Making a difference
Hello, My Name Is Carl De Wet
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The octopus, the hammerhead shark, and resilience
Resilience is a highly desirable quality, even though the term is at risk of becoming a cliché. It describes the ability of individuals and organisations …
Why a tax on sugar-sweetened beverages may not be a bitter pill
The Federal government will release its annual budget next week, on May 11. There will inevitably be winners and losers, but the overall sentiment is …
What wellbeing and cufflinks have in common
Some patients leave clear footprints in our hearts and minds that resist the erosion of time. One such patient was Mr. Duncan McBride. We met …
COVID-19 and the Zen of iso, pivots and bubbles
It is hard to believe that the index case of COVID-19 was identified only a year ago on 1 December 2019. The impact of the …
The Kindness in a can of Coke
One of my most cherished memories is the incredible kindness of a patient who offered me a can of Coke. It happened while I worked …
Hope in the Heart of Darkness
Patient safety incidents (PSIs) often have a profound yet unrecognised effect on clinicians.1-5 In fact, when medical students and residents were asked to simply imagine …
Time for robots?
Unsolicited e-mails are part and parcel of our modern lives. Most of us dispatch them with ruthless efficiency. Occasionally, one slips past our defences. This …
Why healthcare needs Interstitium Practitioners
In 2018 the media reported the discovery of a new human organ. In true click bait style this new organ was lauded as the largest …
The magic of mulch and general practice
Mulching a garden is a lot like consulting with patients. Both activities require time, dedication, and manual work that can leave one physically and mentally …