DATA SOURCES AND REFERENCES USED IN THIS REPORT CARD​

The 2025 Public Hospital Report Card uses data from two sources: the Australian Institute of Welfare, and the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Rather than referencing each graph individually, this section provides a guide for the data sources referenced throughout the report card. ​

All population data are taken from current and past ABS “National, state and territory population” data downloads. The most up to date version at the time of publication is:

• Australian Bureau of Statistics (2024) — “National, state and territory population”; data downloads — data cubes; National, state and territory populations, Table 6. Accessed 10 January 2025 from:
  https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/population/national-state-and-territory-population/jun-2024/31010do001_202406.xlsx
• Note: some figures and statistics have been calculated internally by the AMA using the referenced sources.

NATIONAL FIGURES​

Figure 1: Australian population compared to public hospital beds for every 10,000 Australians​​

• Australian Government — Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2024) “Admitted Patients”; Hospital resources 2022–23 data tables — Table 4.5. Available at:
  https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports-data/myhospitals/sectors/admitted-patients
• Compared to ABS data (as above).​

Figure 2: Population compared to public hospital patient days — by age​

• Australian Government — Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2024) “Admitted patients”; Admitted care 2022–23 3 Who used these services? – Table S3.2. Available at:
  https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/cae89d60-fbcb-4706-a3c3-042040b17689/3-admitted-patient-care-2022-23-tables-access.xlsx
• Calculations conducted internally, compared to ABS data (as above).​

Figure 3: Australian public hospital beds per 100 population, aged 65 and over​​

• Australian Government — Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2024) “Admitted Patients”; Hospital resources 2022–23 data tables — Table 4.5. Available at:
  https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/06f2c08c-f00f-439e-b57c-9a825ffc505c/Hospital-resources-tables-2022-23.xlsx
• Calculated with ABS data (as above) and historical AIHW data archived by the AMA​​

Figures 4, 5 and 6:​​

• Australian Government — Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2024) “Emergency Department Care”; Emergency department data extract 2011–12 to latest. Available at:
  https://myhospitalsapi.aihw.gov.au/api/v1/measure-downloads/myh-ed​

Figure 7: Median waiting time for elective surgery (days)​​​

• Australian Government — Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2024) “Elective Surgery”; Elective surgery waiting times 2023–24 data tables — Table 4.3. Available at:
  https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/d1f39fa7-644f-4b46-95a0-a4d04360f2b1/Elective-surgery-waiting-times-2023-24.xlsx​
• This graph also uses historical AIHW data archived by the AMA

Figure 8: National Category 2 planned surgery admissions — proportion seen on time​​​​

• Australian Government — Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2024) “Elective Surgery”; Elective surgery waiting times 2023–24 data tables — Tables 4.11–4.18. Available at:
  https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/d1f39fa7-644f-4b46-95a0-a4d04360f2b1/Elective-surgery-waiting-times-2023-24.xlsx
• Calculations conducted internally.​

Figures 9 and 10:​​​​

• Australian Government — Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2024) “Health expenditure Australia 2022–23” (Website Visualiser). Accessed 15 January 2025 from:
  https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/health-welfare-expenditure/health-expenditure-australia-2022-23/contents/main-visualisations/overview

STATE BY STATE FIGURES​

Note that all state and territory figures use the same data sources to compare state-by-state performance. Tables 1 and 2 from each section provide a summary of each state’s results in comparison to the previous year and this year’s national average.​

Figures 3 and 4:​​

• Australian Government — Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2024) “Emergency Department Care”; Emergency department data extract 2011–12 to Latest. Available at:
  https://myhospitalsapi.aihw.gov.au/api/v1/measure-downloads/myh-ed​
• Figure 3 also uses historical AIHW data archived by the AMA.​

Figures 5 and 6:​​

• Australian Government — Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2024) “Elective Surgery”; Elective surgery waiting times 2023–24 data tables — Tables 4.11–4.18. Available at:
  https://www.aihw.gov.au/getmedia/d1f39fa7-644f-4b46-95a0-a4d04360f2b1/Elective-surgery-waiting-times-2023-24.xlsx​
• Figure 5 also uses historical AIHW data archived by the AMA.​

Figure 7 and 8:​​

• Australian Government — Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2024)“Health expenditure Australia 2022-23” (Website Visualiser). Accessed 15 January 2025 from:
  https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports/health-welfare-expenditure/health-expenditure-australia-2022-23/contents/main-visualisations/overview​