The Australian government announced during the weekend $ 664 million Construct 50 Medicare Emergency Treatment Clinic throughout Australia. This is above Almost $ 600 million Previously, I did my best to establish 87 clinics.
After these 50 new clinics opened in the 2025-26 fiscal year, the government has four out of five Australians. Drive 20 minutes In the clinic. This seems to be a reasonable pursuit, but the problem is whether it is worth the taxpayer’s dollar when there is already a GPS and an emergency room.
What does evidence mean? Is the emergency treatment clinic worth money?
What is an emergency treatment clinic?
Emergency treatment clinic provides bulk first aid treatment for an urgent but threatening condition for 7 days a week during an extended business hours. No promise is required, and anyone with a Medicare card can enter and receive treatment. You can search online For the nearest clinic.
The clinic is a GPS and a nurse leading the staff. They probably treat people who do not want to wait for a GP promise, attend or call the emergency room. HealthDirect. Treated injuries and diseases include minor infections and cuts, minor sports injuries and respiratory diseases.
If the patient approaches the treatment faster and does not claim large quantities, the cost reduction can benefit the emergency treatment clinic.
But they do not see regular GPs, which can reduce the appeals of patients who value the continuity of treatment, such as patients with chronic or mental health.
Why was it introduced?
The Australian medical system is faced with significant pressure. Chronic diseases increaseOur population age and medical personnel It is stretched.
Long emergency room waiting time and ambulance ramps (if the emergency room is too full to accept patients with an ambulance) is common throughout Australia.
Meanwhile, access to GP mass billing service has decreased. The government is trying to solve this by paying GPS. Billions Reduce the cost of the patient.
Medicare Emergency Treatment Clinic Introduced To reduce the amount of work pressure on GPS, it smashes the emergency room emergency room of public hospitals and improves access to cheap primary care.
They were first announced 2022 by the Labor Party When opposed. The Labor Party wanted to build a reputation as “Medicare ‘S Guardian.’
Is there evidence they work?
Medicare urgent care clinics was first established 2 years ago. While doing Part Already introduced this type of clinic, it will take time to include yourself in your health care system and get used to it.
It is cost and waiting time Crisis People who choose from primary care, emergency treatment clinics and emergency rooms.
approximately 19% of people I visited the emergency room in 2022-23 because I couldn’t use GP if necessary.
Studies have found that many people have used emergency treatment clinics. Avoid GP Joint PaymentMany people may have used them because the waiting time for the GP is too long.
Irina Mikhailichenko/SHUTTERSTOCK
The Alvanes government reported that it was there One million visits As of December 2024, an emergency treatment clinic (about 1.5 years after the first opening). This may look impressive, but you should be able to see it in the context of the emergency room. It was there 9 million 2023 ~ 24 years.
There is no direct evidence of whether Medicare Urgent Care Clinics put pressure on the emergency room. Studies USA If this type of clinic reduces emergency room announcements, Australia suggests that its effect is not necessarily the same.
The amount of time spent in the emergency room Keep going up All over Australia.
Many patients will continue to use the emergency room despite the approach to the clinic. About 40% The emergency treatment clinic of the emergency room presentation can be handled, but 16% Anyone who attends the emergency room thinks GP can deliver his treatment.
How can we improve their success?
A public message is required to make the patient the best use of the emergency treatment clinic and to understand the timing.
A few hours later, if you deliver minor injuries and diseases to an emergency treatment clinic, you can reduce your health system costs rather than funding multiple general practices a few hours later. This is because the cost of patients falls as the number of patients treated in the clinic increases.
Jeremy NG/AAP
If there is no medical worker who is enough to employees this clinic, none of them will work. Currently GPS lack and nurseTherefore, the emergency treatment clinic is competing with general practices for manpower.
This lack of manpower is not ideal and can increase the GP waiting time or reduce the survival of the emergency treatment clinic. that Gambier Mount Urgent Care Clinic Recently, he entered the liquidation due to lack of employees.
The government announced Additional funds for training More GPS and nurse. Human resources investment is important for getting more and more demand, but it will take time.
In the future
The government has invested more than $ 1 billion in emergency treatment clinics. It is essential for success to understand whether an emergency treatment clinic replaces GP or emergency room announcements or provides additional medical access. To fully understand the degree of emergency treatment clinic achieving your goals, you need a comprehensive and long -term evaluation.
