17 April 2009

Diagnosis? Canberra Hospital has a heart

| weeziepops
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My father died of cancer last year.

Yesterday I received a letter from Dr Khurana (Canberra Hospital Neurosurgery) offering condolences.

Throughout my father’s treatment, the often stressed staff at Canberra Hospital remained sympathetic and supportive, even when my father became cranky and irritable. This letter from Dr Khurana adds to my conviction that we Canberrans are lucky to have access to some of the best medical professionals in the world.

In my opinion, Dr Khurana, Dr Yip and Professor Elsaleh of Canberra Hospital deserve the highest accolades for their commitment to treating patients with respect, good humour and a positive focus.

In a litigious world where complaints are often louder than compliments, I thought I would just note this example of a busy medical professional taking the time to recognise that his patients and their families are human.

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Last year I had to go to the Canberra Hospital When it turned out I had lost my baby while pregnant. During those 2 days that i was there I have nothing but praise. The nurses were very supportive and understanding during that horrible time and truly worried about my health.

ChrisinTurner9:36 am 20 Apr 09

A few years ago my wife had two years of chemo and radiation treatment in Canberra Hospital for secondary breast cancer, followed by three weeks at Clare Holland House. I couldn’t fault the treatment or care that she received. I particularly liked the team approach that works so well in the public system. I keep telling people that we have the best public hospital system in the world. I recently had my appendix removed at Calvary public and they were just as good.

Dr Yip was fantastic when my mother was in earlier this year for pancreatic cancer. She did transfer to Clare Holland House a few weeks later and they were also fantastic. When she passed in early March, the staff were very supportive and I can’t say enough positives about them.

weeziepops and everyone who has been treated, or know somebody who was treated on the ward – did you happen to speak to a social worker on ward 14B? a short, long brown haired lady? her name is Wendy… shes been the Social worker on 14B for about 2 years now…

My mum spent 2 stints in Ward 14B (Oncology Inpatient) at The Canberra Hospital, with one stint of just over 2 weeks & the other of 4 weeks & the staff were great. They joked with her & her family & most patients were given a Christmas present on Christmas Day.

The staff at Hospital In The Home are also great as well, as are ICU & Emergency.

Great to see my own experience has been shared by others. Cancer is a terrible disease and a really rotten way to die – I can see how people who work in the field could get jaded and burnt out. Seems like a number of us have been fortunate to have good people there to care for our loved ones throughout treatment. Thanks for commenting on my post.

My mother was treated for cancer in the ward last year followed by radiation treatment as an outpatient. We cannot speak more highly of the oncologists, nurses and other medical staff at the Canberra Hospital. The staff of the ICU were excellent and truly caring people.

These staff soldier on despite the problems in administration, lack of resources and staffing issues and just get the job done.

This was in stark contrast to an experience ringing the Hospital Health Line a few years earlier when I was made to feel like a serial pest (I was only calling to save being one of the myriad of people turning up in an overloaded casualty section). It put me off going, I went to the doctor on Monday, got a referral for an x-ray and ended up having a surgical procedure on Wednesday. Wish I had written and complained now but what is the point?

I hear you, weesiepops. My dad passed away of a brain tumor and lung cancer almost 4 years ago now (god I miss him) but I know his last few weeks were made more comfortable by the amazing treatment he received and support we were given by certain medical and support staff.

Not all is rotten in the ACT.

stereo henry said :

public hospital ACT = good

public hospital anywhere else = bad

Wrong.
Shepparton and Wangarrata Hospitals.
The staff there are fantastic.

My sister from Lismore had a brain tumour and Dr Khurana was her surgeon too. He was the most professional kindest man we have even had to deal with in such a traumatic situation.

I have recommended him (yeah I know that kinda sounds a bit off putting) to other people with brain tumours and they too have found him wonderful.

My condolences to you and your family OP.

although, qbyn hospital is more act than nsw on that scale, henry henry…

stereo henry1:32 pm 17 Apr 09

public hospital ACT = good

public hospital anywhere else = bad

exactly what pommy b said.

it is easy to too often confuse the systemic problems with administering a health service with the nitty gritty actual people who deliver it.

thanks for sharing your thoughts with us and i hope you and your family are managing the grief of your loss.

9B Neurosurgical Ward – Best ward in TCH for staff and patients AND family.

I was treated at The Canberra Hospital in 2001 for Hodgkin’s disease – the staff then (and still are) simply outstanding.

The (free!) oncologist (Michael Pidcock) is ridiculously knowledgeable and I trust him with my life – literally.

The staff read me well though – they’d tease me about how I looked without hair and stuff. Still sensitive and all, but doing what it took to keep me positive and happy, instead of a white, clean, mundane environment.

Seriously. So good.

Calwell Resident10:27 am 17 Apr 09

My mother was diagnosed with cancer earlier in the year and subsequently passed away quite quickly after the diagnosis. The treatment towards her and our family from all of the staff in the oncology unit at The Canberra Hospital was amazing. We could not have asked for better car in such a horrible situation.

Pommy bastard10:05 am 17 Apr 09

My condolences on your loss, but my profound respect for having the decency to give plaudits where they are due. (Something sorely needed in today’s culture of blame.)

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