澳大利亚维多利亚州38家紧急护理诊所因未能有效缓解医院急诊科负担而遭医生批评。[1]这些诊所大多在2023年由联邦政府开设，自开设以来已接待超过722,800人次就诊。[1]然而，医生指出这些诊所对急诊科的分流效果微乎其微。[1]
尽管联邦政府声称诊所减少了约10%的非生命威胁急诊就诊，但医生对此数据提出强烈质疑。[1]紧急医学医生Sarah Whitelaw表示诊所对急诊科压力的缓解影响"微乎其微"。[1]同期，维多利亚州急诊科就诊数从2022-23年的1,894,732人次增长至2024-25年的1,978,267人次，增幅约4.4%。[1]
医生还指出，这些诊所的运营方式对医疗系统造成负面影响。[1]紧急护理诊所向医生提供的薪酬为每小时$250-$400，远高于现有医保补贴下全科诊所的薪酬，因此吸引医生离开基层医疗和乡村地区。[1]澳大利亚医学协会副会长Julian Rait称这种现象为"抢夺彼得来支付保罗"，警告诊所正在从乡村地区和医院吸引医疗人员，威胁全科医生执业的可行性。[1]
从成本效益看，紧急护理诊所每患者成本超过$250，而标准全科医生咨询成本仅约$47。[1]联邦政府已为维多利亚州诊所直接拨款超过$88 million，2024年5月宣布投入$1.8 billion国家资金。[1]维多利亚州2024-25年州预算亦为诊所分配$20.9 million。[1]
Victoria's 38 urgent care clinics, established largely by the federal government in 2023, are proving ineffective at relieving strain on hospital emergency departments, according to medical professionals.[1] Emergency medicine doctor Sarah Whitelaw described the clinics' impact on emergency department pressure as "minuscule,"[1] while Julian Rait, vice president of the Australian Medical Association, criticized the facilities for drawing physicians away from rural areas and hospitals, characterizing the situation as "robbing Peter to pay Paul."[1]
The clinics have handled over 722,800 patient visits since opening in 2023,[1] yet emergency department presentations in Victoria rose to 1,978,267 in 2024-25, up approximately 4.4 percent from 1,894,732 in 2022-23.[1] Although the federal government claims the clinics have reduced non-life-threatening emergency department visits by about 10 percent,[1] doctors dispute these figures. The cost-effectiveness gap is stark: urgent care clinics spend over $250 per patient, compared to approximately $47 for a standard general practitioner consultation.[1] Furthermore, these clinics offer doctors $250–$400 per hour, substantially exceeding wages available at general practices operating under current Medicare subsidies.[1]
The financial commitment to the initiative has been substantial, with federal direct funding exceeding $88 million for Victoria's clinics,[1] complemented by a 2024 national funding announcement of $1.8 billion,[1] and a state budget allocation of $20.9 million in 2024-25.[1] Despite these investments, medical leaders contend that the clinics are failing to address the underlying crisis in Australia's emergency care system.