In response to: Radiology deserts in regional NSW are a policy failure costing millions
I feel your frustration! Is there a government policy for health care in the bush? It seems unlikely. Recently, I needed a radiologist-guided steroid injection into areas of bursitis (in both hips). When I made an appointment with iMed, I was told I would need to wait a month. So, after waiting a couple of months, I was told that Armidale no longer had a radiologist. (I’ve just rung to check; when I asked if they had a FIFO radiologist, the operator was about to transfer me to someone else for the answer! They have a FIFO one now…but thank goodness I hung on for those 15 minutes – I might have missed out on learning how many bones there are in a baby.)
So, I rang Tamworth. Yes, I could have a steroid injection in a couple of weeks’ time. When I said I needed two, one for each hip, I was told that this procedure needed to be done on different days. “Why?” Frankly, I didn’t get a proper answer, even though I’d asked if there were side-effects (which there weren’t). I discovered that they too have a FIFO radiologist. My take on this woeful state of affairs would mean a long drive down to Tamworth, undergo the procedure, return. Then repeat in a couple of days later!!!
An alternative: an early morning train trip, then one of at least two taxis to the radiology business and then…what did one do for a whole day before waiting for a return train trip??? That’s an alternative?
You may notice I said ‘radiology business’…as that is what our medical system now is. The radiologist in question is gaming the system: two appointments instead of one. Double trouble for the patient/government.
This applies to prescriptions as well. Under the old system, the receptionist would take the patient’s details; the doctor would write the script out after her/his last patient – there may have been ten or so? Now?
To get a repeat prescription, one has to book a Telehealth appointment…often having to wait for a couple of days; often the call is over two hours later than the appointed timeslot. If the patient is aged, then they are not charged, but the government is. Similar for repeat yearly check-up with a Specialist. Make an appointment with the GP; get a referral; see said Specialist.
Much is made of IPTAAS for remote patients. This is a business, not a service. Our great doctors, Bookalill, Niven, et. al. are horrified! They worked their butts off when they were practicing. A wonderful locum told me recently: “If they can’t smell or see a beach, then the young doctors don’t want to go there.” Says it all, really.
I would like to mention to the public that Armidale Ultrasound do steroid injections every single week. We are in rusden street, across from Imed. Why the patient wasn’t advised that there was another service available I do not know. We believe in patient centred care, and offer as many services as we can.
Cara Andersen not on the lumbar I booked an app to be told of we dont do that area so I wated and paid imed last wk for the injection to be done
Kristi-lee Idstein-higgins Spinal injections are usually performed under CT – a machine we currently do not have. Glad you were able to have your procedure completed in town.
At Armidale Ultrasound we do ALL ultrasounds, Xrays and Bone density scans. We care for our patients. Every patient is treated as an individual. We Bulkbill pension card holders for everything. We bulkbill everyone for Xrays. We do steroid injections every week.
There is no need to travel out of town. We are really good at what we do.
Tanja Van Der Walt when I tried booking was told that u dont do lumbar injections
I replied to your comment on my reply, but these injections are not performed under ultrasound, usually only under CT, we would not have been able to help you as we do not currently have that machine.
Thumbs Up to Armidale Ultrasound for providing care, not just to our Armidale locals. But those who have travelled from Gunnedah, Tamworth, Moree and Bellingen this week alone, when other clinics couldn’t.
I love that we put the patient first each and every time. Its a shame we cant all work together. If not for each other, but at least our patients 🩷💙
I was horrified last December when I was referred for a diagnostic mammogram and ultrasound that Tamworth Basr Hospital Radiology clinic did NOT have a mammogram machine. The only available machine was at Hunter Imaging – which I was quoted in excess of $500 for the procedures. Because of my age I was ineligible at Breastscreen (which is a screening service only and could take up to 3mths for the images to be assessed by a qualified radiographer) Thankfully I have family in Brisbane where I got it done same day for $380.
Unfortunately your maths are wrong. You are assuming that they run profitably or break even. A public MRI would be a drain on hospital finances and the reason that there is a significant gap payment from most if not all private providers. An MRI would be great but at a cost with reduction in services
Ian Kamerman I believe you are responding to the original piece and not this letter. My maths are not wrong – they’re stupidly conservative using a cost price at the upper end of the range. Feel free to demonstrate with your own maths how people being in hospital for a week and needing to be transferred to another town for something as routine as an MRI scan is somehow cheaper than this old, not expensive technology. There should be an MRI machine – and CT and ultrasound – in every hospital servicing more than 10,000 people. At the moment, none of the hospitals in the New England other than Tamworth have that really basic equipment. Maybe you should get outside of your Tamworth bubble and see just how much has been stripped out of hospitals north of the Moonbis.
I don’t believe Telle health can cover all needs nor everyone’s needs and traveling for health will always be a part of living in the bush. There will never be enough doctors, specialists, surgeons, nurses or midwife’s, and hospitals and medical always under funded, there will never be enough fully equipped hospitals in the bush. Between staff shortages and operational costs.
Traveling for health will be the only option for rural residents of Australia. It’s something no one really thinks about nor cares about too much until it’s needed and you or a family or friends health takes a turn for the worse. Next thing you know your doing more miles then an interstate truck driver. It takes its toll on your car traveling our rough old highway and adds so much extra pressure when your sick or in pain, not working and financially strained because of it all. Current public transport is not good enough. It’s been highlighted in recent medical surveys, transport to better health is a huge roadblock for us all on the new England area. More public transport services are needed, we need better frequency of service and some towns like Glen Innes or Tenterfield desperately need services. Also the big issue no cross border public transport into Qld from the new England unless you go for a trip around Australia to get there. Just not good enough. New England residents need better and deserve better.
Fantastic service