Access to rural general practice and primary care: Time now for more equitable and sustainable solutions?

Abstract

Australia has the resources to provide reasonable primary medical and health care to all of its population. It is a particularly worthwhile expense, with positive social and biophysical outcomes (Jarman et al., 1999; Starfield, 1998). In many aspects of health care, primary care provides most of the benefit and almost all of the value. Why, then, don?t we provide this basic service to all Australians?