How I spent Christmas answering patients’ texts
Do you remember going back to school after a long summer break, with an assignment to write a story about your holiday? My Dad, a primary…
Tag: Communication
How do telehealth and face-to-face consults differ?
One of the big policy debates for general practice next year will be the long-term plans for telehealth funding — one of the belated technology…
Where have all the patient stories gone in medicine?
I was at a dinner meeting for our hospital a few years ago, before everyone went in to sit at their tables and hear the evenings’…
GP fights back over acronyms in specialists’ letters
Dr George Quittner says he's sick of scratching his head over non-GP specialist letters and is calling for clarity.
Are doctors breaking the Hippocratic Oath?
An 'eagerness to intervene' means doctors are failing to uphold their sacred 'do no harm' pledge, say two Australian clinicians.
What could GPs be missing in masked consults?
Today I saw a patient I have known for years. He suddenly pulled his mask down and said, “I’d like to know what you think…
This is how you should communicate surgical risk
A study of surgical patients reveals using percentages is more effective than words like 'sometimes'.
My year as Victoria’s deputy chief health officer
When I stepped into the role of Victoria’s deputy chief health officer in July 2020, there was a lot to learn. But the aspect most…
Dr Kate Miller shares how a cancer ‘miracle’ cure sucked her in
As a teenager the geriatrician was devastated when a herbal tea failed to heal her father, but the experience has left her with a deep understandin…
Make messages funny, urge public health experts
As governments seek ways to push up vaccination rates, a study finds humour can be a valuable vehicle to deliver serious medical information.
