Report Reveals Stark Contrasts in Hospital and GP Use Between Aged Care and Home Care Recipients
A new report from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) has shed light on the complex interactions between the aged care and health systems, using linked data from the National Aged Care Data Asset.
52% of home aged care recipients had at least one hospitalization in 2023-24, compared to 43% of permanent residential aged care residents.
Nearly all seniors in aged care are seeing a GP. The data shows that 97% of permanent aged care residents and 98% of home care recipients had at least one GP visit in 2023-24. However, a higher proportion of residential aged care residents visited a GP compared to home care recipients, while the opposite was true for specialist visits.
Emergency department (ED) visits also varied significantly by location and care setting. Residential and home aged care recipients in New South Wales, Victoria, Tasmania, and the Australian Capital Territory had higher rates of ED presentations per person per year compared to seniors not accessing aged care services.
The outcomes of those ED visits tell a critical story. Emergency department presentations led to hospital admission for:
- 68% of permanent aged care residents
- 63% of home care recipients
- 52% of seniors not in aged care
Study Scope and Trends
The study covers people aged 65 and over, analyzing trends from 2021-22 to 2023-24. It includes data on:
- 218,000 aged care residents
- 297,000 home care recipients
- 164,000 seniors not accessing aged care services
Key data points analyzed include: Medicare-subsidized GP and specialist services, prescription medicines, hospitalizations, and emergency department presentations.