8
HIGHLIGHTS
Digital Digest.
The biggest stories and best comments of the month from
medobs.com.au, brought to you by Digital Editor Paddy Wood
A doctor’s career
destroyed in one
exceptionally bad day
most
read
Dr Justin Coleman reflects on a tragic case that
has reverberated around the world.
The tax tactic that could
get doctors in trouble
Those who split their income with their spouses
can expect questions, writes Zilla Efrat.
A death in the family
taught me a lot about
GP care
GPs can do much to address the systemic failings of
our healthcare system, writes Professor Leanne Rowe.
comment
of the
month
For people building up a
practice, like myself, every
patient counts and we
can’t afford to lose any
DR JITENDRA PARIKH agrees with our columnist Dr Jon Fogarty, who —
as part of a series of tongue-in-cheek guides to how to survive general practice —
made his first tip simple: don’t be a dick.
Join the conversation at medicalobserver.com.au
biggest
reader
reaction
‘I feel like a lone wolf
hanging on for dear life’
Dr Paige Darlington reflects on her life as a
rurally bonded GP.
MEDICALOBSERVER.COM.AU MARCH 2018
trending
TESTING TIMES
The Royal Australasian
College of Physicians was
left with some explaining
to do after its first-ever
foray into computerised
examinations failed spec-
tactularly because of an IT
glitch. Registrars at 16 test-
ing centres were left baf-
fled, and some were left
in tears, after the plug was
pulled on a five-hour exam
mid way through. It later
transpired that the com-
pany contracted to run
the test, Pearson VUE,
has a notorious record.
The college has since
announced a review
to determine what
went wrong.
A MISSING DOSE
Older adolescents seek-
ing catch-up jabs under the
national HPV vaccination
program will be forced to
pay for the final dose. Gar-
dasil-9 vaccination is fully
funded for 12- to 13-year-
olds in the schools-based
program. However, the
government will pay for
only two of the recom-
mended three catch-up
doses for 15-19-year-olds.
COMPLAINTS
AHPRA said complaints
against doctors will be
resolved quicker under a
new triage system to be
rolled out nationally. The
method — trialed in several
states — has been shown
to boost the proportion of
complaints assessed within
20 days to 37%, up from a
general figure of just 8%.