8685.0 - Private Medical Practices, Australia, 2001-02  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 18/12/2003   
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MEDIA RELEASE

December 18, 2003
Embargoed: 11:30 AM (AEST)
145/2003

Private medical practices employ over 100,000 people

Private medical practices employed 101,957 people at the end of June 2002 according to figures released today by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (see Media Note).

They also generated $10,334.7 million (m) in income, which contributed 1.1% to Australian Gross Domestic Product (GDP) during 2001-02.

At the end of June 2002, there were 9,600 general medical practitioner (GP) practices with a total employment of 56,911 people at 12,091 locations. Single practitioner practices accounted for 69% of all GP practices, and 35% of all GP practice income.

On average, there were 6.1 GP practice locations per 10,000 population across Australia. NSW and Tasmania had the greatest number of GP practice locations per 10,000 population (7.3 and 7.2 respectively).

There were 9,864 specialist medical practices with a total employment of 45,046 people at 16,585 locations. Single practitioners accounted for 90% of all specialist practices and generated 60% of all specialist practice income.

The three specialties, surgery, diagnostic imaging and internal medicine contributed 59% to total specialist practice employment and 62% to total specialist practice income. Surgery practices employed 10,247 people and generated $1,332.3m in income. Diagnostic imaging had employment of 8,320 and income of $1,479.9m, while internal medicine had employment of 8,076 and income of $854.9m.

Further details can be found in Private Medical Practices, Australia, 2001-02 (cat. no. 8685.0).

Media Note: For the purpose of this survey, a medical practice was defined as a collection of associated medical businesses plus any associated administrative support business. Only those medical businesses with predominant income generated from private medical practice were in scope of this survey.