# Medical & Healthcare System of Australia

**Parent:** [Australia.md](../Australia.md)  
**Authoritative source:** [Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency (AHPRA)](https://www.ahpra.gov.au) · [Services Australia — Medicare](https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/medicare)

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## System Overview

Australia operates a **universal public healthcare system** called **Medicare**, established under the Health Insurance Act 1973. It is jointly funded by the federal government and supplemented by state-funded public hospitals. A parallel private health insurance market also exists.

| Feature | Detail |
|---|---|
| Public system | Medicare |
| Funder | Services Australia (federal) |
| Hospital funding | State/territory governments |
| Practitioner regulator | AHPRA |
| Pharmaceutical scheme | Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) |
| Emergency number | **000** |
| Mental health crisis line | Lifeline — **13 11 14** |

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## Medicare

Medicare gives Australian citizens and permanent residents access to:
- Free or subsidised treatment by GPs and specialists
- Free treatment in public hospitals
- Subsidised medicines under the PBS
- Eye tests by optometrists

**Administer:** Services Australia  
**Source:** [servicesaustralia.gov.au/medicare](https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/medicare)

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## AHPRA — Practitioner Registration

The **Australian Health Practitioner Regulation Agency** regulates 16 health professions under the Health Practitioner Regulation National Law.

| Profession | Regulatory Board |
|---|---|
| Medical Practitioners | Medical Board of Australia |
| Nurses & Midwives | Nursing and Midwifery Board of Australia |
| Dentists | Dental Board of Australia |
| Pharmacists | Pharmacy Board of Australia |
| Physiotherapists | Physiotherapy Board of Australia |
| Psychologists | Psychology Board of Australia |
| Chiropractors | Chiropractic Board of Australia |
| Optometrists | Optometry Board of Australia |

**Register search:** [ahpra.gov.au/registration](https://www.ahpra.gov.au/registration.aspx)  
**Verify a practitioner:** [practitioners.ahpra.gov.au](https://practitioners.ahpra.gov.au)

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## Medical Specialties in Australia

The following specialties are recognised by the Medical Board of Australia / relevant specialist colleges:

| Specialty | College/Authority |
|---|---|
| General Practice | Royal Australian College of General Practitioners (RACGP) |
| Endocrinology & Metabolism | Endocrine Society of Australia (ESA) |
| Cardiology | Cardiac Society of Australia and New Zealand (CSANZ) |
| Dermatology | Australasian College of Dermatologists (ACD) |
| Paediatrics | Royal Australasian College of Physicians — Paediatrics |
| Pathology | Royal College of Pathologists of Australasia (RCPA) |
| Psychiatry | Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists (RANZCP) |
| Surgery | Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS) |
| Dentistry | Australian Dental Association (ADA) |

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## Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS)

The PBS subsidises the cost of a wide range of medicines for Australian residents. It is administered by the Department of Health and Aged Care.  
**Source:** [pbs.gov.au](https://www.pbs.gov.au)

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## Public Hospital System

Public hospitals are funded by the states and territories. Elective surgery waitlist data is published by AIHW.  
**National data:** [aihw.gov.au/hospitals](https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports-data/myhospitals)

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## Medical Directory (Australia.md)

→ [Medical Hub](../medical/index.html) — Browse specialties  
→ [Endocrinology NSW](../medical/endocrinology/index.html) — AHPRA-compliant listing

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## Authoritative Sources

| Resource | URL |
|---|---|
| AHPRA — Practitioner Register | <https://www.ahpra.gov.au> |
| Services Australia — Medicare | <https://www.servicesaustralia.gov.au/medicare> |
| Department of Health and Aged Care | <https://www.health.gov.au> |
| Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) | <https://www.pbs.gov.au> |
| Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (AIHW) | <https://www.aihw.gov.au> |
| MyHospitals (AIHW) | <https://www.aihw.gov.au/reports-data/myhospitals> |
| Healthdirect Australia | <https://www.healthdirect.gov.au> |