The Economic Value of Exercise Physiology in Australia
We talk a lot about the health benefits of exercise physiology, but a new national report puts a dollar figure on it, and the number is big.
A 2026 report from Deloitte Access Economics, commissioned by Exercise & Sports Science Australia (ESSA), has modelled the economic impact of Accredited Exercise Physiologists (AEPs) across six major chronic health condition groups: cardiovascular disease, pulmonary disease, musculoskeletal conditions, mental health, physical disability and cancer.
The headline number: $1.09 billion in net economic benefit over three years, a figure that comes from real, measurable reductions in hospital admissions, emergency presentations and lost productivity.
The Numbers That Matter
Across the six condition groups studied, the report found:
$2.50 in economic benefit for every $1 invested in exercise physiology
60,355 hospital admissions avoided over three years
38,618 emergency department presentations avoided
413,009 hospital bed-days avoided
More than 1.3 million GP and specialist appointments avoided
18,072 quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) gained
Why This Matters Beyond The Health System
It's easy to read a report like this and file it under "healthcare economics”, but the real story is about people staying independent for longer, avoiding a trip to hospital, keeping their job, or being able to play with their kids.
More than one in three Australian adults aren't meeting physical activity guidelines, and chronic disease already accounts for the majority of growth in Australia's health spending. Structured, supervised exercise delivered by an AEP is increasingly being recognised as a cost-effective form of treatment in its own right.
The Takeaway
This report reinforces something we see every day at Atrium: targeted, well-prescribed exercise changes outcomes, not just for how you feel, but for how often you end up needing more intensive (and expensive) care.
You can read the full report here.
If you're managing a chronic condition or simply want to understand what evidence-based exercise can do for your specific situation, have a chat with the team to find out how we can help.
