CANBERRA, Oct. 20 (Xinhua) -- More than 1 million Australians have accessed free health advice through the federal government's 1800MEDICARE service since its launch 10 months ago, Minister for Health and Ageing Mark Butler said on Tuesday.
The service, which provides round-the-clock health advice by phone and digital platforms, aims to ease pressure on hospital emergency departments and improve access to healthcare across Australia.
According to a government statement, one in 10 callers were diverted from visiting an emergency department or calling emergency services, while another one in 10 were referred to urgent care services.
Nearly 60,000 callers received free virtual consultations with general practitioners, while one in five callers were from rural and remote areas.
New South Wales recorded the highest number of calls at over 471,000, followed by Victoria with more than 352,000 and Western Australia with over 133,000.
Butler said more than 170,000 people had been diverted from busy emergency departments or emergency calls through the service.
The Australian government has invested more than 200 million Australian dollars (about 141 million U.S. dollars) in 1800MEDICARE to expand access to urgent and after-hours healthcare.
The service allows Australians to speak with registered nurses and access further medical care, including after-hours telehealth consultations, when needed. ■
