Floods have devastated parts of NSW and Queensland, and some MDA National Members’ practices have flooded. Members have reported practices completely under water, no access to medical records, and loss of backup servers. Staff have lost homes, been trapped by floodwater, and are volunteering at evacuation centres.
The Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (ANZCA) has released new guidelines on surgical patient safety and COVID-19.
Peri-operative SARS-Cov-2 infection increases postoperative mortality. Guidelines published in February 2022 recommend that patients should avoid elective surgery within 7 weeks of infection, unless the benefits of doing so exceed the risk of waiting.
Online services providing prescriptions, referrals and/or medical certificates are becoming more common but doctors considering this style of practice should know.
