A Doctor’s Touch

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Abraham Verghese presents an awe-inspiring talk on the physical exam.

Motivational Deficiency Disorder

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Thanks to the wonders of modern science, not only are we able to ‘medically’ justify every ache, pain, whinge, grimace and gripe we suffer – but we are also offered a cure at the same time!

Health Care in South Africa

We all do it tough working in emergency departments, however watching the following videos from the trauma unit in Bara hospital in Soweto, South Africa makes me feel like i have it easy. The following videos tells of stories of patients being stabbed and arriving to hospital 10 hours later because that how long and ambulance takes to get to them. A single motor vehicle accident generally involves 12 patients, and a trauma patients generally receives their first few hours of care in the corridor.

Doctor endorses homeopathy?

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Yes, that’s right, a Life in the Fast Lane doctor seems to suggest that homeopathy might help a patient… Can it be true?

Just A Routine Operation

We need to recognise that something needs to be done for it to happen, even if we actually know what to do. Teamwork and the influence of human factors are critical to achieving this. This is emphasised by Martin Bromiley

A Stroke of Insight

A few years ago I was looking after an elderly woman in the emergency department who had suffered a stroke. She was aphasic — unable to understand speech or create comprehensible sentences. I explained to her family what had happened to her. Then her daughter asked me a question for which I hadn’t prepared an answer: “What does it feel like to have a stroke?”

Lessons from Osler 004

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Osler teaches us to treat the patient, not the disease. Even if the patient is difficult.

Banana Memories

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The associations that populate our minds are wonderful things. To what thoughts does your mind race on contemplation of this banana, I wonder?

Emergency marketing in just 4 hours!

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Selling patients is sad reality of life as an emergency doctor, will things be worse when the four hour rule is adopted Australia wide?

Putting Patients at Ease

A new UCEM guideline is out: “Putting Patients at Ease”. Apparently the best way to learn how to do something is to first learn how NOT to do it.