About Rural and Remote Health

The terms regional, rural and remote are used to describe any area outside a metropolitan location. All three have distinct meanings and associated challenges. It is important to understand these differences to improve healthcare delivery. Generally, a:

  • regional area is the towns and small cities outside of the major capitals
  • rural area sits outside a regional centre, but is within a few hours’ drive
  • remote is a township far removed from a major capital or regional centre.

Queensland Health uses the Modified Monash Model to stratify areas, with those in categories 4-7 considered rural and remote.

Achieving equity in health outcomes for rural and remote Queenslanders is complex and magnified by unique characteristics and challenges that act as barriers to accessing healthcare. Visible barriers include:

  • limited infrastructure
  • vast distances
  • poorer connectivity between towns to health services
  • higher cost of health services and living
  • harsh drought or flood-stricken environments.

Invisible barriers include:

  • cultural differences
  • attitudes towards healthcare
  • social isolation.

Find out more on how Queensland Health is looking to improve healthcare for people living in rural and remote Queensland:

Last updated: 23 May 2022