General and acute medicine in Australasian hospitals

The complex undifferentiated patient, often elderly, is not obviously the responsibility of a clinician who specialises in single-system pathology. A clinician with more general skills and an ability to work in a multidisciplinary team is required. New partnerships are developing for these clinicians outside the Royal Australasian College of Physicians. A workforce expert in traditional skills for patient care as well as in new skills, away from the bedside, will help the future Australasian hospital care for these complicated patients. International perspectives could be of value.