I don’t mind patients with lists, but double appointments grind my gears
In my twilight years of general practice, I’ve begun to be amused, rather than dismayed, by the patient who refers to a list of medical…
Heather Saxena
Heather is a medical reporter for Australian Doctor Group.
Watchdog loses bid to suspend GP for two months under lesser-known emergency powers
A GP allowed to practise with conditions for over three years has fought off a fresh bid to suspend him under emergency powers while he…
A simple pulse check could save lives — so why aren’t we doing it?
As a cardiologist and stroke researcher, I’ve spent years researching and learning about the dangers of atrial fibrillation (AF). This common condition can lead to…
The AIR wants GPs to record pregnancy status for over-65s — what a load of bupkis!
Yiddish is well regarded for its colourful, humorous expressions, full of nuance and irony. Yiddish words seem very apropos to our work as GPs, especially…
A brain in a dish — AusDoc meets the future of medicine
The mere concept of human tissue in a computer can make people squeamish, warns neuroscientist Dr Brett Kagan (PhD). But the Chief Scientific Officer of…
She trusted her mother who swore she was vaccinated. The blood test said otherwise
The young woman sat in my consulting room, there to talk about getting proof of her vaccination status for the allied health course she was…
Fresh air, playtime and empathy with incontinence — my patient’s return to the toddler room
Change is difficult to accept at both ends of life. I once witnessed (via video chat) my grandson, then aged two-and-a-half, arrive home from childcare…
Court denies mother custody of 11-year-old to prevent doctors prescribing puberty blockers
A judge has denied a mother custody of her 11-year-old because she would likely permit “potentially life-altering and damaging” treatment with puberty blockers. Justice Andrew…
Why isn’t this relatively cheap treatment for major depression more widely available?
Recently, I spoke with AusDoc about my journey from psychiatry inpatient to medical student — via some electroconvulsive therapy (ECT). This period was an important…
Porn, lobster and a bag of faeces: The weird and wonderful items patients have brought me
Thinking back over my three-and-a-half decades of GP practice, I have been surprised by the diversity of things my patients have brought along to me. …
