Can Urgent Care Clinics actually take pressure off hospitals? Yes, but they’re not the only way
- Written by Jonathan Karnon, Professor of Health Economics, Flinders University
When we’re acutely ill or injured, we want to be able to quickly access care in Australia’s hospital emergency departments (EDs). But more of us are seeking care in EDs. This went from 7.4 million in 2014–15 to 9.1 million in 2024–25. And the system is struggling to cope.
EDs are becoming more crowded and patients are...





