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An open letter to the federal Minister for Health from a general practitioner in outback Australia
Author(s) -
Wearne Susan M
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
medical journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1326-5377
pISSN - 0025-729X
DOI - 10.5694/j.1326-5377.2009.tb02692.x
Subject(s) - citation , alice (programming language) , library science , medical journal , sociology , history , art history , computer science
The Medical Journal of Australia ISSN: 0025-729X 20 July 2009 191 2 67-69©The Medical Journal of Australia 2009www.mja.com.auReforming policyear Nic,Forgive my informality, but I have noticed that Australianslike to shorten things — this even applies to Medicare.As a former TeRD (temporary resident doctor), I dreamed ofbeing able to access Medicare for my own chronic diseases. Now Iam a proud Australian citizen and grateful for the care my generalpractitioner gives me courtesy of Medicare. He could view me as acash cow because my ailments make me eligible for more careplans than I’d like. Instead, he sees me and addresses my concernswhen needed, and I have never felt processed or tick-boxed.Likewise, I want to give my patients quality, evidence-based andcompassionate care. I love my job. I am at my best when trying tosort out what needs to be worried about and what does not. Butalthough the Medicare system seems to be working for me as apatient, it does not work for me as a doctor.Medicare does not reward doctors who remain working in the“swampy lowland [of] messy, confusing problems [that] defytechnical solution”.