Dr Pam Rachootin GP in Adelaide , SA .

Give me a voice from an authentic human being .

RECEIVED two unexpected delights in one day from two different specialist colleagues . What were their gifts to me ? Lo and behold , they had both called me on the phone , that most amazing of inventions , first patented in 1876 .

I may be old-fashioned , but I still idolise Alexander Graham Bell .

Give me the voice connection from an authentic human being and an opportunity to actually discuss a patient or medical dilemma with an expert in their field , and I am transported to the heights of joy .

It certainly beats poring over clinical guidelines or flowcharts , doing Google searches or facing the new AI razzle-dazzle hoopla .

In the first instance , I called the receptionist of a rheumatologist , asking if they could find out the name of the surgeon that the specialist used to perform temporal artery biopsies .

And then the rheumatologist rang me back .

The rheumatologist had not ordered a temporal artery biopsy in yonks .

I learnt that PET / CT imaging was the way to go and was told about their personal experience , having uncovered significant large-vessel vasculitis elsewhere in the body that would have gone undetected , associated with sparing of temporal artery involvement .

I was also provided with information on how to access the imaging and obtain timely medical opinions .

I learnt more about the diagnostic difficulties rheumatologists face .

I had an opportunity to ask about another concerning patient .

I felt , after wandering in a rheumatological desert , that I had entered the promised land — hallelujah !

The second specialist who rang me was responding to a referral in which I had wondered whether I had sufficiently investigated the patient already or if the further blessing of a specialist was required . We had a chat over the pros and cons of their involvement .

They shared an experience where they had relied on some imaging results and had been caught out .

With all the uncertainties in medicine , it is so valuable to be able to hash these matters out through conversation and mutual decision-making .

I enjoy the opportunity to chat to pathologists about the interpretation of various blood results and get their expert advice on occasion .

Remembering the early days of my career , it was more commonplace to develop relationships with specialists , and it seemed more natural to ring them up for a quick chat .

Those were the days , too , when you were asked if you would like to assist the surgeon in theatre after referring your patient for elective surgery .

The sense of camaraderie was high among colleagues , and patients really appreciated your involvement in literally holding their hand before their operation .

One felt an integral part of the team .

That was also when Divisions of General Practice ran comprehensive CPD programs with the local specialists .

We would have an evening out , a lovely dinner , an educational session but , most importantly , a chance to get to know each other . Most of the new online and Zoom CPD is lacking this integral component — another huge failure of the current system .

Now , many of my specialist contacts are made from having personally required their services , as I collect more and more medical conditions over the years .

I believe we need to celebrate and encourage the expansion of the kindly art of phone conversation among medical colleagues .

What was once the norm seems to have become more of a rarity , and this is a great loss to the practice of medicine in so many ways .