Over the period 2012–13 to 2014–15, the average cost of delivering care in major public hospitals decreased by 1 per cent, after adjusting for inflation. Over this period there was a 6 per cent increase in hospital activity but hospital spending only rose by 5 per cent. This indicates that as a group, major public hospitals have delivered care for less cost.

This publication was originally published by the National Health Performance Authority, which transferred its activities to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare on 1 July 2016.

  • ISSN: 2201-3901
  • ISBN: 978-1-76054-304-4
  • Cat. no: HPF 18
  • Pages: 10
Findings from this report:

  • Providing care to similar acute patients can cost up to 2x as much, depending on the hospital

  • Costs incurred by public hospitals to deliver an 'average' service to acute admitted patients, ranged from $3,300-$6,400

  • In 2014–15, 20 major public hospitals maintained or decreased their average cost of care in the 2 years from 2012–13

  • Over the period 2012–13 to 2014–15, the average cost of delivering care in major public hospitals decreased by 1 percent