In this episode of Let’s Talk Medicine, the panel discusses AHPRA’s proposal for mandatory health checks for doctors aged 70 and over. The conversation covers initial reactions, concerns about age discrimination, the lack of solid evidence supporting the proposal, and the implications for both doctors and patients. The panel emphasizes the importance of performance-based assessments rather than age-based profiling, and they call for a more comprehensive approach to evaluating doctors’ competencies. The discussion concludes with a call to action for listeners to engage with the proposal before the consultation period ends.
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and overview of AHPRA’s proposal
02:39 Concerns about age discrimination and performance assessment
05:37 Addressing ageism and looking at complainants
12:57 Critique of the Medical Board’s approach
20:33 The need for a different approach
23:25 What are the proposed health assessments for older doctors?
24:42 Concerns about discrimination and the validity of cognitive screening tests
26:40 The need for better performance measurements
31:23 Patient satisfaction as an indicator of a doctor’s practice
33:49 Assessment of the value of peer-review
38:03 Potential discrimination against older doctors
44:34 Why the proposed health assessments should be rejected
