Otitis media is among the most common conditions seen at Australia’s Medicare Urgent Care Clinics, according to new data released today, 5 December 2024.
Across Australia, the largest proportion of patients seen at the clinics have been children. Nearly one-third of visits are by children aged under 15. Some of their most common conditions are upper respiratory tract infections, coughs, otitis media, lacerations, rashes, viruses, fevers and fractures.
Federal Minister for Health and Aged Care Mr Mark Butler said the clinics would this week achieve an historic milestone with one million free visits nationwide. They are fully bulk billed, with no out of pocket costs for patients, open for extended hours every day including weekends, and no appointment is needed.
The clinics are a key part of the Federal Government’s reforms to strengthen Medicare to deliver a better, fairer and stronger health system and to deliver cost of living relief.
They are taking pressure off busy hospital emergency departments as nearly half the patients said they would have gone to the local emergency department if the clinic was not there.
“Medicare Urgent Care Clinics are a game changer. All patients need is their Medicare card, not their credit card,” Butler said.
“Our Medicare Urgent Care Clinics recognised there was a gap in our health system.
“They have now filled that gap meaning patients all around the country, including parents and young kids, now don’t have to spend hours waiting in an emergency department for urgent but not life-threatening care.
“We want every Australian to have access to free urgent health care, when they need it, without waiting hours in a busy hospital emergency department.
“Our 87 Medicare Urgent Care Clinics mean 70% of Australians now live no more than a 20-minute drive from fully bulk billed urgent care, available seven days a week. So that wherever you live, urgent care is never far away.”
A recent poll also found that more than 70% of GPs support the work of the clinics with over 80 per cent of GPs believing they’re having a positive impact on hospital emergency departments.
By the end of the year all 87 clinics will be operating; 22 are in New South Wales, 17 in Victoria, 16 in Queensland, eight each in WA and the NT, six in SA, and five each are in the ACT and Tasmania.
Since the national network began in July 2023, NSW has had more than 164,300 visits, Queensland has had more than 164,800 visits, Victoria more than 205,800, ACT over 144,900, WA more than 110,800, SA more than 60,800, Tasmania more than 55,600, and NT more than 32,900.
