The past few months have demonstrated how much misery can be avoided with better hygiene habits — and that it is entirely possible to work from bed
medical aid
Posted inGeneral, Health
Discovery Health wants a picture of your anus
Didn’t your mother warn you to never, ever, ever take a photograph of your private parts and give it or send it to anyone, let alone a complete stranger who asks for it? But this is exactly what happened when Donn Edwards, an old school friend of mine, submitted a claim for specialised wound care […]
Posted inGeneral, Health
Beware the angry ordinary man!
I took an unusual step two days ago. I started a petition against Discovery Health, the administrators of Discovery Medical Aid. I have good reason to be angry, but it seems being angry, as I and so many other doctors, dentists and other health professionals are, is not enough. I am fighting for the right […]
Posted inHealth
Why should you be concerned if your doctor is a ‘designated service provider’?
You probably haven't a clue. Clearly I think you should be, for good reason, because there is a monumental battle going on between medical professionals and the medical aid administrators who sign contracts with 'designated service providers' or 'preferred providers' (DSPs). This battle is essentially for control of private medical practice. Those who control the […]
Posted inHealth
Why do doctors hate medical aids?
We really, really do. You probably wonder about this. I’ve yet to meet any doctor in private medical practice who feels indifferent, let alone positive, about them. Sharing our reasons may offer an insight into why your doctor would prefer you to pay now please, and claim from your medical aid yourself. Technically, it is […]
Posted inHealth
It’s time for a new class of medical doctor
In my last post here I made the observation that I practice medicine in a fee-for-service private system that is dysfunctional. Consumers of healthcare are the obvious losers, being subject to the perversions of the current system that translate into significantly higher cost. I stated that one of the drivers of this system is that […]
Posted inHealth
There’s no such thing as an ‘unnecessary’ operation…
Yup. You heard me. When funders and heath economists talk about unnecessary health expenditure it irks me. You, the patient, may not need an operation but there’s a whole bunch of people who do … the surgeon, the anaesthetist, the hospital, the surgical supplier, the drug companies. Your body is a valuable commodity, and in […]