PRESIDENT'S WORD If not now, when? COVID-19 has presented us with a challenge, but also an opportunity to shape and evolve the health system. AS I COME to the end of two years as President of AMA (NSW), it is fitting to reflect on what has happened and what has changed. Presidents come and go [...]

FROM THE CEO Timing is everything A cautious and measured return to elective surgery is in the best interests of patients and practitioners, including doctors-in-training. THE CANCELLATION of non-urgent elective surgery in March was the right move at the right time. It achieved exactly what it was supposed to: preserve PPE, increase capacity, and give [...]

FEATURE Crisis communications If necessity is the mother of invention, then COVID-19 has been the catalyst Australia’s health system needed to embrace medical technology. THE HEALTH system’s acceptance and use of telehealth went from zero to sixty almost overnight. Pre-pandemic, most medical professionals focused on delivering healthcare via face-to-face consultations, and there was considerable resistance [...]

FEATURE Are you alone now? As medical professionals embrace telehealth during COVID-19, many are looking at how they can better support patients who may be affected by domestic violence at this time. SHUTDOWN MEASURES, financial pressures, and an inability to reach out to normal supports is creating a perfect storm for families who may be [...]

FEATURE Beyond the Pandemic What impacts and opportunities will Australia’s healthcare system face as it moves into the next phase of its COVID-19 response? PwC’s Stuart Babbage shares his insights. COVID-19 is currently the top priority for Australia’s healthcare system. Whilst there is uncertainty about how the pandemic will unfold, the implications for our healthcare [...]

FEATURE 9 Predictions for a Post-Coronavirus world How will the world evolve from this pandemic? Futurist Bernard Marr shares his predictions for a Post-COVID planet. As the ripple of COVID-19 careens around the globe, it’s forcing humankind to innovate and change the way we work and live. The upside of where we find ourselves right [...]

PROFILE Developing Healthcare Leaders Retired executive director of Kaiser Permanente, Dr Jack Cochran, argues medical professionals have a responsibility to patients to participate in the improvement and transformation of healthcare. THE CORONAVIRUS has tested healthcare systems around the world. Medical professionals and health stakeholders have been strong advocates for the safety of patients and practitioners, [...]

CAREERS SERVICE Beyond the Theatre Room Although every clinician is a leader, having a ‘seat at the table’ allows more influence, suggests Dr Tanya Selak, who has enriched her career in anaesthesia by exploring roles that allow her to improve the wider health system. I ENTERED MEDICAL school in Auckland straight out of high school. [...]

WORKPLACE RELATIONS VMO Arrangements and the COVID-19 Pandemic Australia’s ability to flatten the curve has presented different challenges for the health system. Here is the latest information for VMOs in public and private hospitals. THE COVID-19 pandemic has presented the NSW health system, public and private, with a number of challenges which are constantly evolving, [...]

WORKPLACE RELATIONS In the Loop The words ‘Workplace Relations Team’ and ‘Update’ have become regular features of our email communications to members. As the pandemic has progressed, we have been providing frequent and timely communication to keep you abreast of the latest developments. IT’S NORMAL to approach an article with ‘what’s changed’? But when it [...]

WORKPLACE RELATIONS Training: What happens Next? Doctors-in-training face several unique challenges in the COVID-19 crisis, with issues around training, assessments and examinations creating uncertainty for many. OUR DOCTORS-IN-TRAINING Committee meetings this year have been well attended and have provided a forum for our DIT members to share their experiences at their hospitals and help shape [...]

STUDENT VIEW On Standby Australia’s success in flattening the curve has curtailed recruitment to bolster the health workforce, but final year medical students are ready, if needed, to meet future pandemic demand. AUSTRALIA’S MEDICAL students are altruistic, ready for challenges, and possess clinical experience, which makes them ideal candidates to bolster the healthcare workforce response [...]

FEATURE Q&A A/Prof Yvonne Zurynski A/Prof Yvonne Zurynski welcomes Australia’s first action plan to support people with rare diseases. The National Strategic Action Plan for Rare Diseases will support equitable access to healthcare. Q: How long has Rare Voices Australia been advocating for the development of an Action Plan? A: Basically since it was established. [...]

GOLF The Autumn Cup AMA (NSW)’s Golf Society members met in early March, before the social distancing measures were in place, to challenge for the Autumn Cup. It may be awhile before the Society can come together again, but they made sure this event was memorable. THIS WAS the first visit by the Golf Society [...]