Last week I took a call from a frail older patient. He was distraught, tired after sitting on a fractured femur in the emergency department waiting room for 12 hours. I had sent him to hospital the day before, X-ray report and handover letter in hand. And he had left in pain, 12 hours later, without being seen. It took me two hours, with an interpreter, and calls to three different hospitals, to finally convince this gentleman to return to a different hospital. That evening I picked up my children very late. For this work the Medicare rebate was $39.75.
It wasn’t until I’d hung up that it really hit me. We are in big trouble. Even someone with a diagnosed broken hip can’t access timely care. Our health system is overwhelmed and we are drowning.
