Australian medical practitioners: trends in demographics and regions of work 2013–2022
Colin H. Cortie A * , David Garne A , Lyndal Parker-Newlyn A , Rowena G. Ivers A , Judy Mullan
A , Kylie J. Mansfield A and Andrew Bonney A
A
Abstract
This study aimed to examine changes in the demographics and regions of work of Australian doctors over a period of 9 years.
A retrospective study of Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA) registration data was performed. Data were sourced from the Health Workforce Dataset Online Data Tool which was derived from annual registration data from AHPRA for 2013–2022. The demographic factors analysed were gender, age, and origin of qualification. Regions of work were defined using the Modified Monash (MM) model.
The number of registered doctors increased from 82,408 in 2013 to 111,908 in 2022 but mean hours worked per week decreased from 41 to 39 leading up to 2020. Trends in age and origin of qualification remained stable, but the proportion of female workers increased from 38.5% in 2013 to 44.5% in 2022. While female hours per week (~37) were consistent from 2013 to 2020, male hours per week decreased from 43 to 41. The number of registrations and total full-time equivalent (FTE) outcomes increased consistently in metropolitan (MM1) and rural (MM2–5) regions but did not increase for remote and very remote (MM6–7) regions.
The Australian medical workforce both grew and changed between 2013 and 2022. An overall decrease in mean hours worked appears to be driven by a decline in hours worked by male workers and the increased proportion of female workers. While increased gender parity and a decrease in hours worked per week were positive outcomes, a lack of growth in the medical workforce was noted in remote and very remote regions of Australia.
Keywords: Australia, burnout and resilience, health workforce, medical professionals, medical workforce, rural health, workforce planning, workforce trends.
References
1 Anderson S, Saar E, Evans J, Rasmussen M, Bayyavarapu SB, Main PAE, et al. Demographic changes in Australia’s regulated health professions: 6-year trends. Aust Health Rev 2023; 47(2): 246-53.
| Crossref | Google Scholar | PubMed |
2 Cubit KA, Meyer C. Aging in Australia. Gerontologist 2011; 51(5): 583-9.
| Crossref | Google Scholar | PubMed |
3 Birch E, Preston A. The Australian labour market in 2019. J Ind Relat 2020; 62(3): 341-64.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
4 MacKenzie S, Brichko L, Tran V. The evolving role of international doctors in the Australian emergency medicine workforce. Emerg Med Australas 2016; 28(5): 586-9.
| Crossref | Google Scholar | PubMed |
5 Wakerman J, Humphreys J, Russell D, Guthridge S, Bourke L, Dunbar T, et al. Remote health workforce turnover and retention: what are the policy and practice priorities? Hum Resour Health 2019; 17(1): 99.
| Crossref | Google Scholar | PubMed |
6 Jackson JK, Liang J, Page AT. Analysis of the demographics and characteristics of the Australian pharmacist workforce 2013-2018: decreasing supply points to the need for a workforce strategy. Int J Pharm Pract 2021; 29(2): 178-85.
| Crossref | Google Scholar | PubMed |
7 Adams J, de Luca K, Swain M, Funabashi M, Wong A, Pagé I, et al. Prevalence and practice characteristics of urban and rural or remote Australian chiropractors: Analysis of a nationally representative sample of 1830 chiropractors. Aust J Rural Health 2019; 27(1): 34-41.
| Crossref | Google Scholar | PubMed |
8 Jessup B, Barnett T, Obamiro K, Cross M, Mseke E. Review of the Health, Welfare and Care Workforce in Tasmania, Australia: 2011-2016. Int J Environ Res Public Health 2021; 18(13): 7014.
| Crossref | Google Scholar | PubMed |
9 Yisma E, Gillam M, Versace VL, Jones S, Walsh S, May E, et al. Geographical distribution of 3 allied health professions in South Australia: A summary of access and disadvantage. Aust J Rural Health 2021; 29(5): 721-8.
| Crossref | Google Scholar | PubMed |
10 Lin RT, Lin YT, Hsia YF, Kuo CC. Long working hours and burnout in health care workers: Non-linear dose-response relationship and the effect mediated by sleeping hours-A cross-sectional study. J Occup Health 2021; 63(1): e12228.
| Crossref | Google Scholar | PubMed |
11 Department of Health and Aged Care. Modified Monash Model (MMM) Suburb and Locality Classification – Home Care Subsidy. Australian Department of Health and Aged Care. 2019. Available at https://www.health.gov.au/resources/publications/modified-monash-model-mmm-suburb-and-locality-classification-home-care-subsidy [cited 6 November 2023].
12 von Elm E, Altman DG, Egger M, Pocock SJ, Gøtzsche PC, Vandenbroucke JP, et al. The Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) statement: guidelines for reporting observational studies. Lancet 2007; 370(9596): 1453-7.
| Crossref | Google Scholar | PubMed |
13 Department of Health and Aged Care. Health Workforce Data. 2023. Available at https://hwd.health.gov.au/ [cited 8 August 2023].
14 Australian Bureau of Statistics. Population Projections 2022-2071, Australia. 2023. Available at https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/people/population/population-projections-australia/latest-release
16 Giattino C, Ortiz-Ospina E. Are we working more than ever? Our World In Data. 2020. Available at ourworldindata.org/working-more-than-ever
17 Jung FU, Bodendieck E, Bleckwenn M, Hussenoeder FS, Luppa M, Riedel-Heller SG. Burnout, work engagement and work hours - how physicians’ decision to work less is associated with work-related factors. BMC Health Serv Res 2023; 23(1): 157.
| Crossref | Google Scholar | PubMed |
19 Zhou AY, Panagioti M, Esmail A, Agius R, Van Tongeren M, Bower P. Factors Associated With Burnout and Stress in Trainee Physicians: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis. JAMA Netw Open 2020; 3(8): e2013761.
| Crossref | Google Scholar | PubMed |
20 Shannon G, Minckas N, Tan D, Haghparast-Bidgoli H, Batura N, Mannell J. Feminisation of the health workforce and wage conditions of health professions: an exploratory analysis. Hum Resour Health 2019; 17(1): 72.
| Crossref | Google Scholar | PubMed |
21 Lachish S, Svirko E, Goldacre MJ, Lambert T. Factors associated with less-than-full-time working in medical practice: results of surveys of five cohorts of UK doctors, 10 years after graduation. Hum Resour Health 2016; 14(1): 62.
| Crossref | Google Scholar | PubMed |
22 Song J, Cheng TC. How do gender differences in family responsibilities affect doctors’ labour supply? Evidence from Australian panel data. Soc Sci Med 2020; 265: 113475.
| Crossref | Google Scholar | PubMed |
23 Wang C, Sweetman A. Gender, family status and physician labour supply. Soc Sci Med 2013; 94: 17-25.
| Crossref | Google Scholar | PubMed |
24 Gjerberg E. Women doctors in Norway: the challenging balance between career and family life. Soc Sci Med 2003; 57(7): 1327-41.
| Crossref | Google Scholar | PubMed |
25 Yeomans ND. Demographics and distribution of Australia’s medical immigrant workforce. J Migr Health 2022; 5: 100109.
| Crossref | Google Scholar | PubMed |
26 Nguyen VNB, Brand G, Gardiner S, Moses S, Collison L, Griffin K, et al. A snapshot of Australian primary health care nursing workforce characteristics and reasons they work in these settings: A longitudinal retrospective study. Nurs Open 2023; 10(8): 5462-75.
| Crossref | Google Scholar | PubMed |
27 Iredale R. Luring Overseas Trained Doctors to Australia: Issues of Training, Regulating and Trading. Int Migr 2009; 47(4): 31-65.
| Crossref | Google Scholar |
28 O’Sullivan B, Russell DJ, McGrail MR, Scott A. Reviewing reliance on overseas-trained doctors in rural Australia and planning for self-sufficiency: applying 10 years’ MABEL evidence. Hum Resour Health 2019; 17(1): 8.
| Crossref | Google Scholar | PubMed |
29 Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency. Information for international practitioners. 2024. Available at https://www.ahpra.gov.au/Registration/International-practitioners.aspx
30 Wakerman J, Humphreys JS. “Better health in the bush”: why we urgently need a national rural and remote health strategy. Med J Aust 2019; 210(5): 202-203.e1.
| Crossref | Google Scholar | PubMed |
31 Cortie CH, Garne D, Parker-Newlyn L, Ivers RG, Mullan J, Mansfield KJ, et al. The Australian health workforce: Disproportionate shortfalls in small rural towns. Aust J Rural Health 2024; 32: 538-546.
| Crossref | Google Scholar | PubMed |
32 Yisma E, Versace VL, Jones M, Walsh S, Jones S, May E, et al. The distribution of registered occupational therapists, physiotherapists, and podiatrists in Australia. PLoS One 2023; 18(9): e0291962.
| Crossref | Google Scholar | PubMed |
33 Ariste R. Availability of health workforce in urban and rural areas in relation to Canadian seniors. Int J Health Plann Manage 2019; 34(2): 510-20.
| Crossref | Google Scholar | PubMed |
34 Karan A, Negandhi H, Hussain S, Zapata T, Mairembam D, De Graeve H, et al. Size, composition and distribution of health workforce in India: why, and where to invest? Hum Resour Health 2021; 19(1): 39.
| Crossref | Google Scholar | PubMed |
35 Okoroafor SC, Kwesiga B, Ogato J, Gura Z, Gondi J, Jumba N, et al. Investing in the health workforce in Kenya: trends in size, composition and distribution from a descriptive health labour market analysis. BMJ Glob Health 2022; 7(Suppl 1): e009748.
| Crossref | Google Scholar | PubMed |
36 Versace VL, Skinner TC, Bourke L, Harvey P, Barnett T. National analysis of the Modified Monash Model, population distribution and a socio-economic index to inform rural health workforce planning. Aust J Rural Health 2021; 29(5): 801-10.
| Crossref | Google Scholar | PubMed |
37 Cals JWL, Butler CC, Hopstaken RM, Hood K, Dinant G-J. Effect of point of care testing for C reactive protein and training in communication skills on antibiotic use in lower respiratory tract infections: cluster randomised trial. BMJ 2009; 338: b1374.
| Crossref | Google Scholar | PubMed |
39 Russell D, Mathew S, Fitts M, Liddle Z, Murakami-Gold L, Campbell N, et al. Interventions for health workforce retention in rural and remote areas: a systematic review. Hum Resour Health 2021; 19(1): 103.
| Crossref | Google Scholar | PubMed |
40 Woolley T, Sen Gupta T, Stewart RA, Hollins A. A return-on-investment analysis of impacts on James Cook University medical students and rural workforce resulting from participation in extended rural placements. Rural Remote Health 2021; 21(4): 6597.
| Crossref | Google Scholar | PubMed |
41 Woolley T, Sen Gupta T, Paton K. Mid-career graduate practice outcomes of the James Cook University medical school: key insights from the first 20 years. Rural Remote Health 2021; 21(4): 6642.
| Crossref | Google Scholar | PubMed |
42 Seal AN, Playford D, McGrail MR, Fuller L, Allen PL, Burrows JM, et al. Influence of rural clinical school experience and rural origin on practising in rural communities five and eight years after graduation. Med J Aust 2022; 216(11): 572-7.
| Crossref | Google Scholar | PubMed |
43 Cortie CH, Garne D, Parker-Newlyn L, Ivers RG, Mullan J, Mansfield KJ, et al. A comparison of rural and regional work locations and speciality choices between graduates from the University of Wollongong and all Australian medical schools using the Medical Schools Outcomes Database. Aust J Rural Health 2023; 32: 152-161.
| Crossref | Google Scholar | PubMed |
