Emails seen by Fairfax Media show a number of emergency medicine specialists have indicated they would work at the clinic, which would be attached to the Calvary John James Hospital.

Calvary John James Hospital chief executive Shaune Gillespie said a feasibility study would test community support for the private emergency department, which would charge patients for treatment.

"We have had a number of people ask whether we would look at this as a way to take pressure off the public system and to give people another choice," he said.

"We run private emergency departments across Australia. This is seen as an alternative to the public sector system."

Mr Gillespie said a group of Australian National University students were also working on a scoping study to be presented to the ACT government if favourable.

"While the students are looking at consumer interest and acceptance, we will be talking with other private emergency department operators to gain an insight of the clinical parameters and other considerations they place around their services," he said.

"This planning is vital in health and hospital services where investment costs are high, staff development and engagement requires long lead times, and service delivery options and modalities are constantly evolving."

The revelations come as the Labor government and opposition trade blows about a proposal to attach small-scale hospitals with limited emergency department services in Tuggeranong and Gungahlin.

The proposal was criticised by Health Minister Simon Corbell as reliant on "pretend hospitals" and said it would waste valuable time when treating patients with genuine emergencies.

Labor senator Katy Gallagher said the proposal would stretch resources and she had been counselled against it by the Australian Medical Association in 2012.

But ACT AMA president Steve Robson, who was appointed to the role earlier this year, supported the proposal and called on the government to adopt similar initiatives.

Mr Gillespie said a private emergency department would not diminish the need for public emergency services that specialise in major health episodes including trauma.

"Private hospitals in a number of Australian cities have established emergency departments," he said.

"As the population of Canberra and surrounding areas is well beyond 500,000 people, we are interested as to whether a similar service would be viable."

Waiting times at Canberra emergency departments are among the longest in Australia despite significant investments from the government.

Presentations to the departments have increased by 22 per cent since 2009-10, despite the territory's population growing by nine per cent. Both public hospitals also cater for Queanbeyan and the surrounding NSW region.

Mr Corbell's office was approached for comment but directed questions to Calvary.