Category Archives: consumer health information

Will social media prove useful in efforts to tackle antibiotic resistance?

April 23, 2012 – 4:25 pm

As previously reported, Sweden has shown it is possible to reduce prescribing of antibiotics. Can Australia manage similar? The NPS is hoping so – as you may have heard, it has launched a campaign using social media and mainstream media to engage the wider community in tackling inappropriate use of these drugs. (And on Thursday, the [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in general practice, infectious diseases, Media-related issues, pharmaceutical industry, public health, social media and healthcare | Tagged , , | Comments (0)

All the latest news on excessive testing and treatment – the Naked Doctor strikes again

April 10, 2012 – 4:46 pm

An important campaign has just been launched in the US, with the backing of nine medical societies and several consumer groups, to encourage doctors and patients to identify tests and treatments that may not be necessary. As part of the ABIM Foundation’s Choosing Wisely campaign, this website lists tests and procedures identified by medical societies as commonly [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in complementary medicines, evidence-based issues, Naked Doctor, tests | Tagged , , | Comments (0)

Is your organisation health literate? (and what does this mean, anyway)

March 1, 2012 – 7:04 pm

The notion of health literacy is more complicated than it might at first sound, being about much more than whether any individual can understand what is written on their pill packet. A recent systematic review of health literacy and public health makes it clear that there are many ways of approaching the concept. The review identified [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in health and medical research, health literacy, Indigenous health, public health | Tagged , | Comments (1)

Some of the latest news on the media and health reporting

February 23, 2012 – 7:15 pm

In her latest report on the activities of Media Doctor Australia, Amanda Wilson has some good news about the quality of health reporting. And at the bottom of her post are some links to recent developments in health journalism. *** Some media outlets do better than others when it comes to health news Amanda Wilson [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in aged care, Media Doctor Australia, Media-related issues, social media and healthcare, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Comments (0)

Helping older patients with chronic diseases to navigate the health system

February 20, 2012 – 9:23 am

How can vulnerable elderly patients be helped to navigate the fragmented health system? In its latest Croakey update, the Primary Health Care Research and Information Service (better known as PHC RIS) reports there is encouraging evidence to suggest that professional health system “navigators” might be able to help elderly people with chronic health problems to [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in aged care, chronic diseases, health reform, nurses and nursing, primary health care | Tagged , , , , | Comments (0)

What makes a “Knowledgeable Patient”? On communication and other matters…

February 13, 2012 – 5:56 pm

Science + democratic participation = better health outcomes, according to Sophie Hill, the editor of a new book called The Knowledgeable Patient. To find out more about this equation, see the clip and the article below by Hill, the Head of the Centre for Health Communication and Participation in the Australian Institute for Primary Care [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in adverse events, evidence-based issues | Tagged , , , | Comments (0)

What many patients want to know, but many doctors don’t want to tell

February 10, 2012 – 4:57 pm

Here is an interesting juxtaposition of two sets of research findings about doctors’ disclosures of their financial relationships with pharmaceutical companies… In the US, a survey of almost 2,000 doctors found nearly two-fifths did not completely agree they should disclose their financial relationships with drug and device companies to patients. The survey, by researchers from [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in health ethics, pharmaceutical industry, quality and safety of health care | Tagged , , , | Comments (0)

Introducing the National Campaign for Consumer-Centred Health Care

January 19, 2012 – 4:41 pm

The information below has been provided by a new group, the National Campaign for Consumer-Centred Health Care. It gives some background on the campaign’s aims, principles, membership and plans. It also includes a call for people interested in working with Medicare Locals on behalf of consumers. If you’ve any questions or comments for the new [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in chronic diseases, e-health, health reform, Medicare Locals, mental health, quality and safety of health care | Tagged , , , , , | Comments (1)

A rather large wrap of recent Croakey articles: public health, health reform, media coverage of health and more

January 11, 2012 – 10:25 am

As previously mentioned, Croakey readers are welcome to sign up for (rather irregular) summaries of posts. If you’d like to join the mailing list, please send your email or leave it below. Here is the latest compilation, covering from 6 October – December 23, 2011. The latest readership figures are now also available, showing that [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in abortion, alcohol, cancer, child health, childbirth and maternity services, climate change, complementary medicines, conflicts of interest, death and dying, dental care, evidence-based issues, Food, global health, health and medical research, health financing and costs, Health inequalities, health reform, health workforce, Hospitals, Indigenous health, infectious diseases, Media Doctor Australia, Medicare Locals, mental health, MyHospitals website, obesity, pain, palliative care, pharmacy, physical activity, prevention, primary health care, public health, quality and safety of health care, rural and remote health, SensaSlim, social determinants of health, social media and healthcare, TGA, The Conversation, tobacco control, vaccination, vaccines, WHO | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Comments (0)

Media Doctor Australia puts out a call for help

December 19, 2011 – 5:34 pm

In the previous post, Gary Schwitzer gave an overview of an impressive upgrade to the HealthNewsReview website in the US. In the article below, Dr Amanda Wilson describes the funding constraints upon the equivalent organisation in Australia, the prize-winning Media Doctor Australia, which faces an uncertain future. *** Any ideas for who might like to [...]

By Melissa Sweet | Also posted in evidence-based issues, Media Doctor Australia, Media-related issues, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , | Comments (0)