Whether Gillard or Abbott wins on August 21, I doubt either will take on the real issues in health. Political leaders are obsessed with staying in power, writes Professor Guy Maddern from St Anywhere.
Columns / Diary of a Surgeon
Guy Maddern, professor of surgery at the University of Adelaide, shares his regular diary recording the life of a clinical director at St Anywhere Hospital.
How to set a world standard for health care
Surgical checklists cost almost nothing, yet have been shown to almost halve mortality and mortality in hospitals in which they are used, writes Professor Guy Maddern.
Waiting lists — fact or fiction?
Surgical waiting lists are comprised of two elements. The list of patients seen, assessed and awaiting their planned surgery — and the other, hidden list explains Professor Guy Maddern.
Diary of a surgeon: how the internet is adding to the workload
Patients are often desperate to find the cure or unorthodox approach and travel through endless documents until they find someone in cyber space who tells them what they want to hear, writes Professor Guy Maddern from St Anywhere.
Diary of a surgeon: death of overseas-trained doctors
Hospitals and regulators, if they are satisfied with the supervisory structure around overseas trainees, should be able to approve their employment in the system, writes Professor Guy Maddern from St Anywhere.
Diary of a Surgeon: to err is human
Surgeons are human, inevitably they will make mistakes that could have been avoided. But it’s best that however embarrassing, the truth be told, writes Professor Guy Maddern.
Doctors on the market?
Marketing of products is something all surgeons must live with on a daily basis. Representatives visiting and discussing new products is appropriate. Free giveaways are not, writes Professor Guy Maddern.
What are safe working hours? It’s not so clear cut
Twenty-five years ago, 36 or even 48 hour shifts for junior doctors were commonplace, writes Professor Guy Maddern.
What Australia could learn from the US health system
It’s now 40 years since America introduced a landmark health reform that improved access for many disadvantaged groups, and it is only now starting to gain traction in Australia, writes Guy Maddern.
When will governments learn — hospitals are not factories
St Anywhere was bemused to hear this week of the Rudd Government’s plan to run it more efficiently with increased Commonwealth involvement, writes Guy Maddern.
The under-valued heroes of the health system
The Federal Government has recently approved and almost doubling of medical student numbers without much planning how they would gain the necessary clinical experience, and the so-called tsunami of students is now washing over the system.
This is not a spectator sport
Live surgery must not become reality TV for professional meetings, writes Guy Maddern.
How to run a hospital — by the textbook
The turnover of senior managers in the public hospital system is remarkable, writes Guy Maddern professor of surgery at the University of Adelaide.
Age will weary and the years condemn
In Australia now there is no retirement age for surgeons. Government is encouraging us to work longer, but as the clock ticks on, ageing reduces many of the faculties enjoyed by younger colleagues, writes Guy Maddern.
Welcome to St Anywhere
St Anywhere is fictitious, but the events and issues are real. Guy Maddern reports from the emergency room.
