[Hill Walker]

I've been involved in some investigations of deaths in Australia in the past year which involved poor advice or treatment from public hospitals. An increasing number of people appear to be getting sent home from public hospital emergency departments in circumstances where more investigation seems warranted. A number of these people then die due, at least in part, to their conditions not being taken seriously enough. In every case I looked at it involved either a very junior physician or someone working near the end of a very long shift. If you have someone you care about suffering from chest pains you basically need to insist that they are kept in for observation and tests. One awful matter involved a 10 year old girl being sent home after falling off a bunk bed and complaining of severe head pains and vomitting - by the end of the next day she was brain dead as a result of subdural bleeding. In a large scale emergency this might be even more important.

 

[Thedragon]

To true mate,
we have experienced GP's at our local medical centre over perscibing and, wrong medication for our family and grandchildren.
Made the condition worse, so had to see a different GP at the same medical centre to rectify the problem.
He even admitted that it was the wrong treatment, but the original GP still practises there.
What will it take for this GP to be reported or reprimanded. A death??

 

[farmerswife]

thank you Hill Walker, I have seen this too.Dragon, the deaths happen and nothing gets done.Sorry, but I saw it with my own mother in law.

 

[Hill Walker]

What will it take for this GP to be reported or reprimanded. A death??

Very rare that anything is ever done unless there is a death. Even then it is not often reported unless the family insists on a coronial inquest. The uptake of coronial recoomendations is now very low in any case. Coroners don't have the power to charge people with offences anymore. I think assertiveness is a crucial survival skill, too many people just defer to the opinions of 'experts' or let themselves be fobbed off.

 

[Thedragon]

Yep,
Medical professionals won't rat on their fellow members when there is malpractice, or a death due to neglect or stupidity.
Assertiveness is a definite survival skill when required and, not used for the wrong reasons.

 

[Smugglz]

Seeking medical attention in Queensland

This is particularly a problem in rural and regional Queensland - the state is so large and has such a dispersed population, and there is a lot of difficulty getting medical professionals to work outside of urban centers. To help fix this problem, Queensland Health has an agreement with the full-time doctors in rural and regional hospitals that they will relieve them when needed (for holidays, conferences etc). The only way they are currently able to do this is with junior staff, which means that outside of major metropolitan centers, you could be treated by a doctor just over a year out of med school - we all get sent our second year out, and we've all got horror stories when we come back.
My advice would be to make sure you know how qualified the person treating you is, and if you have any concerns then I agree - you need to encourage them in a calm and assertive manner to seek senior advice.

A way to find out about things that have gone wrong in the past and how to identify/prevent them - Queensland coronial cases have their findings placed on the internet (the address can change, so google "queensland coroners" and check for the findings link). If you've got the time to sort through the details, there's a lot of useful information you can get out of them, not just in medical matters but for OH&S, driving, electrical safety etc.

 

[SgtBooker44]

Do you guys "Down Under" have "Socialized Medicine"?

 

[Thedragon]

We do have a public hospital system and, some public bulk billing for a visit to the GP.

As with most systems, the public health systems are under staffed, under funded and, in most rural areas under equipped.

Some would say to much is wasted on administrative cost and not enough available for the medical staff and services at the coal face.

Private health, since it was deregulated, costs have spiralled and less benefits for member contribution funds.

Certainly quality of service and care is under scutiny, both in the public and private sectors, there have been numerous enquiries into this right across the nation.

 

[GQtim]

The other thing you guys need to remember is its a profession, like being a tradesman you get ones who arent good at their job, how many of us work with or know someone who is a nice guy but hopeless at there job, we dont all deal with lives in our hands, I for one know i couldnt do it

All im trying to say is take the media with a grain of salt, only bad news sells.
I know doctors 2 years out who are better than guys who are 45. If you go in with a defencsive and agressive attitude that they will get it wrong, arent experianced enough for your liking or think they dont care about there job and subsequently you.your going to have a bad experience