MBS/PBS Utilisation and PPHs in WA

Thank you for participating in this survey.

The Department of Health – WA together with the Western Australia Primary Health Alliance (WAPHA) are seeking your expertise and experience in interpreting analysis looking at postcode-level utilisation of Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) and Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) across WA.

The survey is divided into 4 parts:

Part 1. Factors affecting Primary healthcare usage (MBS and or PBS)

Part 2. Relationships between Primary Healthcare and Hospitalisations due to potentially preventable conditions (PPHs)

Part 3. Your opinion on data visualisation

Part 4. Your regional experience and final comments

There are no right or wrong answers; we are simply seeking plausible explanations for the postcode-level variations found in our analysis.

This survey should take roughly 25-30 minutes to complete.

Finally, we would like to thank you in advance for completing the survey and for supporting our project.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact either:

Alex Xiao jianguo.xiao@health.wa.gov.au or Richard Varhol Richard.Varhol@wapha.org.au

Aims of the Project

  1. To assess the effect of common population-level factors on the geographic variation of primary healthcare (PHC) utilisation among WA residents.
  2. To assess the relationship between the geographic variation in PHC utilisation and potentially preventable hospitalisations (PPHs).

Objectives

Our analysis focused on five PPH categories:

  1. All PPHs (associated with all 22 conditions as defined by the AIHW)
  2. PPHs due to:
    1. acute conditions only
    2. chronic conditions only
    3. selected cardiovascular conditions
    4. complications of diabetes

Methods

To assess the relationship between selected MBS/PBS items and PPHs, our methodology included:

MBS/PBS and PPH data matching

MBS/PBS items were selected based on:

  • PPH condition under investigation
  • Consultation with MBS/PBS coding experts

Statistical Analysis

  • To find statistically significant relationships

Mapping

  • To visually assess the geographic distribution of these relationships

Thank you for participating in this survey.

The Department of Health – WA together with the Western Australia Primary Health Alliance (WAPHA) are seeking your expertise and experience in interpreting analysis looking at postcode-level utilisation of Medicare Benefits Schedule (MBS) and Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) across WA.

The survey is divided into 4 parts:

Part 1. Factors affecting Primary healthcare usage (MBS and or PBS)

Part 2. Relationships between Primary Healthcare and Hospitalisations due to potentially preventable conditions (PPHs)

Part 3. Your opinion on data visualisation

Part 4. Your regional experience and final comments

There are no right or wrong answers; we are simply seeking plausible explanations for the postcode-level variations found in our analysis.

This survey should take roughly 25-30 minutes to complete.

Finally, we would like to thank you in advance for completing the survey and for supporting our project.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact either:

Alex Xiao jianguo.xiao@health.wa.gov.au or Richard Varhol Richard.Varhol@wapha.org.au

Aims of the Project

  1. To assess the effect of common population-level factors on the geographic variation of primary healthcare (PHC) utilisation among WA residents.
  2. To assess the relationship between the geographic variation in PHC utilisation and potentially preventable hospitalisations (PPHs).

Objectives

Our analysis focused on five PPH categories:

  1. All PPHs (associated with all 22 conditions as defined by the AIHW)
  2. PPHs due to:
    1. acute conditions only
    2. chronic conditions only
    3. selected cardiovascular conditions
    4. complications of diabetes

Methods

To assess the relationship between selected MBS/PBS items and PPHs, our methodology included:

MBS/PBS and PPH data matching

MBS/PBS items were selected based on:

  • PPH condition under investigation
  • Consultation with MBS/PBS coding experts

Statistical Analysis

  • To find statistically significant relationships

Mapping

  • To visually assess the geographic distribution of these relationships

  • Consultation with stakeholders

    We have selected results from Objective 1 only (PPH and GP-services) as these results are representative of the findings obtained for the other objectives.   
    Our focus is centred on four unique “relationships” between PHC and PPH: 
    Postcodes found to have these relationships agree with our statistical models:
    •         Areas with High PHC and High PPH usage
    •         Areas with Low PHC and Low PPH usage 
    Postcodes found to have these relationships do not fit our statistical models and are considered ‘outliers’:

    We have selected results from Objective 1 only (PPH and GP-services) as these results are representative of the findings obtained for the other objectives.   
    Our focus is centred on four unique “relationships” between PHC and PPH: 
    Postcodes found to have these relationships agree with our statistical models:
    •         Areas with High PHC and High PPH usage
    •         Areas with Low PHC and Low PPH usage 
    Postcodes found to have these relationships do not fit our statistical models and are considered ‘outliers’:
    •         Areas with Low PHC and High PPH usage 
    •         Areas with High PHC and Low PPH usage 

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