Ensuring equitable outcomes of cardiovascular care for the 30% of Australians living in regional and remote areas is a national health priority, yet remarkably little is known about the outcomes of cardiac care in these communities. A systematic review found only 2 studies that described outcomes of ischemic heart disease, only 2 have reported outcomes for HF with conflicting results, and none have examined outcomes of AF hospitalisations.
We pioneered national data linkage in cardiac care to collate hospitalisation and outcomes data from all public and most private hospitals in Australia. Using this extensive data collection and spatial mapping techniques, we seek to report outcomes of care among 2,300 individual communities in Australia for the first time with a focus on regional and remote areas and targeting AMI, HF and AF - the top 3 causes of admissions. We will identify ‘hot spots’ with poor outcomes and wider community determinants that may explain inequalities, providing actionable data for targeted clinical and policy intervention.
Last updated12 March 2024