Frustrated with the health system in your region? You’re not alone.

Health care is among the most debated topics on talk back radio, in workplace lunchrooms and on social media sites.

Professor Sonj Hall It is especially a trendy topic for people living in regional and rural Australia where health care services are not as accessible as they are in metropolitan areas.

CQUniversity’s Professor Sonj Hall, an expert in health care, believes there is a real need to discover why such inequalities are evident in Australia’s health system.

“I’ve conducted a series of studies which raise questions about our health system, where Medicare is set up for equal treatment for equal need available to everybody,” Professor Hall said.

“What we tend to see is the patients in the big cities have more surgery although this is not necessarily improving survival. We need to look at why this is happening.”

Professor Hall’s research focuses on the variations in health care and outcomes for people in rural areas, lower socio-economic groups and indigenous groups, along with the influence of private health care access and insurance.

Professor Hall, CQUniversity’s recently appointed Director of the Health Collaborative Research Network, will hold a FREE public presentation titled From health services research to making a difference in regional health care as part of CQUniversity’s Research Unplugged seminar series at Rockhampton's Criterion Hotel on Thursday February 23 from 6pm.

She will explain how health care research is helping to change policy and practice and enhance health care at a state and national level. She will also explore the role of lobby groups in translating research into policy and practice.

Professor Hall has a career spanning leadership and senior executive positions across government, health care and academic sectors. She has provided stewardship for strategic health policy and program development for national and state governments.

Using her research background, Professor Hall strongly advocates for evidence-based policy to address community needs, especially in regional areas.

For more details about the FREE presentation by CQUniversity's Institute for Health and Social Science Research (IHSSR), or to register your attendance contact Dr Jim Douglas on 4923 2184 or j.douglas@cqu.edu.au .