Giving evidence at the Legislative Council committee's inquiry into the impact of the $100 million health budget cuts, Dr Timothy Greenaway predicted the standard of health care would deteriorate dramatically.

``Trying to rebuild the standard of health care for the Tasmanian public may take a decade or more,'' Dr Greenaway said.

Dr Greenaway, an endocrinologist at the Royal Hobart Hospital and chairman of the hospital's medical advisory board, has worked in Tasmania for 20 years.

He worked last weekend and said he had never seen the hospital under so much pressure.

``The hospital was full and this is the quietest time of the year. It was diabolical,'' he said.

``I have worked over the Christmas and New Year period and I have never, ever ever seen the place full at this time of year. There are alarm bells going off.''

He questioned how either of the state's two major hospitals would cope with the flu season given the strain they were already under.

The Australian Medical Association said people with private health insurance would not be immune from the impact of the health cuts.

AMA state president Dr John Davis said the job cuts and threat of losing accreditation meant skilled and experienced clinicians were leaving the state.

``It's one group of doctors who service all the patients and the systems need to work together,'' Dr Davis said.

He urged the state and federal governments to redesign the system with a single funder.

``Get a plain piece of paper out,'' Dr Davis said.

He said the savings targets imposed on hospital management were ``unmeetable''.

He called for clinicians to be given a greater say in the structural reform of the system to help eliminate duplication and inefficiencies.