published letters

Published in The Australian on Monday, April 14, 2008

We should not be surprised at suggestions that too many x-rays are being performed (age 12/4). The profit motive is alive and well in the health industry. Some doctors have been asked to repay over $100,000 for overservicing. If that kind of doctor works in a for-profit corporate medical centre which has its own pathology and xray facilities, then we shouldn’t be surprised if unnecessary pathology and xrays are done. We can trust most doctors to do the right thing but when Governments allow for-profit vertically integrated health business to employ any kind of health professionals, it is setting the scene for overservicing, and fraud units will only pick the very worst offenders.

Dr Tim Woodruff
President
Doctors Reform Society