title: Health care variation: time to act.
abstract: Geographic variation in health care use has been demonstrated in many countries over many years. Such variation can be warranted - in response to patient need or preference for care - or unwarranted. Unwarranted variation raises concerns about equity and appropriateness of care. Recent analyses of health care provision in the Australian atlas of healthcare variation show that when routinely available Australian data are mapped by residence of patient, there are wide variations in rates of use of diagnostic tests, dispensing of prescriptions for a range of indications, surgical procedures and hospital admission rates. Despite the wealth of studies demonstrating variation in care internationally, there is relatively little research that explores the best ways of responding to unwarranted variation. Recommendations for action in the Australian Atlas focus on some approaches that could be used in Australia.
authors.affiliation: Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care, Sydney, NSW heather.buchan@safetyandquality.gov.au.
authors.forename: Heather A
authors.initials: HA
authors.lastname: Buchan
authors.affiliation: Australian Commission on Safety and Quality in Health Care, Sydney, NSW.
authors.forename: Anne
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Duggan
authors.affiliation: Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, Canberra, ACT.
authors.forename: Jenny
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Hargreaves
authors.affiliation: Princess Alexandra Hospital, Brisbane, QLD.
authors.forename: Ian A
authors.initials: IA
authors.lastname: Scott
authors.affiliation: Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development, Paris, France.
authors.forename: Luke
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Slawomirski
mesh_terms: D001315:Australia; D005843:Geography; D000069576:Health Equity / Q000592:standards*; D054625:Healthcare Disparities / Q000592:standards* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D057240:Patient Preference