Victorian Opposition Leader Jess Wilson on Monday pledged to supply up to 10 new or expanded patient transit lounges in hospitals across the state if she becomes premier after the November election.
The concept diverts patients who are medically ready to leave hospital but are waiting for final medication, transport or final discharge arrangements from inpatient wards to a discharge lounge.
About 30 per cent of Victorians who present to emergency departments are not seen in the recommended time, according to the latest quarterly statistics from the state's health department.
Ambulance ramping continues to strain the system according to figures, with 28 per cent of patients from ambulance transfers not seen within 40 minutes.
The lounges would be delivered under the $99 million Patient Transit Lounge Fund, with locations where overcrowding is worst and ambulance ramping is most severe to be prioritised, following consultation.
"Victorians shouldn't be stuck waiting for hours in an emergency department because a hospital bed is being occupied by someone who is ready to go home," Ms Wilson said.
Dedicated transit lounges exist in several hospitals across the state, including at the Royal Melbourne Hospital in Parkville, Footscray Hospital, University Hospital Geelong, Latrobe Regional Hospital and Goulburn Valley Health in Shepparton.
The pledge comes amid widespread workforce strikes and allegations public hospitals across the state are facing significant financial pressures.
Victorian Greens health spokesperson Sarah Mansfield claimed Labor had run the state's health system into the ground.
"In a state as wealthy as Victoria, safe, quality public healthcare shouldn't be a luxury," Dr Mansfield said.
"Patients and healthcare workers deserve so much better."
Thousands of public hospital doctors walked off the job on Thursday in a statewide strike, citing unsafe workloads, exhaustion and unpaid overtime.
Opposition health spokesman Georgie Crozier said pressure on doctors, nurses and paramedics was unsustainable.
"A Jess Wilson Liberal and Nationals government will get our hospitals working better and deliver the fresh start Victoria's health system so desperately needs," she said.
It's the second health pitch from the coalition in as many days, after Ms Wilson on Sunday announced a plan to contract private hospitals to help cut the state's ballooning elective surgery waitlist.
That pitch garnered accusations from Premier Ben Carroll the Liberal-Nationals coalition was Americanising the health system.
The latest Freshwater poll published by the Herald Sun shows Labor's primary vote down one point to 24 per cent, the coalition is also down, but leading at 29 per cent and One Nation steady at 22 per cent.
The Victorian government has been contacted for comment.
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