PATIENTS who need hip or knee replacements are the most likely to be slugged with out of pocket fees by their surgeons, while obesity surgery patients face some of the highest gap fees. News Corp has blown the lid on overcharging doctors via a new tool that allows patients to check if their doctor is billing in excess of the AMA recommended fee and today we provide … Continue reading How hip patients and obesity surgeries are costing big buck as doctors overcharge

Key points: Sally McShane, who was hurt in a car accident in 2014, says she has been told to expect to wait another three years before she can have elective surgery A doctor who requested a patient be moved up the list was told in writing “other unfortunate patients will have to be cancelled to make space” The Tasmanian Health Department declined to specify whether … Continue reading Doctor ‘made to feel guilty’ for asking patient be treated sooner, as wait list worsens

The opioid epidemic was once considered an American phenomenon, but Australia is facing an opioid crisis of its own as drug companies aggressively market the drugs abroad and warnings go unheeded by KRISTEN GELINEAU Associated Press6 September 2019, 00:53• 6 min read BLACK RIVER, Australia — Half a world away from the opioid epidemic ravaging the United States, Australia is facing a crisis of its own, with skyrocketing rates … Continue reading Surging prescriptions, deaths: Australia faces opioid crisis

THE Medical Board of Australia has been inundated with submissions on the proposed update of the doctors’ Code of Conduct, receiving about 700 submissions and counting. One day before the closing date of the consultation on Good medical practice: a code of conduct for doctors in Australia (June 2018), a spokesperson for the Board said it welcomed the “massive” number of submissions. “The Board is very grateful … Continue reading Code of Conduct changes spark 700 submissions

Dr Bastian Seidel joins Steve Price to talk anti-vaxxer scare campaigns and critical shortages of certain medications. Continue reading Nights with John Stanley Health of the Nation with the RACGP

Mandatory reporting laws for doctors. Real-time prescription monitoring. Streamlining medical cannabis access. Lifting the minimum age for tobacco purchase (brought to you by mining magnate Andrew ‘Twiggy’ Forrest). Big health worries about the National Energy Guarantee target. This omnibus post looks at some of the many issues being debated and agreed at recent and upcoming Council of Australian Government (COAG) Health and Energy meetings. See … Continue reading On the COAG health omnibus: mandatory reporting, National Energy Guarantee, smoking age, organ donation…

Australia’s largest medical defence organisation is troubled by the regulator’s new policy to name doctors subjected to legal and disciplinary proceedings.  Under tougher disclosure rules, the Medical Board is now publishing registration conditions imposed on doctors and links to legal cases against them in its register of health practitioners.  “One of our major and ongoing concerns, as an organisation that assists doctors in responding to … Continue reading Concerns grow over new disclosure rules

When should you get your annual flu shot? It is a question that has become the subject of a bitter turf war between doctors and pharmacists, with peak groups offering different advice to the public on when to get their yearly jab. In the shadow of last year’s big and deadly influenza season, some pharmacies have already started offering vaccines. But doctors are warning that … Continue reading Pharmacists and doctors trade jabs over the best time to get flu shot

Having just celebrated its 10,000th sick note, controversial online GP consultation service Qoctor has set its sights bigger and better things. As well as medical certificates, Qoctor has been offering prescriptions for almost half a year now, and chief executive Dr Aifric Boylan says business is thriving. “It’s still early days,” Dr Boylan said. “But we would prescribe anywhere between 10 to 30 prescriptions a … Continue reading What Qoctor wants to do next

The RACGP is teaming up with Primary Health Care in a pilot project to mentor GPs returning to work after a prolonged absence from medical practice. The Helping Doctors Re-entry to Practice pilot aims to prepare Australian GPs who have been out of practice for an extended period with clinical and educational mentoring and support. RACGP President Bastian Seidel said the level of need was not … Continue reading College’s joint project to mentor returning GPs