ArticleBMC health services research2025
Using geographic information systems to map eye care service distribution in rural and remote Western Australia.
Article in BMC health services research, 2025. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 4 papers.
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Who cites it
4 citing papers in PubMed.
- Improving Access and Reducing the Burden on Public Ophthalmology: Collaborative Telehealth Models Between Ophthalmology and Optometry in Australia.Ophthalmic & physiological optics : the journal of the British College of Ophthalmic Opticians (Optometrists) · 2026Article
- Distribution and Accessibility of Hospital-Based Emergency Departments for Paediatric Patients in Rural and Remote Western Australia: A Geographic Analysis.Emergency medicine Australasia : EMA · 2026Article
- Article
- Breast cancer patients' perceptions of safety: insights from the Italian NHS.BMC health services research · 2025Article
Corrections and comments
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Authors and funding
7 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
backgroundMany rural residents face barriers to eye care access. Government workforce data show a maldistribution of eye care providers in Western Australia however, no detailed information is available on regional coverage within the state. This study aimed to identify and map all eye care services in rural and remote Western Australia and to calculate the regional workforce rates.
methodsA survey was sent to all optometry and ophthalmology practices in rural and remote Western Australia with questions on practitioner and equipment availability. Information on visiting services was captured directly through organisations as well as the survey. Geographic information systems were used to map service locations, calculate coverage of services relative to the population, and calculate full-time equivalent (FTE) per 100,000 of the population for each profession.
resultsA total of 58 optometry practices, 8 ophthalmology practices, 113 visiting optometry services and 43 visiting ophthalmology services in rural and remote Western Australia were identified and mapped. Most of the population (97.2%) lived within 100 km of an eye care service. Overall FTE per 100,000 for optometry and ophthalmology were 12.1 and 2.4, respectively. Regional FTE per 100,000 ranged from 2.1 to 19.5 for optometry and 0 to 4.2 for ophthalmology.
conclusionsThe results show broad coverage of visiting services but highlights regional discrepancies in optometry and ophthalmology workforce rates, with several regions failing to meet FTE recommendations.
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