The Accessibility of Australia's Rural and Remote Population Centres to Outpatient Cardiac Rehabilitation Programs.

Accessibility is a major factor in the underutilisation of Outpatient Cardiac Rehabilitation Programs within Australia. Previous studies on accessibility to cardiac services have been based on travel time, cost or distance only, and provide only a partial view of access to services. The Spatial Model of Accessibility to Phase 2 Cardiac Rehabilitation was used to measure the socio-economic and geographical accessibility of Australia’s Phase 2 (outpatient) cardiac rehabilitation programs. Rural and remote population centres were defined using the Accessibility / Remoteness Index for Australia (ARIA). The Spatial Model of Accessibility to Phase 2 Cardiac Rehabilitation has been used to identify areas where accessibility to these programs could be improved and where new programs or models of delivery should be established to enhance accessibility in areas that are currently poorly served. This research has identified that there is a need for better service planning aimed at increasing the
accessibility to Phase 2 Cardiac Rehabilitation Programs within Australia. The factors affecting the accessibility of at-risk populations should be considered and the current services should be improved to meet the specific needs of the population that they could service.