The Turnbull government is promising to appoint a rural health commissioner to address the doctor drought in country areas.
Rural Health Minister Fiona Nash says the commissioner would be dedicated to improving health policy for country areas if the coalition is re-elected on July 2.
They would be charged with developing the national rural generalist pathway - a scheme aimed at using incentives to get more doctors in rural, remote and regional Australia.
Rural generalists have more advanced skills than regular GPs, with training in areas like mental health, anaesthetics and obstetrics, but there is no nationally recognised scheme to recognise their additional skills and extended working hours, Senator Nash said.
Rural areas were struggling to attract and retain doctors despite a substantial rise in the number of medical graduates in the past decade, she said.
"As a rural person who lives hours from a major city myself, I understand rural Australia needs more medical professionals and this pathway will help deliver them," she said on Friday.
"Extra recognition and financial incentives for rural generalists will help attract more medical professionals to the bush and help keep the ones we already have."
The plan has been welcomed by the Rural Doctors Association as a significant step towards achieving equal healthcare for rural Australia.
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