title: Health care reform - Facing inequities.
abstract: There are large differentials in the health of the most and least advantaged Australians and primary health care has an important role to play in reducing these. However population to general practitioner ratios are higher in disadvantaged areas, and these GPs see a higher number of patients, generally for shorter consultations. Patient expenditure on health care, including pharmaceuticals, has increased to an average of 5% of household income and there is evidence that this is a barrier to the receipt of optimal health care.
authors.affiliation: Centre for Primary Health Care and Equity, University of New South Wales. m.f.harris@unsw.edu.au
authors.forename: Mark
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Harris
authors.forename: Julie
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: McDonald
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000592:standards; D017048:Health Care Costs / Q000639:trends*; D018166:Health Care Reform / Q000191:economics*; D006801:Humans; D011320:Primary Health Care / Q000458:organization & administration*