media releases

The increasing and almost unregulated growth of corporate medicine in Australia documented in the Australian and the Medical Journal of Australia should be a wake up call to the Federal Government, said Dr Tracy Schrader, President, Doctors Reform Society.

Listed corporations exist to maximise profits, said Dr Schrader. If they can do that by providing first class medical care, they will. If some minor rorting or overservicing increases their profits with no obvious negative impacts on patients, they will be tempted to do just that, especially in an environment where regulation is so lax.

In this poorly regulated environment major rorting and overservicing is bound to occur. The unnecessary knee arthroscopy or coronary angiogram will find its place because doctors are human and range in personalities from generous saints to greedy psychopaths. Most of us are in between.

The Australian Medical Association believes that the amount of money Medicare pays doctors is grossly inadequate and continually recommends huge gaps or copayments to make up the income When the Government then sets up systems which rely almost entirely on the honesty of doctors to determine how much money is paid to doctors, we should not be surprised at the results.

Who pays the price for the Government closing its eyes to the problem? Patients and taxpayers.

It’s time the Government looked a lot harder at Medicare.

Dr Tracy Schrader    Dr Tim Woodruff  

President   Vice President      

Doctors Reform Society          

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