Australia is managing chronic conditions well compared to other countries, according to a new international survey of patients on their health outcomes and experienced with GP practices.
The nation performed better or close to the OECD average across 10 health areas measured, including ranking in the top five countries in four areas – quality of care, coordination of care, person-centred care and physical health.
The inaugural Patient-Reported Indicator Surveys (PaRIS), an initiative of the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD), collected data from 107,000 patients and 1,800 primary care practices across 19 countries, including Australia.
PaRIS was run in 2023 to fill a gap in patient-reported experience and outcomes data. Patients were aged 45 years and over, had at least one chronic condition, and visited a GP in the past six months.
Nearly 2,400 patients from 54 GP practices in Australia gave feedback on their experiences of health outcomes for the survey, which was facilitated locally by the Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care.
Released by the Commission today, the study found that patients in all countries who experience better quality care are more likely to report better physical health, mental health and wellbeing, reinforcing the importance of the GP relationship and need to improve access to healthcare and encourage multidisciplinary team-based care.
In Australia, the burden of chronic disease is high, with one in two Australians having at least one chronic condition. PaRIS measures how well people with chronic conditions are managed in the community and opportunities to improve their care.
The five most common chronic conditions reported by Australians included: high blood pressure (57%), arthritis or ongoing joint pain (45%), depression, anxiety or other mental health conditions (33%), breathing conditions (24%) and cardiovascular/heart conditions (23%).
The Australian survey found Australia is managing chronic conditions well, performing better or close to the OECD average across all 10 health measures. It ranks among the top participating countries for positive patient experiences of overall quality of care (94%), person-centred care (94%) and coordination of care (74%).
However, similar to other OECD countries, Australia has room for improvement across other areas including mental health, wellbeing and social functioning.
The survey found patients reported worse experiences and outcomes if they were living in regional or remote areas, had lower levels of education and incomes, and lived with specific conditions including depression, anxiety or other mental health conditions, neurological conditions, and chronic liver disease.
Associate Professor Liz Marles, Clinical Director at the Commission and a GP, said the PaRIS survey findings would shape policy and clinical practice moving forward.
“A key takeaway is the importance of a trusted, long-standing relationship between the patient and a GP, which leads to better levels of care coordination and more person-centred care,” she said.
“We have more work to do to improve our social functioning, mental health and wellbeing which are close to the OECD average, so we need to better support patients in their activities and responsibilities at home, work and in the community.”
Associate Professor Marles believes Australia needs to strengthen its knowledge base with information direct from patients.
“The PaRIS insights are fascinating and will shed light on whether our health system is meeting the needs of Australians living with chronic conditions – and where the gaps are.
“For GPs who delve into the detail, it could be a game-changer for quality improvement.”
Read the Australian National Report here
