Regional Victorians and healthcare providers are advocating for improved access and funding to reduce health inequality ahead of the November state election.
Victorian Alliance of Rural and Regional Community Health (ARRCH) chair Sean Duffy said population health data across the country shows people living in rural and regional areas have a lower life expectancy.
"People living in remote Victoria are living somewhere between five and seven years less than people in Melbourne," he said.
The alliance said this inequity in life expectancy was due to a delayed healthcare response in the regions.
"I think it's a difficult conversation to confront," Mr Duffy said.
"Whether it's access to emergency departments or ongoing treatment of a chronic condition, people in rural and regional Victoria are disadvantaged."
Factors such as higher rates of chronic diseases including diabetes, respiratory conditions, cardiac conditions and higher rates of obesity were leading to shorter life expectancies, the alliance said.
"We know that with the available supports in rural Victoria, it's near or impossible for people to access specialist support," Mr Duffy said.
He said he was advocating for a separate funding model which "could see a reduction in the inequity between life expectancies".
"It is so much more expensive to deliver services, and it is so much harder to recruit the professions," Mr Duffy said.
