Health care


The rise of meaningless management speak is PI in the sky

The Department of Health and Ageing’s annual report worships at the altar of performance indicators, writes Professor Gavin Mooney.

A lot to be said for socialism in an American ER …

The Democrats passed their health-care reform legislation in the House of Representatives over the weekend, though a Senate vote will be even tougher, writes Jason Whittaker. The legislation may be imperfect, but it’s a start.

Heath care spending around the world

How much do different countries spend on health care? And how well does that correlate with the health of their citizens? An eye-opening infographic from GOOD.

Tired doctors need a complex solution, not simplistic headlines

The debate about long working hours and the vexed issue of extended shifts again has those concerned in a tailspin, writes Professor Drew Dawson.

Don’t let health reform jeopardise the good works done by public hospital outpatient clinics

There is no doubt that the community needs better access to specialist services closer to where they live and work, writes Professor Ian Webster.

Guy Rundle: Obama fails as GOP mobs astroturf health reform

Barack Obama wants a health-care bill he can claim as his own, but aggressive Republican politics and Obama’s own inability to negotiate are failing him.

Fixing health: Crikey reviews the latest report

The much-anticipated report from the National Health and Hospitals Reform Commission has landed. Bernard Keane gets to grips with the detail.

Is the global recession affecting your health?

Four years from now, we will be in the midst of the longest debt deflation episode in post-war history and our health will be failing.

QLD election promise hospital fails health check

The much vaunted Beattie Government election promise of a $1b plus Queensland Children’s Hospital “delivering exceptional health services” is proving a nightmare for the Bligh government, writes a Queensland doctor.

Management in WA health: Sick-oooooh!

While so much of the public and political attention in health care of late is focused on the shortage of doctors, there’s another pressing workforce issue – the dearth of good managers in the health bureaucracy. Good management of health care is clearly critical writes Gavin Mooney.