Jim McVeagh • Feb 06, 2011 •
Many specialists in New Zealand work part-time in the public health system and part-time in their own private practice. They do not generally do this to make extra money because there is usually more than enough work for a specialist working full-time in private practice. Specialists work in public hospitals for several reasons. Complex surgery [...] Related posts: … Read More
Jim McVeagh • Nov 12, 2010 •
Though you wouldn’t believe it from the tripe spouted forth in the media, the outcome of the South Island Neurosurgery saga is a triumph of level-headed reason in the face of massive public pressure. It is clear from reading the actual report from the panel entrusted with gathering the facts and making a decision, that [...] Related posts: … Read More
Jim McVeagh • May 11, 2010 •
When a serious error is made in someone’s diagnosis, investigation or treatment, we really like to blame a health practitioner or two. In the Herald today, just such a diagnostic disaster is blamed on the DHB as Ron Paterson asks them to apologise for poor service. This is pretty unfair of Mr. Paterson as it [...] Related posts: … Read More
Jim McVeagh • Mar 18, 2010 •
Two US surgeons have offered some commentary on Why US Healthcare Costs Are Out of Control. It is a highly revealing read. They cite six reasons: The Building of Shrines for Hospital Administrators – buildings constructed out of desire to make a mark rather than out of necessity. Unnecessary Duplication of Services – Often added under the aegis [...] Related posts: … Read More
Jim McVeagh • Feb 06, 2010 •
The Dominion Post writes yesterday about the looming shortage of oncologists. Four cancer doctors have resigned in a very short space of time. The article explores all the usual reasons why doctors leave, particularly the worrying ones of overwork, Â which can only be fixed by employing more hard-to-get doctors. What struck me, though, was the [...] Related posts: … Read More
Jim McVeagh • Jan 23, 2010 •
Dr Chris Jackson is a brave man. He has suggested a scheme which would allow oncology patients access to privately funded services at public hospitals. It is, of course, an excellent idea. It is also an idea that will attract vilification from his colleagues (especially the doctors unions) and the Left (who hate the idea of [...] Related posts: … Read More
Jim McVeagh • Jan 19, 2010 •
I have recently gone back into general practice full-time. One thing that seems very clear to me is that it has become increasingly difficult to refer people into the hospital system unless they are critically ill. My last stint as a GP was in mid-2007, but, at that time, it seemed reasonably easy to refer [...] Related posts: … Read More
Jim McVeagh • Dec 15, 2009 •
The news that Timaru Emergency Department is “turning away” patients (actually, sending them to their GPs) is exciting Labour’s health spokesperson, the barely noticeable Ruth Dyson. Labour MP and health spokesperson Ruth Dyson believes essential frontline health services are being cut. “You can’t get much more frontline than the emergency department. The Government promised there would be [...] Related posts: … Read More
Jim McVeagh • Dec 08, 2009 •
There is good and bad in the news that Pharmac is to morph into a single purchasing point for all medicine and health technology. The Good Technology purchases will be co-ordinated across the country, meaning that a doctor can move from one hospital to another without having to learn how all the gadgets that have become so [...] Related posts: … Read More
Jim McVeagh • Nov 28, 2009 •
Force Quit is what you do on a Mac when a program freezes to remove the offending program from memory. Force quit also appears to be what the DHBs have in mind to achieve their goal of 80 per cent of hospitalised smokers be given advice and help to quit. Most DHBs are way under [...] Related posts: … Read More