Patients with chronic diseases have ranked Australia third out of 19 countries for healthcare co-ordination in a landmark report, despite doctors’ growing concerns about primary care fragmentation.

The OECD’s first Patient-Reported Indicator Survey, dubbed the PaRIS report, has placed Australia in the top five for quality care, patient-centred care and healthcare co-ordination, as well as self-reported physical health outcomes.

The survey involved 107,000 patients aged 45 or older who had seen a GP in the preceding six months and had a chronic condition — most commonly hypertension, arthritis, joint pain or back pain.

Patients judged healthcare co-ordination based on the quality of care planning, support to self-manage their condition, whether they had a primary health co-ordinator and generally whether their care felt joined up.