LATEST ARTICLES
September 2007
EasyClaim slow
WA doctors are not racing to embrace the federal government's Easy Claim system. In theory, the good idea of allowing people to claim Medicare rebates at the same time as they pay their doctor's bill has been outweighed by the extra time in processing and the need for additional staff. The AMA has put forward a proposal that doctors be paid $1 for every claim made - pharmacists and banks receive a transaction fee. As a side issue, it was reported in the Financial Review that a number of senior AMA policy staff dealing with electronic health had resigned following the election of Dr Rosanna Capolingua.
Diluted WA health dollar
A report by the Federal Government shows that in 2005-2006, WA spent $3.5 billion in health (an increase of $170m) but due to a rising population this equated to $118 less per person than the preceding year (but still $894 per person, the second highest). The report also showed that the average number of beds per 1000 population fell 0.1 to 2.5 and the average waiting time for procedures increased by one day.
Thanks for the mammaries
Through years of IVF treatment (and afterwards), Busselton woman Sarah O'Brien struggled... Read More...
Beneath the Drapes. September 2007
Mr Kim Snowball has been appointed Chief Executive Officer of WA Country Health Services, replacing Christine O'Farrell. Prior to his appointment, Kim was the National Group Director of Social Outreach and Advocacy for St John of God Health Care.
Mr Ken Wyatt OAM has been appointed as Director, Office of Aboriginal Health. Ken was previously the WA Director of Aboriginal Education and most recently the Director of Aboriginal Health with the NSW Department of Health. Ken replaces Neil Fong (not to be confused with WA Health Director-General Dr Neale Fong), who filled the Director role for 15 months following Terry Murphy's departure. Neil has taken up a new position as Assistant Commissioner of Aboriginal Justice.
Dr Tony Robins has taken on the role of...Read More...
August 2007
Origin experts downunder
With 103 confirmed international speakers, the six-day 5th International Congress on Developmental Origins of Health & Disease coming to Perth (Nov 6) promises great things in preventive health - just when State Health is moving in that direction. Sponsorship by WA's Womens and Infants Research Foundation and government has attracted the biennial conference to the southern hemisphere for the first time, thanks also to intensive lobbying from convenor Prof John Newnham. Over 500 delegates are expected from obstetrics, paediatrics, general practice and medical research. Not surprisingly, pharmaceutical sponsors are absent, given this conference is about preventing illness. See www.dohad2007.org for more details.
Rated or overinflated?
Remember "Rate MDs.com" (http://au.ratemds.com) from last month's Have You Heard? Ratings of WA medicos have now tripled. While there are plenty of comments like "if its bones you got a problem with, he is your man" - one worrying note cropped up on a specialist's record: "He appeared either extremely tired or otherwise impaired - slurred speech, blurry eyes, inattention, etc. His treatment has resulted in permanent and disabling damage..." The site's FAQ counsels that if you think your rating is unfair, your only course is to post a comment. Imperiously, they state they will not remove doctors' names and lawsuits will not work (quoting some US laws - pfft!), adding this pearl of wisdom: "this site is only going to get more popular as time goes by, so the best way of dealing with it is to use it rather than try to fight it."
QEII angst
While the Reid report's focus has been closing Royal Perth and opening the new Fiona Stanley hospital, the expansion of QEII is causing angst ... Read More...
Beneath the Drapes. August 2007
Media and Publications officer Coby Pearson has left Osborne Division of General Practice after nine years of service...
July 2007
Rate your mates
In the tradition of popular websites such as "Rate Your Teacher.com", new website "Rate MDs.com" has been franchised into Australia from the US (where else?). The site encourages patients to rate their doctors on a scale of 1 to 5 on their punctuality, helpfulness, and knowledge. According to the Herald Sun, 270,000 US doctors have been rated on the site and some have sued patients for libel because of less-than-flattering comments. As of this writing (late June), six WA GPs and one surgeon had been rated by their patients. Five scored perfectly on all counts (showing there is such a thing as the perfect doctor!) while one GP was given a "grumpy face" score of 2 out of 5. Draw your own conclusions at http://au.ratemds.com.
Samples at the door, kids
Drug testing is in vogue. Random screening is the norm in the mining industry and the AFL has come under pressure from the government to tighten its testing procedures (Ben Cousins, anyone?). In turn (and in spite), the AFL players association proposed random drug testing of pollies and bureaucrats. But is drug testing in the wider community such a ludicrous idea? Perth doctor George O'Neil doesn't think so. George sees the pointy end of drugs through his addiction treatment clinic and has called for high school students to be regularly screened for drugs. ‘Ice' and amphetamines are rampant on our streets and yet the best the government can come up with is this month's drug summit. How about less talk and more action?
HDWA's dirty linen
Keeping its dirty linen well out of sight seems to be the WA Health Department's favoured approach ...
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Beneath the Drapes. July 2007
Dr Peter Silberstein was named in this year's Queen's Birthday honours for "service to medicine, particularly as a paediatric neurologist, and through executive roles with disability support organizations." Dr Mike Daly was honoured for "service to medicine, particularly to veterans in the fields of counselling and stress related illness."
Ms Lorraine Glover, previously sales and marketing manager at Visiomed, has been promoted to executive manager with responsibility for "coordinating the integration of the company's operational divisions and providing support in the areas of marketing and investor relations".
Mr Scott Thompson has taken over ...
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Michael Malone – iiNet founder
iiNet co-founder and managing director Michael Malone is the epitome of the technology-based rags-to-riches success story that fuelled the Internet boom of the 1990s. Read More...