News // Latest news from SMS
No surprises
45 year old Simone visits a 50 year old plastic surgeon in his private rooms. She is interested in having a naevus removed from the centre of her back. Although it is clearly benign, she has been told by her new partner that it is unsightly. The surgeon is running late for his public list ...
Patient Communication and Consent
One quarter of complaints by hospital patients cite problems with communication as a cause (source: Office of the Health Services Commissioner, Victoria, Annual Report 2010). A significant number of all complaint and litigation cases specifically cite ‘lack of informed consent / failure to warn’, and this figure is significantly higher as a contributory factor. If ...
Just Read This…
I cursed a medical colleague last week when a notoriously anxious staff member burst into my office brandishing a sheaf of information sheets. Her surgeon had referred her to a haematologist to investigate an unexpectedly low platelet count. In the process, a low titre of antinuclear antibodies had also shown up. The haematologist had muttered ...
Family Affairs
One of the aspects that attracts many of us to medical practice is the uniqueness of the doctor-patient relationship; just you and your patient working together in the privacy of your consulting room. In reality, however, the consulting room is pretty crowded. Although it might just be the two of you sitting in there, you ...
In Other Words
It’s an interesting emotion that goes through us as we read the Medical Board’s regular bulletins of hearings into our colleagues’ conduct, or newspaper reports of medicolegal court cases. A curious mix of disdain that such things should happen, and relief that we are not involved. Most medical practitioners will be familiar with the general ...
Getting the Message
No Australian doctor is fluent in only one language, regardless of their cultural heritage. “Medical English” has been said to have a vocabulary the same size as some European languages and the latest edition of that famous medical dictionary, Dorland’s, runs to 2,175 pages (i), compared to the Macquarie’s 1,940 (ii). Medical English is a ...
4 new patient information brochures released
We have released four new patient information brochures: Maxillofacial - MF07 Apicectomy Obs & Gynae - OG30 Thermal Balloon Endometrial Ablation - OG31 Radio-Frequency Endometrial Ablation Orthopaedics - OS28 Revision Total Shoulder Replacement Please contact us for more details.
2 new patient information brochures released
We have released two new patient information brochures: - MF06 Inserting a Dental Implant - CT08 Imaging-Assisted Pleural Biopsy and Drainage Please contact us for more details.
Professor David Studdert on allegations that doctors fail to disclose risks
In more than 70 per cent of legal disputes over informed consent, patients allege the doctor failed to properly explain the risks of complications, a University of Melbourne study published in the latest Medical Journal of Australia has found. Click here to watch the video.
2 new patient information brochures released
We have released two new patient information brochures: - ENT12 Turbinectomy - UR03 Localised Prostate Cancer (Treatment Options) Please contact us for more details.
10 new patient information brochures released
We have released 10 new patient information brochures including: - General Anaesthetic (child) - Day Case – Thyroidectomy (for Nodule) - Day Case – Thyroidectomy (for Goitre) - Day Case – Sub-Total Thyroidectomy (for Thyrotoxicosis) - Day Case – Parathyroidectomy - Day Case – Total Thyroidectomy (for Thyrotoxicosis) - Day Case – Laparoscopic Incisional Hernia ...
Breast Reconstruction with Abdominal Tissue Flap patient information brochure released
We have released a new patient information brochure on Breast Reconstruction with Abdominal Tissue Flap. This brings the total number of available brochures to 372. Please contact us for further information.
New informed consent patient education video released
We have released a video of Associate Professor Steve Trumble (MBBS, MD, FRACGP), Chair of SMS Editorial Board, talking about informed consent and patient education. Click here to watch the video.
Arthroscopic Release of Frozen Shoulder patient information brochure released
We have released a new orthopaedic patient information brochure on Arthroscopic Release of Frozen Shoulder. This brings the total number of available brochures to 371. Please contact us for further information.
6 new patient information brochures released
We have released the following new patient information brochures: CM05 Liposuction DT01 Removing Wisdom Teeth DT03 Removing Teeth OS30 Revision Total Elbow Replacement OS33 De Quervain’s Disease V13 Toe and Forefoot Amputation Please contact us for more information.
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