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Orthopaedic surgeons overcharging patients by thousands

<p>Medibank report has found some orthopaedic surgeons are overcharging patients by thousands of dollars, stressing the importance of shopping around for the best price.</p> <p>The report highlighted the shocking disparity in surgeon fees across Australia when out-of-pocket fees, complication rates and expertise are taken into account.</p> <p>The study found the average cost of a hip replacement varied by more than $20,000, while the average costs for knee replacements ranged from $17,797 to $30,285 and knee anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) repair ranged from $5076 to $13,950.</p> <p>Medibank chief medical officer Dr Linda Swan said this report was a sign patients and their referring GPs really should do their research before settling on surgeon.</p> <p>"There is a lot more to selecting a doctor than taking the first person that is recommended to you," Dr Swan said.</p> <p>"(Cost) should be part of the referral process. They should be asking questions like 'What is the expertise of this doctor?', 'How many procedures have they done?', 'What costs will I incur?', 'What hospitals will this doctor be able to walk right into?' "</p> <p>Dr Swan also argued the report should be seen as a prompt for health authorities to start investigating the disparities in price, and the forces driving this.</p> <p>"When we see large amounts of variation, then somewhere along the line something may not be working well... whether it's waste, or not having the appropriate standards of even errors in the health system.</p> <p>"It really should cause people to stop and ask questions."</p> <p>Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (RACS) president John Batten added, “"This is about looking at the quality of care in the system and how we can use these reports as an educative process: where there are surgeons that are outliers, how can they improve their practice in line with their peers?</p> <p>"We are committed to continuous improvement in clinical practice in Australia."</p> <p>What are your thoughts? Do you think we’re being taken to the cleaners by surgeons?</p>

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5 Orthopaedic shoes that don’t compromise on style

<p><em><strong>This is an advertorial feature written in collaboration with homyped.</strong></em></p> <p>Spending all day on your feet, whether it’s exploring while travelling, or simply when you’re out at the shops for a few hours, can be a painful experience if you are not wearing the right footwear. From blisters and bunions to plantar fasciitis and pronounced arches, finding shoes that accommodate these (and other) types of foot ailments, that don’t compromise on style, can be hard to come by.</p> <p>Thankfully, homyped understands our needs and is on our side! Their new Autumn Winter range not only continues to provide comfortable, innovative styles but they are now even more on-trend! Now there’s even more reason to love them.</p> <p>For over 45 years, homyped have been carefully designing and engineering shoes with bio-mechanical features that offer a great range of solutions to all of your orthopaedic issues.</p> <p>At the heart of each design is their famous anatomically supportive footbed that provides structure to the ball and arch of the foot. They also offer a greater range of width fittings and multi-adjustability features, not to mention their dual fit system which allows you to customise your shoe with a removable orthotic.</p> <p>Those foot grievances that we mentioned earlier – bunions and heel pain? Well, now there are even more styles specifically designed to help provide relief, such as soft Lycra panels for bunions; torsion control to minimise twisting; antimicrobial lining that reduces odour causing bacteria, and surgical grade foam linings that conform to your foot.</p> <p>To top it off, many are lightweight and we think that there is a shoe perfect for just about any occasion – think travellers seeking cruise-worthy boat shoes, active grandparents chasing the little ones around the garden, and everyday shoes to wear for a day of errands.</p> <p>All styles in the gallery above are available on the homyped website, <a href="https://www.homyped.com.au" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><em>which you can visit here</em></strong></span></a>, or in quality pharmacies around Australia. Find your <span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><em><a href="https://www.homyped.com.au/store-locator/." target="_blank">nearest store here</a>.</em></strong></span></p> <p><strong>Travel </strong></p> <p><em>Style: Michela Orangina </em></p> <p>If you’re embarking on a walk while on holidays, you’ll want something with more support than your slides. You may have seen the likes of shoes like these popping up recently and there’s a good reason. They’re lightweight, flexible and flattering on the ankle and calf. And they team with just about everything from skirts and dresses to slacks and jeans.</p> <p><img width="432" height="226" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/17574/michela_orangina_a_432x226.jpg" alt="Michela _Orangina _A"/></p> <p><strong>Heels</strong></p> <p><em>Style: Jonquil Stone</em></p> <p>Let us introduce you to Jonquil; a feminine and chic shoe that is versatile enough to be worn with everything from casual jeans to an elegant skirt. They’re also a great option for work as the footbed is designed in a way that aims to improve your posture!</p> <p>With padded upper linings to relieve pressure from the top of your feet and toes, these heels are comfortable to wear for a few hours without wanting to run for the nearest chair.</p> <p><img width="500" height="375" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/17541/stone_500x375.jpg" alt="Stone"/></p> <p><strong>Flats</strong></p> <p><em>Style: Donna Red</em></p> <p>While ballet flats look great, many of the styles on offer have little to no support. For good foot health, opt for an all-leather ballet flat like this one that will not only allow your feet to breathe, but the folded seam top-edge will help provide protection against rubbing.</p> <p>The rich colour tone is the perfect choice to wear during the autumnal months. The slim- line appearance of this style teams well with cropped pants or an elegant dress. </p> <p><img width="433" height="220" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/17575/donna_red_a_433x220.jpg" alt="Donna _Red _A"/></p> <p><strong>Sandals</strong></p> <p><em>Style: Analise White</em></p> <p>Finally, stylish sandals that can last the distance. Sandals like these, that have multiple points of adjustment and generous wiggle room, are great for optimum comfort. We love the classic white color. Perfect for brightening up grey or monochromatic knits during the cooler months.</p> <p><img width="437" height="236" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/17576/anawhia_437x236.jpg" alt="ANAWHIA"/></p> <p><strong>Bunion relief</strong></p> <p><em>Style: Bonita Beige</em></p> <p>We know that bunions can be painful! Searching for shoes that are comfortable enough to last the day can be hard, but what every woman really needs is a go-to pair that look and feel fabulous!</p> <p>The Bonita style not only has a pretty name, but is versatile and flexible. You’ll be jumping for joy as there is a discreet Lycra panel that provides pressure relief for the sensitive bunion area. The buckle and decorative broach give this style an elegant finish that mean these shoes are great to take you from a morning at the grandkids sports game, to family dinner in the evening.</p> <p><img width="443" height="261" src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/17578/bonita_beige_sandals_a_443x261.jpg" alt="Bonita _Beige _SANDALS_A (1)"/></p> <p>THIS IS A PROMOTIONAL FEATURE</p> <p><strong>Related links:</strong></p> <p><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="/lifestyle/beauty-style/2016/03/a-brief-history-of-nails/">A brief history of nails</a></strong></span></em></p> <p><em><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><strong><a href="/lifestyle/beauty-style/2016/01/tips-for-dressing-for-a-summer-holiday/">5 tips for dressing for a summer holiday</a></strong></span></em></p> <p><span style="text-decoration: underline;"><em><a href="/lifestyle/beauty-style/2015/11/in-flight-beauty-tips/%20"><strong>5 in-flight freshening beauty tricks</strong></a></em></span></p> <p> </p>

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