http://www.medicalobserver.com.auLatest news and articles from Medical Observer4/07/2009 6:47:11 AMMedical Observer - CMP Medica5NewsSat, 10 Jul 2009 Shannon McKenzie talks to a doctor who wants others to take a leaf out of his book and make time for creative endeavours. JOHN Keats. William Somerset Maugham. Anton Chekhov. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. And more recently, Michael Crichton and Khaled Hosseini. It seems for centuries that medical schools have not only produced fine doctors, but also fine literary minds. And many doctors have also demonstrated aptitude in music, drama and the traditional arts. The link between the medical mind and creativity is undisputed but as yet unexplained – although plenty of theories...http://www.medicalobserver.com.au?n=4829NewsSat, 10 Jul 2009 THE recent death of Michael Jackson echoes the passing of the king of rock and roll, Elvis Presley. Both music megastars had physicians at their beck and call. Cardiologist Dr Conrad Murray was with Jackson in the moments before he died, having allegedly injected the star with Demerol, known in Australia as pethidine, a highly addictive opioid pain reliever. Tapes from the 911 call allegedly indicate Dr Murray was performing CPR on Jackson before his transfer to hospital. It is likely that Jackson had a chronic pain syndrome, and had become addicted to potent painkillers. His pain was...http://www.medicalobserver.com.au?n=4830NewsSat, 10 Jul 2009 DOCTORS are very often deeply creative people. In Australia, the evidence for this is everywhere. Perhaps best known are the many physician and GP writers, from leading novelists such as Dr Peter Goldsworthy, to less famous writers like Dr Serge Liberman, poet Dr Tim Metcalf and the contributors to Dr Joo-Inn Chew’s anthology Heart Murmurs . But there are equally many artists and musicians, and that’s only the classical arts. One suspects many more doctors indulge their creativity in the quieter arts and crafts, making dolls, perhaps, or leading community projects, or...http://www.medicalobserver.com.au?n=4831NewsSat, 10 Jul 2009 Can visual art be used to boost the observational skills of medical students? Jodie Thomson reports. LECTURE theatres, tutorial classrooms and libraries are where most first-year medical students spend the majority of their learning time. But at Yale University, one of the oldest and most prestigious institutions in the United States, first-year students are also logging hours at the local art gallery, as part of a compulsory course using visual art to improve the observational skills of medical students. “The quote we most often hear from students is, ‘I’m...http://www.medicalobserver.com.au?n=4832Clinical ReviewSat, 10 Jul 2009 Art therapists believe creativity can be used therapeutically but is the evidence there to back them? Kate Woods reports. AT first glance, the picture above looks just like any child’s drawing: the colours are vivid, it is set out neatly and the content is clear. In fact, it is so clear you almost reel back in horror when you realise what has actually been drawn. On the left of the picture is a plane flying over a burning village, and a woman and her two children being pursued by soldiers. Next to the village is a man, sitting on a tank, shooting. Above the tank is a boy...http://www.medicalobserver.com.au?c=4833NewsSat, 10 Jul 2009 GPs have renewed calls for specialists to be brought under the same level of scrutiny as general practice through fairer targeting of Medicare audits across the health professions. AMA council of general practice chair Dr Rod Pearce said despite Medicare’s efforts to introduce such parity, GPs were still disproportionately audited and subsequently referred to the Professional Services Review (PSR). A 2007 review of the PSR found that fewer than 5% of all practitioners referred to the body between 1999 and 2007 were specialists ( MO , 5 October 2007 ), despite the fact that they...http://www.medicalobserver.com.au?n=4835NewsSat, 10 Jul 2009 AUSTRALIAN regulators are reviewing the safety of widely used smoking cessation products varenicline (Champix) and bupropion (Zyban and generic alternatives) after a number of reports of serious neuropsychiatric symptoms following their use. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) recently announced that following analysis of post-marketing adverse events, it would require manufacturers to add black box warnings regarding the risk of suicidal ideation and behaviour in patients with no history of psychiatric illness. The manufacturers are also expected to update prescribing...http://www.medicalobserver.com.au?n=4837NewsSat, 10 Jul 2009 THE mental and emotional wellbeing of Australia’s GPs is under siege, according to an exclusive Medical Observer survey, with nearly 60% of doctors reporting “troubling” to “unmanageable” levels of stress. In a disturbing assessment of GP health, the MO Stress Test revealed that the cumulative effect of government bureaucracy and health reform angst, combined with the demanding nature of general practice, was significantly affecting the stress levels of 85% of doctors. The survey of nearly 500 GPs – conducted by Julie Dang & Associates...http://www.medicalobserver.com.au?n=4839NewsSat, 3 Jul 2009 THE mental and emotional wellbeing of Australia’s GPs is under siege, according to an exclusive Medical Observer survey, with nearly 60% of doctors reporting “troubling” to “unmanageable” levels of stress. The MO Stress Test revealed the cumulative effect of government bureaucracy and health reform angst, combined with the demanding nature of general practice, was having a significant impact on the stress levels of 85% of doctors. The survey of nearly 500 GPs – conducted by Julie Dang & Associates – found 73% of GPs reported their stress...http://www.medicalobserver.com.au?n=4840NewsSat, 3 Jul 2009 WITH a new round of debate set to be triggered by the delivery of key health reform advisory reports to the Federal Government this week, the AMA is yet to finalise its position on the possibility of a single health funding model. AMA president Dr Andrew Pesce said that, while the association had reached a general consensus that meaningful change was needed in the way health was funded in Australia, there remained a range of views on how to address the issue and its policy remained under development. The comments from Dr Pesce after last week’s federal council meeting follow recent...http://www.medicalobserver.com.au?n=4841Clinical ReviewSat, 3 Jul 2009 THE ‘ugly duckling’ sign is a useful concept in the diagnosis of melanoma . If a pigmented lesion stands out and seems out of place relative to a person’s other naevi, then it is worth a closer look. The larger size of this pigmented lesion and the irregular dark pigmentation within a surrounding pink area should attract attention. This is often picked up by a spouse, and you should not need a medical degree to recognise an ugly duckling when you see one. This was a Level 2, 0.7 mm thick melanoma, which was excised with 10 mm margins. At this level and thickness,...http://www.medicalobserver.com.au?c=4842Clinical ReviewSat, 3 Jul 2009 THIS men’s health tip comes from Dr Nick Hallebone of Deer Park, Victoria. Since everyone seems to leave their mobile phone on during consultations anyway, put the camera facility to good use. Before commencing a hair replacement treatment such as finasteride, take a baseline photo of the scalp with the patient’s phone. The stored image can later guide whether treatment is worth continuing. Yeah,...http://www.medicalobserver.com.au?c=4843Clinical ReviewSat, 3 Jul 2009 Q: Do transdermal patches pose a risk during MRI? A: Transdermal patches may cause skin burns during an MRI scan if they have an aluminium backing or contain other metals. 1,2 The metallic component may not be visible, and not all product labels contain a warning about the risk of burns. Patches that contain non-ferrous metals, such as aluminium, can create electrical resistance leading to excessive heating and tissue damage. A shiny backing layer that reflects light generally indicates the presence of aluminium, 3 however some patches that appear to be made solely from...http://www.medicalobserver.com.au?c=4844Clinical ReviewSat, 3 Jul 2009 The contraceptive options for women in midlife cater for a variety of physical and social circumstances. THE challenge of finding an ideal contraceptive in midlife is often complicated by other comorbidities and gynaecological conditions, as well as varied social and relationship issues. Fertility decreases in midlife, which allows consideration of options not suitable for younger, more fertile women. Permanent contraception is often a valid choice for couples who have completed their families, while the risk of sexually transmitted infections should be considered in those in new...http://www.medicalobserver.com.au?c=4845NewsSat, 3 Jul 2009 DOCTORS and academics are appealing for new laws to protect patients from potential harms that could arise from tests carried out by unaccredited pathology laboratories. At present, there is no state or federal legislation to regulate laboratory tests that are not billed through Medicare, meaning there are no quality controls for the laboratories, nor the tests they provide. Sydney GP Dr George Quittner said that, given the known hazards of handling biological materials such as blood, only qualified and accredited people should be permitted to collect such samples. Another concern...http://www.medicalobserver.com.au?n=4828NewsSat, 3 Jul 2009 AUSTRALIAN regulators will review the safety of widely used smoking cessation products varenicline (Champix) and bupropion (Zyban and generic alternatives) after a number of reports of serious neuropsychiatric symptoms following their use.  The US Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) recently announced that following analysis of post-marketing adverse events it would require manufacturers to add black box warnings regarding the risk of suicidal ideation and behaviour in patients with no history of psychiatric illness. To the end of March 2009, the Australian Therapeutic Goods...http://www.medicalobserver.com.au?n=4838NewsSat, 3 Jul 2009 GPs have renewed calls for specialists to be brought under the same level of scrutiny as general practice through fairer targeting of Medicare auditing across the health professions. AMA council of general practice chair Dr Rod Pearce said despite Medicare promises to introduce parity, GPs were still disproportionately targeted under the increased auditing measures introduced in 2009. A 2007 review of the Professional Services Review found that fewer than 5% of all practitioners referred to the body between 1999 and 2007 were specialists ( MO , 5 October 2007 ), despite the fact that...http://www.medicalobserver.com.au?n=4834Clinical ReviewSat, 3 Jul 2009 Prescription opiate abuse is suddenly getting the attention it deserves, but what factors are underpinning the massive growth in this new addiction? Kirrilly Burton reports. HE has just arrived from interstate and his convoluted but believable story about the difficulties of accessing his belongings locked away in storage is convincing. More convincing are the x-rays and previous prescriptions this tidily groomed, well dressed and articulate patient provides which clearly show he has had an injury that requires pain relief. You don’t feel like you’re being fed a...http://www.medicalobserver.com.au?c=4792NewsSat, 3 Jul 2009 THE Federal Government has missed its 1 July deadline to introduce a simplified MBS intended to ease the burden of red tape on GPs. Promised in the lead-up to the 2007 federal election and announced in December last year, the simplified schedule was to clarify Level C and D item descriptors, and streamline item numbers for health checks and chronic disease management. However, a spokesperson for Federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon last week confirmed GPs would have to wait for the changes, which were still being considered by the Government. The delay has drawn fire from doctors,...http://www.medicalobserver.com.au?n=4797NewsSat, 3 Jul 2009 IF you were painting a portrait of the typical Australian GP, the AMA’s new vice-president Dr Steve Hambleton (pictured) would pretty much fit the bill. At age 48, he’s just two years shy of the average age of 50, works in a group practice, and puts in about 41 hours of consulting per week. The latest available official GP statistics show that not too much has changed in the GP landscape since Medical Observer last looked comprehensively at this picture back in 2006, although work hours have continued to drop to an average of about 38.7 hours per week. The statistics,...http://www.medicalobserver.com.au?n=4798