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The Forum > General Discussion > Hospitals

Hospitals

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Kalin, couldnt agree more. Most country towns in particular are stretched to capacity with lack of doctors, the last thing they need is visits by people with colds who need medical certs for work. If an employer cant tell an employee is sick, they are idiots. If its not an obvious illness, then fine, but a cold or the flu is as plain as the nose on your face (and its not like the doctor can do anything for you - rest and fluids). My supervisor used to send me home ("get out of here and use up your sick days - dont hang around and give it to me"), but then HR would require a doctors cert if more than 2 days taken. Now they need one if more than 1 day taken. Last time I needed time off, I couldnt get into a doctor - work ended up still paying my a leave day because it was so bloody obvious. A small victory.

PALE, perhaps its tme you considered moving again if you are dissatisfied with where you live now. Doctors are hard to get in this town, but not too much trouble getting a hospital bed if needed, and I have never seen more than 3 people in the emergency ward (and with a toddler I have had a few visits at night and on weekends - raging fevers, ear infections and the like).
Posted by Country Gal, Thursday, 9 August 2007 9:57:18 PM
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Kalwin
There is a new RN system up here the Government set up to try to take some pf the preshure off the public hospitals because we have an extra six thousand a month arriving to live here.
Perhaps you could suggest that be put into place where you are.
Its all done by phone and quite frankly their not much good for anything else anyway. Why not speak to the boss about it and suggest they extend the service to video link up with use of faxes to supply certificates.
I understand your frustration but the counter argument would have to be the millions who take a sick a after a big football game or heavy night out or because surfs up.
Its cost this country millions.
We do also have a system where by you can call a Dr to your home who will bulk bill you.
Its all weekends and after hours between 5pm and 8am.
Something like that in your area my also help.
Country girl you are most fortunate to only bump into three other patients at your emergency surgery.
People up here now wait anything up to twelve hours - even more.
The poor staff are under enormous preshure.

It must have been difficult having a single Dad and your Aunts being so busy with Gran.
A lessor person might grow up resenting older people taking up peoples time or a hospital bed.
The Federal Government are looking into it and keen to start it on the Gold Coast as a trial given the high number of senior cizs who come up here to retire.
That frees up more hospital beds and saves millions being waisted building homes and trying to keep their up keep.
It doesnt mean however that they should wait twelve hours to see a Dr.
It also doesnt mean that the ITC wards should be told only to take young people either.
Thats the bottom line here
Posted by People Against Live Exports & Intensive Farming, Friday, 10 August 2007 4:45:37 AM
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PAELIF,

Although people taking sickies when they are not sick does cost the economy a great deal of money, the reality is that having the current system simply exacerbates the cost by making the government cough up $50 or so (whatever the medicare cost of gp consults is) for every absence, with highly debatable deterrent effect. Think about it.

I've never heard of a gp turning a patient away on the basis they didn't believe they were sick. If someone comes into their surgery and says they have a migraine or stomach cramps, or back pain, doctors still give them a certificate. They can no more verify the truth of these patient's assertions than anyone else, so why make a highly skilled and extremely expensive worker, like a doctor, deal with such administrative policing.

Moreover such patients are often bread and butter for some practices. Expecting medical practices to turn away 'regular' customers because they're abusing the system, is like expecting bottle shops to turn away alcoholics. $ $ $

I don't know how much money is being wasted this way but I'm betting its a lot based on my own anecdotal experience. I'm 38 and don't go to the doctor's often, but I suspect at least 50% of the occasions I've been to a doctor in the last 20 years have been when I've been down with a cold or flu and have had to get a medical certificate.

Pretty quickly I've worked out I've got the flu/cold and I've known the doctors can do nothing for me, and that I should stay in bed, take my aspirins and vitamin C and sweat it out. Unfortunately, my empoyer (usually corporate) invariably requires, as a matter of policy, a medical certificate. I live in Sydney, but finding a medical practitioner on short notice, & within walking distance (I don't have a car) has often proven impossible. Half my 'day off' gets spent locating and attending a doctors surgery.

Utter madness.
Posted by Kalin1, Friday, 10 August 2007 11:31:59 AM
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Kalin1
Join a private health fund if you are not already a member and call a Dr to your house.
You get most of it back anyway.

When a person is too sick to work they are too sick to be up and about normally , full stop.
I mean you have to be really sick to take time off work. Dont you?
I am SURE your boss would understand if you said you were too ill to go to a Dr.
Then again I guess when people are that ill they need a Dr.
Oh dear what a terribly situtation for you
What about this for an idea?
Do you have any family that could drive you to a DR?
What about a friend or Neighbour? Can you form a understanding with others from your work?
You could then take it in turns. Perhaps ring one another the night before.
There is a number you can call to register for transport. Also you can register for half price cabs if your ill and cant afford a cab.
Do you have to do this often?

Yes I agree all Drs are very busy as are hospitals and it would be criminal to misuse a Drs time.
I guess it must be real inconveient for those people who used to just pull a sickie at the Bosses expense as well.
I mean by the time [as you said] a person had to attend a Drs Surgery to get a certificate it would defeat the purpose anyway wouldnt it.
They would really be able to set their times to meet at the beach for a wave or anything.
I guess the Government have had to add up the cost of the certificates as against the bosses costs.
I think its called
Check Mate
Posted by People Against Live Exports & Intensive Farming, Friday, 10 August 2007 6:18:34 PM
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PALEIF,

Aparently you don't have to be very sick to miss work, otherwise why do Doctor's never refuse medical certificates.

As to your theory that you are SURE my boss would understand, I'm guessing you haven't worked in many large corporations. Most managers don't have authority to 'understand' their underlings problems but are obliged to implement company policy without fear or favour. If you don't comply with the company's policy of producing medical certificates for days off, your pay is docked. This situation isn't unique, its typical of many large corporations and I'd guess most government departments too.

Your statement "I guess the Government have had to add up the cost of the certificates as against the bosses costs." makes me ask why should government be using it's medical services and tax dollars to provide what is basically a businesses cost. I accept there are economic arguments in favour of it, but the reality seems to be that the effect is so small it does not warrant the cost.

If it was something businesses had to pay for they would look at the cost effectiveness of the system. As it stands, because they have no interest in the cost of the system, businesses don't worry that it costs the tax payer $100 to save every $10 in deterred bludging. Yes I made those figures up, but I suspect they are in the ball park.

Oh, and I am in private health cover, but your idea of home visits and then referring it to the insurer is just silly. How economically stupid would it be to make a private insurer pay $200 for a home visit just to get a medical certificate. The insurer may 'refund me' but that $200 doesn't come from thin air, it comes from the public purse in the form of premiums.

Your concern with stopping bludging workers whilst recommending such abuse of insurance companies is hypocritical. Please think again.
Posted by Kalin1, Friday, 10 August 2007 6:59:08 PM
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Kalin1
People pulling sickies has cost small biz and corps billions.
I do not think its unreasonable to be asked to prove you were not just in the mood for a day off at the expense of others which at the end comes from the tax payer working mate.

I can assure you drs DO refuse to give certificates if they do not believe the persons sick.

People will always try to find a way to break down laws that safe gaurd others.
Those laws were put in place to protect your work mates being ripped off along with the owners of the biz.

I note you have not answered my questions.
Ie isnt there somebody who can drive you to a Dr?
The bottom line to me is this-
You said you walked around all dr looking for a Dr?
Surley you must know whwe where your dr is/
All your concern for the tax payers dollar and saving visits for others is touching.
However I suspect it really gets up your nose having to produce a certificate because - in your own words wondering around half the day looking for a Dr and paying for a visit wasnt what you had in mind.
If you put it that way - Then it would seem the system is working well and producing the results it was intended to.
If a bosss vaules the staff member he often goes beyond all expectations to assist that person if they are really sick.
Good honest staff are hard to find and very very much in advance in their oportunitys to demand better conditions.
May I suggest it is you who should think again.
Posted by People Against Live Exports & Intensive Farming, Saturday, 11 August 2007 2:48:38 AM
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