “appropriate” healthcare 57% of the time, according to a study published in the Medical Journal of Australia.
The Care Track study is the first national overview of clinical care in Australia, studying the level of care provided to a sample of 1,154 adults for 22 of the most common conditions.
It found that while parts of the Australian healthcare system were excellent, major deficiencies still existed, particularly in providing the proper care for conditions such as high blood pressure or sinusitis.
Researchers also found there was a gap in best practice care between providers of up to 64%.
In the context of an aging population and with costly chronic diseases, researchers said it was necessary to deliver an efficient healthcare system.
The Care Track study highlighted the need to implement routine monitoring of care, such as through developing national clinical standards.
Read more at University of New South Wales and University of South Australia