AIHW - Medicare Benefits Schedule Statistics - GP and Specialist Attendances by Age Group and Sex (%) (PHN) 2016-2017

This dataset presents the footprint of the rates of general practitioner (GP) and specialist attendances by age group and sex. The data spans the financial year of 2016-2017 and is aggregated to 2015 Department of Health Primary Health Network (PHN) areas, based on the 2011 Australian Statistical Geography Standard (ASGS). The data is sourced from the Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) claims data, which are administered by the Australian Government Department of Health. These claims data are derived from administrative information on services that qualify for a Medicare benefit under the Health Insurance Act 1973 and for which a claim is processed by the Department of Human Services. For further information about this dataset visit the data source: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare - Medicare Benefits Schedule GP and Specialist Attendances and Expenditure in 2016-17 Data Tables. Please note:

AURIN has spatially enabled the original data using the Department of Health - PHN Areas.

MBS claims data do not include services that were provided free of charge to public patients in hospitals or were subsidised by the Department of Veterans' Affairs, compensation arrangements or through other publicly funded programs including jurisdictional salaried GP services provided in remote outreach clinics.

GP attendances are Medicare benefit-funded patient/doctor encounters, such as visits and consultations, for which the patient has not been referred by another doctor. GP attendances do not include services provided by practice nurses and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander health practitioners on a GP's behalf.

GP after-hours attendances are Medicare benefit-funded after-hours patient/doctor encounters, such as visits and consultations, for which the patient has not been referred by another doctor. They include urgent and non-urgent attendances.

Specialist attendances are Medicare benefits-funded referred patient/doctor encounters, such as visits, consultations, and attendances by video conference, involving medical practitioners who have been recognised as specialists or consultant physicians for Medicare benefits purposes.