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Damien Murray's avatar

I’m glad to see what has happened inside US hospitals is being revisited, rather than slipping into the past without accountability. The incredible remuneration structure (conceivably a perverse incentive structure in the hands of someone that’s corruptible) is one such thing, the choice of Remdisoveer (sp?) & associated protocols another, but there are many other things in addition that when taken as a whole beggar belief...

This particular article is US based, I would be interested to know how Australian hospitals compared. I get the feeling we follow much of what happens with the US but with a lag. Their hospital system has many that are privately owned and many doctors are employed by hospitals, whereas we have many that are self-employed. They have an increasingly prescriptive standard of care (as a result of Obamacare so I was told) where diagnoses are made, entered into the networked medical software and a prescribed course of treatment comes out. If a doctor deviates from this, they are called to account for it. Perhaps it’s a good thing, I don’t know, but it has the sense of diminishing human judgement and freedom to practice as they see best written all over it.

I do think we as a population need to know the general trend of what’s happening in our institutions, especially locally. The American system strikes me as a cautionary tale. I think it illustrates that funding doesn’t always buy the best outcomes, but it does tend to invite market forces which is ultimately at odds with human needs.

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Gary Kennedy's avatar

Dear George,

I was under the impression that I was a paid-up sponsor of your website, if I have made a mistake I apologise. But if what you have been dishing out is any sample of more to come then I would like to withdraw my subscription and my auto debit details.

Lol I'm not even sure how to contact you and I'm certainly not giving my details out openly over the comments section, you have lost me mate.

Regards Gazza123

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