Effective management of chronic conditions requires multidisciplinary, coordinated care. Whilst some patients receive this type of care, the current Australian health system does not provide the ideal support for integrated team care. Half of the Australian population has at least one chronic condition, with large variation in the severity and complexity of conditions and the intensity of care patients require.

The Atlas series examines variation in use of some commonly prescribed medicines. Medicines are effective when used appropriately for the right duration. However, substantial variation in use can suggest that some individuals and the community are being exposed to avoidable harms and unnecessary costs, while others may be missing out on an effective treatment.

The range of tests, technologies and treatments that can be used to investigate and manage health problems is growing. Whilst this can bring great benefit, there is an associated risk of diagnosing and treating people for conditions that would never have caused them harm (over-diagnosis).

Variation in hospital admission rates may be due to system-level differences, such as limited access in some locations to effective and appropriate community-based services to manage worsening conditions. Variations in the quality of patient care provided in different locations may also be a factor.

Variation in women's healthcare interventions and maternity care indicators highlight areas of clinical practice where women require information and access to services to support their intervention choices.

Important improvements have been made in the safety and quality of surgical interventions with substantial advances in surgical methods. Considerable variation exists in admission rates for many common surgical interventions, much of which is either unexplained or potentially unwarranted.