Affordable healthcare on the Gold Coast is ‘dying’. This is why

A Gold Coast GP says affordable healthcare is ‘dying’ as clinics struggle to survive amid escalating costs.

A GP has warned that affordable healthcare on the Gold Coast is “dying”, with clinics struggling to stay afloat and abandoning bulk billing amid escalating costs.

Dr Ali Zebarjad, owner of Oasis Medical Centre in Broadbeach, said it was “completely unsustainable” to open a GP clinic in the current financial environment, with many on the brink of bankruptcy.

“When you look at it as a business, GP clinics are a failing business,” he said.

“It’s a big sacrifice to keep the clinic open. I don’t know how someone can afford to do this without any help. I am holding on for dear life, but it’s completely unsustainable.”

Oasis Medical Centre owner Dr Ali Zebarjad. Picture: Glenn Hampson.

Dr Zebarjad opened Oasis Medical Centre as a bulk-billing service in 2019, but later went private as it struggled with the rapidly rising cost of paying for its premises, salaries, insurance, medical supplies and electricity.

Last year it made a profit of just $45,000.

The practice charges $90 for a standard consultation, of which $39.75 is reimbursed by Medicare.

That rebate will rise to $41.40 by the end of the year, but Dr Zebarjad said that will make no difference to clinics and patients.

“Bulk billing is a good idea, at the right price,” Dr Zebarjad said. “But that $1.65 will make no difference whatsoever.

“What you will see is a lot of small businesses go down like us.

“For us the next three months will be critical. Because if it’s another three years of torture, we’ll go bankrupt even though we are private. The costs are just too heavy.”

Dr Zebarjad said skyrocketing costs mean many clinics are facing possible bankruptcy. Picture: Glenn Hampson.

A number of practices have already closed their doors on the Gold Coast this year, including

21 Medical Centre in Palm Beach and MyHealth’s Nerang branch.

The closures come despite a survey by health directory Cleanbill which showed that only 28.5 per cent of Gold Coast clinics offered bulk billing.

And while Dr Zebarjad struggles to keep Oasis Medical Centre alive, he said the true tragedy was the number of patients he’s forced to turn away daily.

“Every day we get around five to seven people who ask us whether we bulk bill and leave because we don’t,” he said.

“I always wanted to be a GP because I want to treat people – it’s not a good feeling when you can’t even see the patient altogether.

“You have no idea why they’re coming to see you. It could be very serious. It could be child abuse, it could be suicide, it could be a serious disease and you miss it.

“All because you can’t afford to see them.

“So for new doctors – why would you want to become a GP?”