Access to specialist medical outpatient care

Public hospital-based outpatient clinics are a core part of the acute health system. Along with emergency departments, they act as a major pathway for people to access inpatient care, including elective surgery. Outpatient clinics also perform an important preventative role through the early diagnosis and management of medical conditions, which may reduce the demand for inpatient services.

The audit points to a need for the Department of Human Services to improve its strategic planning activities for outpatient services, given its fundamental and growing importance in the healthcare chain.

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