The Australian Medical Association says Australia is facing a critical shortage of General Practitioner doctors.
The AMA's President Mukesh Haikerwal says the government needs to use next week's budget to reform the current Medicare system, to keep older doctors working.
Dr Haikerwal says the current system forces doctors to rush consultations, and places too much pressure on the hospital system.
He says Medicare has been neglected for more than a decade, and with more doctors heading toward retirement age, the government must provide incentives for them to stay at work.
“We are on the cusp of a wave of that baby boomer generation of G-P's coming towards retirement.” Dr Haikerwal said
‘Not only are the numbers that are in the system going to drop, but all also the hours each individual G-P works will change, but people will be actually be working less hours.’