The Medical journal of Australia
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To report on the burden of disease in Australian infants with congenital cytomegalovirus (cCMV) infection in the era of neonatal hearing screening and improved diagnostic techniques. ⋯ Congenital CMV is underdiagnosed, infrequently treated, and often manifests as isolated hearing loss. Delayed diagnoses both before and after the introduction of neonatal hearing screening represent missed treatment and management opportunities and are likely to lead to poorer, life-long outcomes for these children. Retrospective analysis of newborn screening cards for CMV should be undertaken for infants with sensorineural hearing loss, to identify unrecognised cCMV.
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The development of an effective therapeutic equivalence program (TEP) through the collaborative support of medical staff, using the principles of disinvestment. ⋯ The TEP at Southern Health resulted in significant savings. It showed that, by using a collaborative and evidence-based approach, the principles of disinvestment can be applied to use of medicines.
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Use of social media by doctors and medical students is common and growing. Although professional standards and codes of ethics that govern the behaviour of medical practitioners in Australia and New Zealand do not currently encompass social media, these codes need to evolve, because professional standards continue to apply in this setting. ⋯ The professional integrity of doctors and medical students can also be damaged through problematic interprofessional online relationships, and unintended exposure of personal information to the public, employers or universities. Doctors need to exercise extreme care in their use of social media to ensure they maintain professional standards.