I’m a magnet for scammers, but $10,000 is all they’re going to get out of me
A long time ago, a colleague ridiculed me for having a computer on my office desk. To me it seemed a boon. I was dealing…
Medical Observer
Unique doctor-written opinion and analysis
Dystopian times: In 1984 I was a medical student and young mum who didn’t know what a GP was
I wasn’t aware back in 1984 that a publication called Australian Doctor had been born that would become an amazing source of fulfilment for me…
Faux outrage or Faux rage? It’s time for the AMA to admit some doctors are misusing Medicare
Earlier this year I wrote an opinion piece on the issue of non-compliant Medicare billing. I approached the problem from a sociological perspective. × Welcome…
As an endocrinologist specialising in obesity, I’m calling for a major rethink on how we manage this disease
For years, Andrew refused to see a GP. If he developed an infection, he’d often rely on his wife’s repeat antibiotic prescriptions. × Welcome to…
I’ve started prescribing shinrin-yoku to my patients — and no, it’s not a supplement
I have a nine-year-old patient who has panic attacks, several phobias and generalised anxiety disorder. Jayne (not her real name) has improved with the help…
Why I’d support a rule restricting GPs to 25 patients a day
WARNING: This article contains disturbing ideas and will upset some readers. The British Medical Association (BMA) is recommending that British GPs increase the average length…
Take my advice: If you’re a doctor over 40, you need to start living dangerously
Bring adventure, mental and physical challenge, change and calculated risk-taking into your life. I made “someday” happen. You can too. “Someday” it may be too…
Why do we struggle to listen to patients properly?
In medical school, we are taught the 90-second rule: avoid talking during the initial stages of a consult to elicit the patient’s concerns and agenda.…
Banning doctors using emergency powers — when regulators go too far
AusDoc recently reported on yet another case where a tribunal has overturned the medical board’s use of its immediate action powers to suspend a doctor.…
Social media thought wars aren’t an invitation for doctors to cross the line when expressing their own views
The last time we talked about the balance between free speech and professional obligations, the comments were numerous and robust (to say the least). Despite…
