Dr. Caroline Tan in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia | Medical and health

Dr. Caroline Tan

Locality: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia

Phone: +61 3 9342 2446

Address: 654 Queensberry Street, North Melbourne 3053 Melbourne, VIC, Australia

Website: http://www.drcarolinetan.com/

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22.01.2022 Apparently, an appointment at some public hospital outpatient clinics in Victoria is in some instances going to turn into a telehealth consultation with a junior doctor (registrar/resident) who will be working from home without supervision from a staff specialist. I don’t argue with the reasoning behind telehealth consultations during a pandemic but I genuinely fear that it’s going to lead to an increase in missed diagnoses and poorer medical care. There is simply no substitu...te that is as good as seeing someone in person and being able to examine them. A few days ago, I had to perform emergency surgery to relieve spinal cord compression on a man who had already consulted another neurosurgeon by telehealth two weeks prior and had no idea that his leg weakness was heading towards permanent paralysis. That is why I continue to offer in-person consultations for all new patients wherever possible. See more

10.01.2022 I had a big day of surgery in Berwick yesterday. What a terrific theatre team I had. In China, where the Covid-19 pandemic started and was then controlled through strict lock-down and social distancing, the reality of the new normal is becoming apparent. The lifting of restrictions on going out and mingling with people has resulted in another outbreak of Covid-19- so-called second wave. The global community faces a 12-18 month period of major disruption in order to control and manage these infections, until a safe and effective vaccine or effective treatments are found. What does this mean for the hospital system in Australia? How long can elective surgeries be put on hold?

07.01.2022 A neurosurgeon job offered to me in the Cayman Islands! Hmmm...

07.01.2022 We are living in very challenging times. I feel for all the people who have suddenly lost their jobs, the homeless on the streets who find the businesses and public facilities they rely upon to survive to be shuttered, the elderly and disabled who are confronted by empty shelves when they go shopping as well as the people who are infected with Covid-19. In the face of all this, complaining about having to observe social distancing or self-isolation is selfish. We will get th...rough this as a community by putting ourselves in each others’ shoes and looking out for each other. The pandemic is expected to peak in Australia in the next 4-6 weeks. While I am not in the front-line of dealing with the pandemic, I will willingly volunteer to be if there is a need for extra doctors. In the meantime, life doesn’t stop because of the pandemic. There are still people who are suffering acute spinal conditions with pain or weakness in their arms or legs. These people still need help to manage their conditions. So my office remains open 24/7 for referrals and enquiries. Face-to-face consultations are conducted where they are essential but where possible we try to use Video consultations or defer any consultations that can wait. Yesterday afternoon, the Prime Minister announced that all non-urgent elective surgery would be suspended effective from midnight. This caused some extremely upset patients as I had surgeries booked for Saturday and next week. This morning there was a notice that the suspension on elective surgery would be delayed until 1 April. So now the red light is back to a green light. It is frustrating that we cannot get clear and consistent advice from the government. Once the suspension comes into effect, it’s anyone’s guess how long it would last but some are suggesting it could stay in effect until June. With great organisations like St John of God, I have some confidence that I will be able to continue providing surgeries for those who need them within a reasonable timeframe. Stay positive and stay well everyone.

06.01.2022 It is interesting to see the unusual eateries appearing on Queensberry Street but Beatrix is a perennial favourite and only a couple of minutes walk from us. Yes, the cakes, doughnuts and pastries are like nothing you will find anywhere else in terms of creativity and deliciousness but they also do great coffees and filled ciabattas. All made out the back with a whole lot of love. Just be warned that there is often a queue to be served! Look up their offerings of the day on Instagram.