diff --git "a/subtitle/UyaKyS2wTQk.srt" "b/subtitle/UyaKyS2wTQk.srt" new file mode 100644--- /dev/null +++ "b/subtitle/UyaKyS2wTQk.srt" @@ -0,0 +1,3744 @@ +1 +00:00:01,020 --> 00:00:04,080 +[Music] + +2 +00:00:05,440 --> 00:00:10,519 +everybody feels + +3 +00:00:07,320 --> 00:00:15,119 +pain but more than 3 million Australians + +4 +00:00:10,519 --> 00:00:17,880 +are prisoners of it desperate for + +5 +00:00:15,119 --> 00:00:21,439 +Relief it's spawned an industry that's + +6 +00:00:17,880 --> 00:00:23,680 +become a breeding ground for + +7 +00:00:21,439 --> 00:00:25,840 +exploitation you're desperate you need + +8 +00:00:23,680 --> 00:00:28,119 +help they offer you desperate Solutions + +9 +00:00:25,840 --> 00:00:29,480 +and you take them he said look we do + +10 +00:00:28,119 --> 00:00:32,399 +believe that this would improve your + +11 +00:00:29,480 --> 00:00:34,760 +pain level was by about 60 to 70% and I + +12 +00:00:32,399 --> 00:00:37,040 +heard that and I thought my God that's + +13 +00:00:34,760 --> 00:00:39,200 +lifechanging we just saw that ray of + +14 +00:00:37,040 --> 00:00:41,680 +light and thought you beauty but it was + +15 +00:00:39,200 --> 00:00:44,079 +just a train it came down and whack it + +16 +00:00:41,680 --> 00:00:46,600 +so hard someone comes along and says + +17 +00:00:44,079 --> 00:00:50,000 +trust me I'm a doctor I'll take your + +18 +00:00:46,600 --> 00:00:53,039 +pain away you would believe + +19 +00:00:50,000 --> 00:00:56,160 +them Australians spend more than $3 + +20 +00:00:53,039 --> 00:01:00,519 +billion a year trying to treat chronic + +21 +00:00:56,160 --> 00:01:04,159 +back pain it's become an epidemic the + +22 +00:01:00,519 --> 00:01:07,520 +pain industry is a huge profitable + +23 +00:01:04,159 --> 00:01:10,680 +business that everybody's in so you've + +24 +00:01:07,520 --> 00:01:13,119 +got athetist surgeons pain specialists + +25 +00:01:10,680 --> 00:01:15,640 +GPS and then in addition you've got drug + +26 +00:01:13,119 --> 00:01:19,240 +companies you've got device + +27 +00:01:15,640 --> 00:01:21,840 +companies it's leaving a trail of misery + +28 +00:01:19,240 --> 00:01:24,560 +with some patients ending up in worth + +29 +00:01:21,840 --> 00:01:27,920 +pain some suffering + +30 +00:01:24,560 --> 00:01:29,680 +paralysis even death it was always just + +31 +00:01:27,920 --> 00:01:32,280 +another surgery another surgery another + +32 +00:01:29,680 --> 00:01:35,039 +surg surgery I feel like a labat if this + +33 +00:01:32,280 --> 00:01:37,880 +doesn't work well we'll try this well + +34 +00:01:35,039 --> 00:01:40,520 +that didn't work we'll go bit more + +35 +00:01:37,880 --> 00:01:42,720 +invasive there's a correlation between + +36 +00:01:40,520 --> 00:01:44,320 +Financial reward for doing procedures + +37 +00:01:42,720 --> 00:01:45,840 +and the frequency at which those + +38 +00:01:44,320 --> 00:01:49,680 +procedures are + +39 +00:01:45,840 --> 00:01:52,360 +done the pain sector has no idea we've + +40 +00:01:49,680 --> 00:01:54,840 +got access to their medical billing + +41 +00:01:52,360 --> 00:01:56,520 +data and we've sent it to International + +42 +00:01:54,840 --> 00:01:58,799 +fraud + +43 +00:01:56,520 --> 00:02:01,960 +investigators and a team of leading + +44 +00:01:58,799 --> 00:02:03,920 +Australian health Care Experts I was + +45 +00:02:01,960 --> 00:02:06,799 +very startled by those findings that + +46 +00:02:03,920 --> 00:02:09,520 +really profoundly shocked me if it was + +47 +00:02:06,799 --> 00:02:11,800 +policed in any kind of way then you + +48 +00:02:09,520 --> 00:02:15,840 +would find an immediate change what + +49 +00:02:11,800 --> 00:02:18,879 +shocked you most the size of the + +50 +00:02:15,840 --> 00:02:21,280 +problem we'll reveal how some medical + +51 +00:02:18,879 --> 00:02:24,040 +professionals are draining our health + +52 +00:02:21,280 --> 00:02:27,599 +system there's some obvious care boys + +53 +00:02:24,040 --> 00:02:29,560 +out there unfortunately we met one we + +54 +00:02:27,599 --> 00:02:32,480 +look inside the multi-billion dollar + +55 +00:02:29,560 --> 00:02:35,599 +pain industry and expose the ugly side + +56 +00:02:32,480 --> 00:02:38,560 +of medicine patients lives are being put + +57 +00:02:35,599 --> 00:02:41,120 +at risk and the regulator is failing to + +58 +00:02:38,560 --> 00:02:41,120 +do its + +59 +00:02:46,890 --> 00:02:49,960 +[Music] + +60 +00:02:55,440 --> 00:03:00,800 +job this just really hitting me + +61 +00:02:58,840 --> 00:03:03,599 +there + +62 +00:03:00,800 --> 00:03:03,599 +I don't want to be here + +63 +00:03:04,400 --> 00:03:10,120 +anymore the first words I + +64 +00:03:07,319 --> 00:03:12,000 +heard was my specialist standing over me + +65 +00:03:10,120 --> 00:03:15,440 +saying I'm so sorry + +66 +00:03:12,000 --> 00:03:17,920 +Teresa I'm so sorry Theresa he said it + +67 +00:03:15,440 --> 00:03:20,799 +about three times I'm so sorry I've + +68 +00:03:17,920 --> 00:03:20,799 +struck your spinal + +69 +00:03:20,840 --> 00:03:27,079 +cord this is really really + +70 +00:03:24,120 --> 00:03:30,120 +exhausting Theresa burber's minor + +71 +00:03:27,079 --> 00:03:32,760 +procedure turned into a major medical + +72 +00:03:30,120 --> 00:03:36,000 +incident and I still didn't understand + +73 +00:03:32,760 --> 00:03:39,799 +that my leg was paralyzed because nobody + +74 +00:03:36,000 --> 00:03:41,960 +actually said that nobody told me what + +75 +00:03:39,799 --> 00:03:45,069 +was going + +76 +00:03:41,960 --> 00:03:45,069 +[Music] + +77 +00:03:45,680 --> 00:03:53,079 +on every day I wake up and the first + +78 +00:03:49,480 --> 00:03:56,439 +thing I see is my chair because it's + +79 +00:03:53,079 --> 00:03:57,720 +plugged in next to my bed I open my eyes + +80 +00:03:56,439 --> 00:04:00,519 +and it's + +81 +00:03:57,720 --> 00:04:03,000 +there and then I recognize the + +82 +00:04:00,519 --> 00:04:05,239 +pain and sometimes the pain is the first + +83 +00:04:03,000 --> 00:04:08,400 +thing to wake me up and I look at that + +84 +00:04:05,239 --> 00:04:10,840 +chair and I say all right we got to do + +85 +00:04:08,400 --> 00:04:10,840 +this again + +86 +00:04:14,560 --> 00:04:20,918 +today Tera underwent an operation for a + +87 +00:04:18,199 --> 00:04:23,759 +spinal cord stimulator after she was hit + +88 +00:04:20,918 --> 00:04:27,240 +by a car leaving her with hip + +89 +00:04:23,759 --> 00:04:30,320 +pain the medical device is implanted in + +90 +00:04:27,240 --> 00:04:33,639 +patients backs it sends a electrical + +91 +00:04:30,320 --> 00:04:37,120 +impulses into the spinal cord to relieve + +92 +00:04:33,639 --> 00:04:39,600 +pain her doctor at a private pain clinic + +93 +00:04:37,120 --> 00:04:43,320 +said it would help ease her + +94 +00:04:39,600 --> 00:04:45,639 +pain the very first time I sat in his + +95 +00:04:43,320 --> 00:04:49,360 +office and had a + +96 +00:04:45,639 --> 00:04:51,039 +consult he immediately suggested have + +97 +00:04:49,360 --> 00:04:54,240 +you thought about a spinal cord + +98 +00:04:51,039 --> 00:04:56,639 +stimulator implant device so this was + +99 +00:04:54,240 --> 00:04:59,479 +the first consultation this was the very + +100 +00:04:56,639 --> 00:05:02,000 +first and I remember thinking my God + +101 +00:04:59,479 --> 00:05:03,960 +that life changing that's that's me + +102 +00:05:02,000 --> 00:05:08,800 +being able to go running again that's me + +103 +00:05:03,960 --> 00:05:08,800 +being able to be completely drug- + +104 +00:05:09,759 --> 00:05:15,720 +free Theresa says her pain specialist + +105 +00:05:12,800 --> 00:05:15,720 +played down the + +106 +00:05:17,319 --> 00:05:20,880 +risks he actually said to me nothing + +107 +00:05:19,600 --> 00:05:24,280 +ever really goes wrong with this + +108 +00:05:20,880 --> 00:05:27,800 +procedure it's really + +109 +00:05:24,280 --> 00:05:33,080 +safe it's left + +110 +00:05:27,800 --> 00:05:33,080 +me in worse pain than I could ever have + +111 +00:05:38,639 --> 00:05:47,199 +imagined I've been left with constant + +112 +00:05:42,400 --> 00:05:50,919 +fire pain on my left leg and left side + +113 +00:05:47,199 --> 00:05:53,360 +so I've got a whole new area of pain and + +114 +00:05:50,919 --> 00:05:56,120 +it doesn't + +115 +00:05:53,360 --> 00:05:59,120 +stop I've still got that niggly right + +116 +00:05:56,120 --> 00:06:01,120 +hip from before but funnily enough that + +117 +00:05:59,120 --> 00:06:03,360 +feels like Like A Drop in the Ocean + +118 +00:06:01,120 --> 00:06:06,520 +these days because the + +119 +00:06:03,360 --> 00:06:08,080 +pain that entire area like it's just on + +120 +00:06:06,520 --> 00:06:11,599 +fire + +121 +00:06:08,080 --> 00:06:13,520 +now and in terms of before you went in + +122 +00:06:11,599 --> 00:06:17,080 +to get the stimulator you were saying + +123 +00:06:13,520 --> 00:06:19,160 +you were on 20 to 30 milligrams of + +124 +00:06:17,080 --> 00:06:22,160 +painkillers what sort of medication are + +125 +00:06:19,160 --> 00:06:25,680 +you on now 100 + +126 +00:06:22,160 --> 00:06:31,120 +Mig just to make it through the + +127 +00:06:25,680 --> 00:06:33,919 +day nobody tells you that paral + +128 +00:06:31,120 --> 00:06:35,280 +means you won't feel anything you won't + +129 +00:06:33,919 --> 00:06:37,560 +feel any + +130 +00:06:35,280 --> 00:06:40,360 +temperature you know no hot cold no + +131 +00:06:37,560 --> 00:06:44,039 +touch but all you'll feel is + +132 +00:06:40,360 --> 00:06:45,319 +pain you'll lose control of your proper + +133 +00:06:44,039 --> 00:06:48,159 +bowel + +134 +00:06:45,319 --> 00:06:51,479 +functions you'll lose proper bladder + +135 +00:06:48,159 --> 00:06:54,840 +function you'll lose sexual + +136 +00:06:51,479 --> 00:06:58,319 +function those things are all + +137 +00:06:54,840 --> 00:07:00,400 +gone where is that in the warnings where + +138 +00:06:58,319 --> 00:07:03,080 +is that in the information + +139 +00:07:00,400 --> 00:07:06,039 +provided research on spinal cord + +140 +00:07:03,080 --> 00:07:07,960 +stimulators is mixed there's a lack of + +141 +00:07:06,039 --> 00:07:10,759 +credible scientific evidence as a + +142 +00:07:07,960 --> 00:07:13,319 +treatment for chronic pain independent + +143 +00:07:10,759 --> 00:07:14,599 +research even describes them as no + +144 +00:07:13,319 --> 00:07:17,280 +better than a + +145 +00:07:14,599 --> 00:07:20,479 +placebo leading orthopedic surgeon + +146 +00:07:17,280 --> 00:07:23,080 +Professor Ian Harris agrees he co-wrote + +147 +00:07:20,479 --> 00:07:24,560 +a review on them last year the + +148 +00:07:23,080 --> 00:07:27,479 +conclusion is that they're no more + +149 +00:07:24,560 --> 00:07:29,039 +effective than Placebo so there's + +150 +00:07:27,479 --> 00:07:31,039 +uncertainty and when we have uncertainty + +151 +00:07:29,039 --> 00:07:32,400 +we have prac practice variation and the + +152 +00:07:31,039 --> 00:07:33,879 +reason why there's uncertainty is + +153 +00:07:32,400 --> 00:07:38,960 +because there's no good evidence that + +154 +00:07:33,879 --> 00:07:38,960 +they actually work compared to not doing + +155 +00:07:39,560 --> 00:07:46,919 +it almost 90% of spinal cord stimulator + +156 +00:07:43,720 --> 00:07:49,879 +procedures are done in private hospitals + +157 +00:07:46,919 --> 00:07:49,879 +they can cost up to + +158 +00:07:50,520 --> 00:07:55,560 +$58,000 in the private system as it + +159 +00:07:53,120 --> 00:07:57,560 +exists at the moment I believe there is + +160 +00:07:55,560 --> 00:08:00,159 +pressure to do that just to keep the + +161 +00:07:57,560 --> 00:08:02,479 +wheels of the system rolling so to speak + +162 +00:08:00,159 --> 00:08:04,720 +there is pressure to fill beds to fill + +163 +00:08:02,479 --> 00:08:06,400 +operation lists the more you get paid + +164 +00:08:04,720 --> 00:08:09,240 +for procedure the more likely it is that + +165 +00:08:06,400 --> 00:08:09,240 +that procedure will be + +166 +00:08:09,360 --> 00:08:15,280 +done tens of thousands of spinal cord + +167 +00:08:12,680 --> 00:08:18,000 +stimulators are implanted globally each + +168 +00:08:15,280 --> 00:08:22,479 +year thousands end up in + +169 +00:08:18,000 --> 00:08:22,479 +Australia success stories Drive + +170 +00:08:22,720 --> 00:08:27,560 +demand I can ride it while you slipping + +171 +00:08:25,400 --> 00:08:27,560 +and + +172 +00:08:28,440 --> 00:08:31,440 +sliding + +173 +00:08:31,800 --> 00:08:35,760 +they're marketed as safe and + +174 +00:08:37,959 --> 00:08:43,838 +effective but behind the spin lies a + +175 +00:08:41,000 --> 00:08:46,519 +global medical device industry making a + +176 +00:08:43,838 --> 00:08:48,839 +fortune out of + +177 +00:08:46,519 --> 00:08:51,120 +Australia they actually described our + +178 +00:08:48,839 --> 00:08:56,320 +country as Treasure + +179 +00:08:51,120 --> 00:08:59,079 +Island this is an extremely lucrative + +180 +00:08:56,320 --> 00:09:00,200 +procedure for a number of people in the + +181 +00:08:59,079 --> 00:09:02,440 +sector + +182 +00:09:00,200 --> 00:09:06,640 +whether it's the pain specialist the + +183 +00:09:02,440 --> 00:09:10,720 +pain clinic or the multinational big + +184 +00:09:06,640 --> 00:09:10,720 +device companies they all + +185 +00:09:10,920 --> 00:09:16,600 +benefit Theresa is one of a growing + +186 +00:09:13,760 --> 00:09:19,519 +number of Australians living with spinal + +187 +00:09:16,600 --> 00:09:22,880 +surgery gone + +188 +00:09:19,519 --> 00:09:25,600 +wrong when I encounter people out in + +189 +00:09:22,880 --> 00:09:28,800 +public and they tell me or they straight + +190 +00:09:25,600 --> 00:09:30,600 +up ask me what happened to you I feel a + +191 +00:09:28,800 --> 00:09:35,200 +sense of resp responsibility to share + +192 +00:09:30,600 --> 00:09:36,959 +with them the full story but I'm also + +193 +00:09:35,200 --> 00:09:41,040 +absolutely terrified to tell them that a + +194 +00:09:36,959 --> 00:09:43,600 +doctor did this a doctor did this to + +195 +00:09:41,040 --> 00:09:47,560 +me and and their whole world their whole + +196 +00:09:43,600 --> 00:09:47,560 +belief system comes crashing + +197 +00:09:47,760 --> 00:09:53,399 +down money and medicine make + +198 +00:09:50,519 --> 00:09:56,240 +uncomfortable bed fellows where profit + +199 +00:09:53,399 --> 00:09:59,880 +is sometimes put ahead of the + +200 +00:09:56,240 --> 00:10:04,839 +patient Emergency Services um it's my + +201 +00:09:59,880 --> 00:10:09,079 +husband he's he's in massive pain he's + +202 +00:10:04,839 --> 00:10:11,440 +55 he's in terrible pain this audio is + +203 +00:10:09,079 --> 00:10:15,320 +the ambulance call Anne Meers made when + +204 +00:10:11,440 --> 00:10:18,600 +she thought her husband Gordon was + +205 +00:10:15,320 --> 00:10:21,839 +dying he was like on a roller coaster of + +206 +00:10:18,600 --> 00:10:24,760 +pain and he would be in so much pain + +207 +00:10:21,839 --> 00:10:27,320 +that you know I I've had to call several + +208 +00:10:24,760 --> 00:10:30,279 +ambulances to take him to hospital cuz + +209 +00:10:27,320 --> 00:10:32,600 +he's had so much chest pain + +210 +00:10:30,279 --> 00:10:36,680 +Gordon Myers has been living in hell + +211 +00:10:32,600 --> 00:10:36,680 +since a workplace accident in + +212 +00:10:38,240 --> 00:10:45,079 +2007 what sort of pain are you + +213 +00:10:41,399 --> 00:10:46,720 +in I got nerve pain and it's every day + +214 +00:10:45,079 --> 00:10:48,480 +cuz I don't know when that Pain's going + +215 +00:10:46,720 --> 00:10:52,480 +to hit + +216 +00:10:48,480 --> 00:10:54,160 +me um I get a lot + +217 +00:10:52,480 --> 00:10:58,240 +of + +218 +00:10:54,160 --> 00:11:01,880 +tingling down my spine right down my + +219 +00:10:58,240 --> 00:11:07,760 +feet I get when it gets really bad my + +220 +00:11:01,880 --> 00:11:10,399 +body feels as though I'm um having + +221 +00:11:07,760 --> 00:11:13,279 +Tremors Gordon's pain specialist + +222 +00:11:10,399 --> 00:11:15,519 +recommended a spinal cord + +223 +00:11:13,279 --> 00:11:18,720 +stimulator he was in more pain when he + +224 +00:11:15,519 --> 00:11:21,639 +got home than he had before plus the + +225 +00:11:18,720 --> 00:11:23,920 +medication and well the first thing that + +226 +00:11:21,639 --> 00:11:25,959 +I noticed was the thing was heating up + +227 +00:11:23,920 --> 00:11:29,800 +inside me when I was charging it was + +228 +00:11:25,959 --> 00:11:33,760 +giving me electric shocks I woke up + +229 +00:11:29,800 --> 00:11:35,600 +flying through the air out of bed and it + +230 +00:11:33,760 --> 00:11:37,440 +nearly threw me out the bedroom window + +231 +00:11:35,600 --> 00:11:39,040 +and I had to use all my strength not to + +232 +00:11:37,440 --> 00:11:42,040 +go through the glass + +233 +00:11:39,040 --> 00:11:44,040 +window um he did say to me many many + +234 +00:11:42,040 --> 00:11:47,000 +times get a knife and cut this thing out + +235 +00:11:44,040 --> 00:11:51,399 +I can't stand it + +236 +00:11:47,000 --> 00:11:55,000 +yeah and this is what it did to Gordon's + +237 +00:11:51,399 --> 00:11:58,240 +back felt like third degree burns on my + +238 +00:11:55,000 --> 00:12:00,160 +back so he got it + +239 +00:11:58,240 --> 00:12:03,399 +removed + +240 +00:12:00,160 --> 00:12:06,040 +for Corners has obtained exclusive data + +241 +00:12:03,399 --> 00:12:08,720 +which shows how frequently spinal cord + +242 +00:12:06,040 --> 00:12:11,279 +stimulators require patients to go back + +243 +00:12:08,720 --> 00:12:14,399 +into an operating theater maybe they're + +244 +00:12:11,279 --> 00:12:17,279 +saying Dr Rachel David has access to + +245 +00:12:14,399 --> 00:12:20,959 +Australia's private Health Data as the + +246 +00:12:17,279 --> 00:12:23,360 +CEO representing Private health funds so + +247 +00:12:20,959 --> 00:12:27,600 +for spinal cord stimulators we looked at + +248 +00:12:23,360 --> 00:12:31,279 +6,000 people and within a 3year window + +249 +00:12:27,600 --> 00:12:33,760 +41% came back for more surgery whether + +250 +00:12:31,279 --> 00:12:36,839 +that was another implant or something + +251 +00:12:33,760 --> 00:12:39,639 +went wrong with that original procedure + +252 +00:12:36,839 --> 00:12:41,560 +if you compare that to hip replacement + +253 +00:12:39,639 --> 00:12:44,120 +only + +254 +00:12:41,560 --> 00:12:49,399 +2.7% of patients come back within a + +255 +00:12:44,120 --> 00:12:51,639 +3-year window 41% is astonishingly + +256 +00:12:49,399 --> 00:12:53,360 +High feel like a piece of [ __ ] that's + +257 +00:12:51,639 --> 00:12:55,920 +sitting in the garbage bin waiting to be + +258 +00:12:53,360 --> 00:13:01,120 +picked up by the Garbo + +259 +00:12:55,920 --> 00:13:01,120 +drivers doesn't make you feel very human + +260 +00:13:01,920 --> 00:13:06,199 +it's probably the best way they don't + +261 +00:13:03,560 --> 00:13:09,800 +make you feel + +262 +00:13:06,199 --> 00:13:09,800 +human if that makes + +263 +00:13:14,040 --> 00:13:20,360 +sense it's not just spinal cord + +264 +00:13:17,639 --> 00:13:22,320 +stimulators spinal fusion is another + +265 +00:13:20,360 --> 00:13:25,120 +popular procedure for treating chronic + +266 +00:13:22,320 --> 00:13:28,040 +back pain the Private health system does + +267 +00:13:25,120 --> 00:13:28,040 +the majority of + +268 +00:13:28,120 --> 00:13:34,120 +them that's where grandmother of three + +269 +00:13:30,760 --> 00:13:36,199 +truly King had hers + +270 +00:13:34,120 --> 00:13:39,480 +done that's all I wanted to live a + +271 +00:13:36,199 --> 00:13:42,360 +painfree life which we all want because + +272 +00:13:39,480 --> 00:13:45,360 +the pain and the drugs taking all those + +273 +00:13:42,360 --> 00:13:47,959 +tablets and the the the morphine it was + +274 +00:13:45,360 --> 00:13:51,279 +just getting too much it was the + +275 +00:13:47,959 --> 00:13:54,279 +specialist who actually suggested the + +276 +00:13:51,279 --> 00:13:56,720 +surgery hello everyone this is a video + +277 +00:13:54,279 --> 00:14:00,480 +taken moments after she woke up from the + +278 +00:13:56,720 --> 00:14:02,440 +first surgery in 2021 my ankles won't + +279 +00:14:00,480 --> 00:14:03,959 +lift up I can't lift my feet up so + +280 +00:14:02,440 --> 00:14:06,839 +they're worried that the + +281 +00:14:03,959 --> 00:14:09,120 +nerves badly pinched so I'm going back + +282 +00:14:06,839 --> 00:14:11,839 +in for my second feeder what was going + +283 +00:14:09,120 --> 00:14:14,160 +through your head I was terrified I + +284 +00:14:11,839 --> 00:14:16,639 +didn't understand why I could move my + +285 +00:14:14,160 --> 00:14:18,920 +feet um and no one really the doctor + +286 +00:14:16,639 --> 00:14:21,920 +didn't come and see me so no one really + +287 +00:14:18,920 --> 00:14:25,959 +told me what was going + +288 +00:14:21,920 --> 00:14:25,959 +on there were serious + +289 +00:14:27,040 --> 00:14:33,680 +complications totally in I unconscious + +290 +00:14:30,160 --> 00:14:36,519 +did not wake up Trudy was in a coma for + +291 +00:14:33,680 --> 00:14:39,399 +almost 3 weeks and when she finally left + +292 +00:14:36,519 --> 00:14:42,800 +the hospital she couldn't walk and I got + +293 +00:14:39,399 --> 00:14:44,720 +three grandbabies under five and I can't + +294 +00:14:42,800 --> 00:14:47,240 +play with them like I want to and now + +295 +00:14:44,720 --> 00:14:50,079 +it's like Nanny's always sick or Nanny's + +296 +00:14:47,240 --> 00:14:53,639 +sick you know I'm not the healthy nanner + +297 +00:14:50,079 --> 00:14:53,639 +I always pictured that I would be with + +298 +00:14:55,759 --> 00:15:01,040 +them oh + +299 +00:14:58,040 --> 00:15:01,040 +so + +300 +00:15:01,140 --> 00:15:04,959 +[Music] + +301 +00:15:03,519 --> 00:15:06,519 +I think if I could get my hands on the + +302 +00:15:04,959 --> 00:15:07,360 +surgeon I'd like to just say him what + +303 +00:15:06,519 --> 00:15:10,759 +the hell did you + +304 +00:15:07,360 --> 00:15:14,040 +[Music] + +305 +00:15:10,759 --> 00:15:16,639 +do spinal fusion involves joining two or + +306 +00:15:14,040 --> 00:15:20,120 +more bones in the spine permanently to + +307 +00:15:16,639 --> 00:15:22,880 +prevent movement between them Trudy had + +308 +00:15:20,120 --> 00:15:26,480 +three bones fused together she says + +309 +00:15:22,880 --> 00:15:26,480 +after scans found dis + +310 +00:15:27,079 --> 00:15:32,600 +degeneration Professor Ian Harris says + +311 +00:15:29,759 --> 00:15:34,639 +an MRI will pick up abnormalities on + +312 +00:15:32,600 --> 00:15:37,480 +most people over + +313 +00:15:34,639 --> 00:15:39,920 +40 they'll find degenerative changes + +314 +00:15:37,480 --> 00:15:42,079 +dehydrated discs and bulging discs and + +315 +00:15:39,920 --> 00:15:43,880 +so there's plenty of diagnoses the more + +316 +00:15:42,079 --> 00:15:46,639 +things you find the more likely it is + +317 +00:15:43,880 --> 00:15:51,240 +that you'll end up with somebody wanting + +318 +00:15:46,639 --> 00:15:54,199 +to treat or correct that abnormality + +319 +00:15:51,240 --> 00:15:56,240 +even though correcting that abnormality + +320 +00:15:54,199 --> 00:16:00,000 +might not help the patient because it + +321 +00:15:56,240 --> 00:16:02,199 +might not be associated with their pain + +322 +00:16:00,000 --> 00:16:03,920 +there is a small place for spinal fusion + +323 +00:16:02,199 --> 00:16:06,680 +for people who might have broken their + +324 +00:16:03,920 --> 00:16:09,880 +back or had a serious congenital + +325 +00:16:06,680 --> 00:16:13,040 +deformity where their back is um is + +326 +00:16:09,880 --> 00:16:15,680 +simply not able to function properly but + +327 +00:16:13,040 --> 00:16:18,480 +for back pain we're saying that spinal + +328 +00:16:15,680 --> 00:16:21,240 +fusion is a very expensive procedure + +329 +00:16:18,480 --> 00:16:23,720 +that for a number of people just simply + +330 +00:16:21,240 --> 00:16:26,199 +does not get + +331 +00:16:23,720 --> 00:16:28,440 +results a rising number of Health + +332 +00:16:26,199 --> 00:16:29,959 +researchers from around the world have + +333 +00:16:28,440 --> 00:16:32,279 +been question questioning the benefits + +334 +00:16:29,959 --> 00:16:33,800 +of spinal fusion to treat chronic back + +335 +00:16:32,279 --> 00:16:37,680 +pain for + +336 +00:16:33,800 --> 00:16:39,920 +years Professor Harris is one of them + +337 +00:16:37,680 --> 00:16:41,720 +there's only been a handful of Trials + +338 +00:16:39,920 --> 00:16:44,639 +and those trials when put together don't + +339 +00:16:41,720 --> 00:16:46,920 +show a clear benefit of surgery some + +340 +00:16:44,639 --> 00:16:48,959 +surgeons are very unlikely to recommend + +341 +00:16:46,920 --> 00:16:52,959 +the procedure so when we get practice + +342 +00:16:48,959 --> 00:16:55,240 +variation like that it tells us that + +343 +00:16:52,959 --> 00:16:56,440 +someone's wrong we need more science in + +344 +00:16:55,240 --> 00:16:58,959 +medicine + +345 +00:16:56,440 --> 00:17:00,279 +unfortunately it's too easy for us of + +346 +00:16:58,959 --> 00:17:02,800 +course doctors have been put in a + +347 +00:17:00,279 --> 00:17:07,199 +position where we make all the decisions + +348 +00:17:02,800 --> 00:17:10,760 +it's too easy for us to um let these + +349 +00:17:07,199 --> 00:17:13,240 +other incentives influence our decision + +350 +00:17:10,760 --> 00:17:15,599 +making and it's too easy for us just to + +351 +00:17:13,240 --> 00:17:18,000 +rely on our own + +352 +00:17:15,599 --> 00:17:20,760 +observation private hospitals do more + +353 +00:17:18,000 --> 00:17:23,720 +than 70% of spinal + +354 +00:17:20,760 --> 00:17:25,760 +fusions private hospitals literally work + +355 +00:17:23,720 --> 00:17:27,480 +on turnover that's how they make their + +356 +00:17:25,760 --> 00:17:29,799 +money and many of them are for-profit + +357 +00:17:27,480 --> 00:17:32,600 +organizations so when say turnover what + +358 +00:17:29,799 --> 00:17:37,559 +do you mean uh medical activity so + +359 +00:17:32,600 --> 00:17:40,200 +whether that be procedures um drugs um + +360 +00:17:37,559 --> 00:17:42,760 +uh other interventions it's it drives + +361 +00:17:40,200 --> 00:17:46,919 +overt treatment because that's what's + +362 +00:17:42,760 --> 00:17:48,559 +measured you know how many um uh knee + +363 +00:17:46,919 --> 00:17:51,360 +Replacements were done last year is that + +364 +00:17:48,559 --> 00:17:55,760 +enough you should we be doing more I get + +365 +00:17:51,360 --> 00:17:57,840 +paid to do an operation um and so + +366 +00:17:55,760 --> 00:18:00,840 +there's an incentive for me to do more + +367 +00:17:57,840 --> 00:18:00,840 +operations + +368 +00:18:10,559 --> 00:18:17,640 +okay I'm on this cycle pain doctors + +369 +00:18:15,039 --> 00:18:21,000 +neurologist it's just it's never ending + +370 +00:18:17,640 --> 00:18:24,860 +my life is just a full circle of doctors + +371 +00:18:21,000 --> 00:18:27,360 +constant constant doctors never + +372 +00:18:24,860 --> 00:18:30,480 +[Music] + +373 +00:18:27,360 --> 00:18:33,480 +stops is tell able I'm I'm worse now + +374 +00:18:30,480 --> 00:18:33,480 +than I was before the + +375 +00:18:33,760 --> 00:18:38,600 +surgery Trudy's doctors charged her + +376 +00:18:36,440 --> 00:18:41,840 +private health insurance a + +377 +00:18:38,600 --> 00:18:44,830 +fortune we asked medical billing expert + +378 +00:18:41,840 --> 00:18:48,720 +Dr Margaret foe to go through Trudy's + +379 +00:18:44,830 --> 00:18:51,720 +[Music] + +380 +00:18:48,720 --> 00:18:54,640 +records I don't have Trudy's full + +381 +00:18:51,720 --> 00:18:57,200 +medical records but I do have her + +382 +00:18:54,640 --> 00:18:59,600 +complete Private health records for the + +383 +00:18:57,200 --> 00:19:02,039 +period when she was in hospital + +384 +00:18:59,600 --> 00:19:06,240 +those records make it very clear that + +385 +00:19:02,039 --> 00:19:09,679 +she was in an intensive care unit on a + +386 +00:19:06,240 --> 00:19:13,679 +ventilator for nearly 3 + +387 +00:19:09,679 --> 00:19:16,200 +weeks a number of doctors came into the + +388 +00:19:13,679 --> 00:19:19,840 +Intensive Care Unit to provide + +389 +00:19:16,200 --> 00:19:22,240 +additional services to Trudy the + +390 +00:19:19,840 --> 00:19:24,640 +services that they build are services + +391 +00:19:22,240 --> 00:19:27,720 +that require the doctor to have a + +392 +00:19:24,640 --> 00:19:30,440 +discussion with the patient not their + +393 +00:19:27,720 --> 00:19:32,039 +relatives not their colleagues with the + +394 +00:19:30,440 --> 00:19:35,799 +patient because you have to explain + +395 +00:19:32,039 --> 00:19:38,799 +treatment to the patient now I do not + +396 +00:19:35,799 --> 00:19:41,640 +understand how it is possible to have a + +397 +00:19:38,799 --> 00:19:45,240 +discussion with an unconscious patient + +398 +00:19:41,640 --> 00:19:49,960 +who is in a coma on a ventilator so + +399 +00:19:45,240 --> 00:19:52,919 +those records need to be looked + +400 +00:19:49,960 --> 00:19:55,679 +at the chronic pain industry has become + +401 +00:19:52,919 --> 00:19:58,840 +a breeding ground for financial + +402 +00:19:55,679 --> 00:20:01,320 +abuse for Corners has obtained one of + +403 +00:19:58,840 --> 00:20:06,080 +the largest databases of Private health + +404 +00:20:01,320 --> 00:20:08,880 +medical bills for analysis into spinal + +405 +00:20:06,080 --> 00:20:13,440 +surgery we have access to six Private + +406 +00:20:08,880 --> 00:20:16,440 +health funds representing 25% of the + +407 +00:20:13,440 --> 00:20:19,760 +industry and unfortunate reality in the + +408 +00:20:16,440 --> 00:20:23,000 +Medicare system is what you did in the + +409 +00:20:19,760 --> 00:20:27,640 +operating theater and what you Bild to + +410 +00:20:23,000 --> 00:20:31,159 +Medicare can be two completely different + +411 +00:20:27,640 --> 00:20:33,440 +things in Australia medical billing is + +412 +00:20:31,159 --> 00:20:34,919 +based on an honor System that doctors + +413 +00:20:33,440 --> 00:20:37,400 +Will Bill + +414 +00:20:34,919 --> 00:20:39,480 +correctly when they Lodge a claim with + +415 +00:20:37,400 --> 00:20:41,720 +Private health funds and Medicare + +416 +00:20:39,480 --> 00:20:44,640 +they're automatically paid without + +417 +00:20:41,720 --> 00:20:46,120 +checking that the services were done + +418 +00:20:44,640 --> 00:20:48,840 +medical bills are paid on the basis of + +419 +00:20:46,120 --> 00:20:51,200 +trust it's a trust which is not founded + +420 +00:20:48,840 --> 00:20:52,720 +in reality because after a while when + +421 +00:20:51,200 --> 00:20:55,039 +people realize that they're not being + +422 +00:20:52,720 --> 00:20:57,559 +checked up on they start they start + +423 +00:20:55,039 --> 00:20:59,200 +first perhaps to push the boundaries + +424 +00:20:57,559 --> 00:21:01,679 +there's an interesting trend + +425 +00:20:59,200 --> 00:21:04,640 +anesthetist turned medical fraud + +426 +00:21:01,679 --> 00:21:07,679 +investigator Dr Simon peek analyzed the + +427 +00:21:04,640 --> 00:21:09,720 +data of more than 23,000 Anonymous + +428 +00:21:07,679 --> 00:21:12,279 +patients with his Cambridge based + +429 +00:21:09,720 --> 00:21:14,200 +colleagues using their fraud detection + +430 +00:21:12,279 --> 00:21:16,720 +software well I'm also interested in + +431 +00:21:14,200 --> 00:21:18,919 +look at the same data was also probed by + +432 +00:21:16,720 --> 00:21:22,320 +Sydney based medical billing specialist + +433 +00:21:18,919 --> 00:21:25,200 +signups run by Dr Margaret foe that is + +434 +00:21:22,320 --> 00:21:28,600 +odd the experts looked for red flags + +435 +00:21:25,200 --> 00:21:31,039 +such as inconsistencies in surgery times + +436 +00:21:28,600 --> 00:21:34,960 +recorded by multiple people in the same + +437 +00:21:31,039 --> 00:21:37,000 +operating theater who all Bill + +438 +00:21:34,960 --> 00:21:39,159 +separately we haven't looked at Medical + +439 +00:21:37,000 --> 00:21:42,279 +Records but the there are many red flags + +440 +00:21:39,159 --> 00:21:44,559 +in this data there this report suggests + +441 +00:21:42,279 --> 00:21:47,559 +that there is a problem with milling and + +442 +00:21:44,559 --> 00:21:52,200 +and other things in the data there were + +443 +00:21:47,559 --> 00:21:55,200 +enough um discrepancies in time and + +444 +00:21:52,200 --> 00:21:57,320 +across the data for us to be able to + +445 +00:21:55,200 --> 00:22:01,440 +spot the + +446 +00:21:57,320 --> 00:22:03,640 +outliers the findings are Gob smacking + +447 +00:22:01,440 --> 00:22:06,520 +anesthetists who all bill in short + +448 +00:22:03,640 --> 00:22:08,840 +blocks of time were the worst + +449 +00:22:06,520 --> 00:22:12,000 +offenders in one Health fund a + +450 +00:22:08,840 --> 00:22:14,480 +staggering 87% builded an anesthetic + +451 +00:22:12,000 --> 00:22:18,120 +time that was much longer than other + +452 +00:22:14,480 --> 00:22:18,120 +people in the same operating + +453 +00:22:19,000 --> 00:22:23,600 +theater there are huge discrepancies + +454 +00:22:21,640 --> 00:22:26,440 +between the surgical time and the + +455 +00:22:23,600 --> 00:22:29,080 +anesthetic time they found it was common + +456 +00:22:26,440 --> 00:22:32,320 +for each anesthetist to charge an extra + +457 +00:22:29,080 --> 00:22:35,600 +3 to 6 hours and in one case in New + +458 +00:22:32,320 --> 00:22:38,080 +South Wales an anesthetist build 14 + +459 +00:22:35,600 --> 00:22:40,960 +hours of time for a surgery their + +460 +00:22:38,080 --> 00:22:43,480 +colleagues said lasted less than an + +461 +00:22:40,960 --> 00:22:45,320 +hour I've looked at data from all around + +462 +00:22:43,480 --> 00:22:48,039 +the world and I would say the the + +463 +00:22:45,320 --> 00:22:51,039 +indicators of Miss billing in the data + +464 +00:22:48,039 --> 00:22:53,799 +that we were provided with is at the top + +465 +00:22:51,039 --> 00:22:56,679 +end of the of the + +466 +00:22:53,799 --> 00:22:59,720 +scale it gets + +467 +00:22:56,679 --> 00:23:02,720 +worse they were putting these very + +468 +00:22:59,720 --> 00:23:04,960 +invasive lines into major arteries and + +469 +00:23:02,720 --> 00:23:07,520 +veins of the body it's not like a drip + +470 +00:23:04,960 --> 00:23:09,200 +these are much more serious uh + +471 +00:23:07,520 --> 00:23:13,240 +monitoring lines they're putting them + +472 +00:23:09,200 --> 00:23:15,799 +into very very young people you know 20y + +473 +00:23:13,240 --> 00:23:18,480 +olds and they're not without risk + +474 +00:23:15,799 --> 00:23:21,640 +they're dangerous you know so the + +475 +00:23:18,480 --> 00:23:23,559 +incidence of those going in to patients + +476 +00:23:21,640 --> 00:23:26,679 +was through the + +477 +00:23:23,559 --> 00:23:28,960 +roof the use of invasive monitoring to + +478 +00:23:26,679 --> 00:23:31,960 +monitor blood pressure in patients + +479 +00:23:28,960 --> 00:23:34,520 +having quite minor procedures that's not + +480 +00:23:31,960 --> 00:23:37,320 +something I've seen anywhere else + +481 +00:23:34,520 --> 00:23:40,000 +without specific medical records it's + +482 +00:23:37,320 --> 00:23:43,039 +impossible to be conclusive but the + +483 +00:23:40,000 --> 00:23:46,559 +experts found there's a serious fraud + +484 +00:23:43,039 --> 00:23:49,240 +waste and abuse problem requiring urgent + +485 +00:23:46,559 --> 00:23:51,679 +attention their terms used widely in the + +486 +00:23:49,240 --> 00:23:54,559 +industry and can cover conduct from + +487 +00:23:51,679 --> 00:23:58,039 +errors to over servicing to + +488 +00:23:54,559 --> 00:24:00,480 +fraud they uncovered widespread problems + +489 +00:23:58,039 --> 00:24:03,200 +Within in the pain industry more than + +490 +00:24:00,480 --> 00:24:06,720 +20% of the medical bills for spinal + +491 +00:24:03,200 --> 00:24:09,679 +surgery raised serious questions and + +492 +00:24:06,720 --> 00:24:12,919 +alarmingly they found some doctors were + +493 +00:24:09,679 --> 00:24:15,799 +admitting people to ICU who don't need + +494 +00:24:12,919 --> 00:24:19,960 +to be there and this analysis just looks + +495 +00:24:15,799 --> 00:24:19,960 +at one area spinal + +496 +00:24:27,360 --> 00:24:30,360 +surgery + +497 +00:24:31,880 --> 00:24:36,559 +we showed the findings to a team of + +498 +00:24:33,840 --> 00:24:39,039 +leading healthc Care + +499 +00:24:36,559 --> 00:24:41,520 +Experts I'm Dr Chris Hayes I'm a pain + +500 +00:24:39,039 --> 00:24:44,640 +medicine specialist those findings that + +501 +00:24:41,520 --> 00:24:47,440 +really profoundly shocked + +502 +00:24:44,640 --> 00:24:49,360 +me I'm Ian Harris I'm professor of + +503 +00:24:47,440 --> 00:24:51,760 +orthopedic surgery and I've been a + +504 +00:24:49,360 --> 00:24:53,360 +surgeon for nearly 30 years it's an + +505 +00:24:51,760 --> 00:24:56,120 +enormous problem there's certainly a + +506 +00:24:53,360 --> 00:24:59,640 +lack of oversight yeah I mean if it was + +507 +00:24:56,120 --> 00:25:01,679 +policed uh in in any kind of way then + +508 +00:24:59,640 --> 00:25:03,600 +you would find an immediate change in + +509 +00:25:01,679 --> 00:25:06,880 +practice that's for sure I mean that's + +510 +00:25:03,600 --> 00:25:09,039 +it's obvious I'm Dr Rachel David I'm the + +511 +00:25:06,880 --> 00:25:11,720 +CEO of private healthcare Australia + +512 +00:25:09,039 --> 00:25:14,000 +which represents health insurance funds + +513 +00:25:11,720 --> 00:25:16,240 +in this quite narrowly defined treatment + +514 +00:25:14,000 --> 00:25:17,679 +area if we extrapolated across the whole + +515 +00:25:16,240 --> 00:25:19,600 +industry we're talking about half a + +516 +00:25:17,679 --> 00:25:21,840 +billion dollars that is being lost to + +517 +00:25:19,600 --> 00:25:25,679 +Medicare and Private health insurance as + +518 +00:25:21,840 --> 00:25:28,640 +a consequence of um of the poor billing + +519 +00:25:25,679 --> 00:25:34,320 +Behavior are we looking at Double + +520 +00:25:28,640 --> 00:25:36,720 +exploitation here yes definitely we are + +521 +00:25:34,320 --> 00:25:39,960 +hitting the patient twice we are + +522 +00:25:36,720 --> 00:25:42,399 +exploiting them clinically by offering + +523 +00:25:39,960 --> 00:25:46,080 +them treatments and procedures that can + +524 +00:25:42,399 --> 00:25:49,039 +be harmful and then a second time + +525 +00:25:46,080 --> 00:25:51,279 +financially and you can't disconnect + +526 +00:25:49,039 --> 00:25:53,080 +those two things because every clinical + +527 +00:25:51,279 --> 00:25:55,840 +service that has to be provided has to + +528 +00:25:53,080 --> 00:25:58,880 +be paid for so you can't disconnect the + +529 +00:25:55,840 --> 00:26:01,080 +clinical from the money certainly not in + +530 +00:25:58,880 --> 00:26:04,159 +a FIFA service system those two things + +531 +00:26:01,080 --> 00:26:04,159 +are inextricably + +532 +00:26:04,679 --> 00:26:11,120 +linked I had no sense of direction for + +533 +00:26:07,919 --> 00:26:12,080 +nearly 12 months after that I just + +534 +00:26:11,120 --> 00:26:14,720 +stayed + +535 +00:26:12,080 --> 00:26:17,880 +home tried to keep the past spot cuz + +536 +00:26:14,720 --> 00:26:22,000 +that's how guy liked it + +537 +00:26:17,880 --> 00:26:25,039 +um and uh had nothing to do with + +538 +00:26:22,000 --> 00:26:25,039 +virtually anybody + +539 +00:26:25,930 --> 00:26:31,000 +[Music] + +540 +00:26:27,240 --> 00:26:33,279 +else retired policeman David isard is + +541 +00:26:31,000 --> 00:26:36,159 +still coming to terms with the sudden + +542 +00:26:33,279 --> 00:26:39,120 +loss of his wife of 43 + +543 +00:26:36,159 --> 00:26:41,440 +years Gail died after major spinal + +544 +00:26:39,120 --> 00:26:45,679 +surgery in + +545 +00:26:41,440 --> 00:26:47,880 +2017 her neurosurgeon was Tom Morris who + +546 +00:26:45,679 --> 00:26:52,159 +since had conditions placed on him by + +547 +00:26:47,880 --> 00:26:52,159 +the regulator but he can still + +548 +00:26:53,720 --> 00:27:01,760 +operate do you remember when you first + +549 +00:26:57,240 --> 00:27:04,760 +met Mr Morris what he was + +550 +00:27:01,760 --> 00:27:09,159 +like Mr Morris was + +551 +00:27:04,760 --> 00:27:11,960 +like an a KN on a silver Steed he was + +552 +00:27:09,159 --> 00:27:14,399 +just the light he was + +553 +00:27:11,960 --> 00:27:18,360 +just so + +554 +00:27:14,399 --> 00:27:20,159 +confident and um yeah it just made you + +555 +00:27:18,360 --> 00:27:22,120 +feel like finally you found someone + +556 +00:27:20,159 --> 00:27:25,080 +after all these years who will make a + +557 +00:27:22,120 --> 00:27:28,760 +difference immediately he told us he's + +558 +00:27:25,080 --> 00:27:31,279 +very good at his work and uh that + +559 +00:27:28,760 --> 00:27:33,440 +for gal to have any further surgery you + +560 +00:27:31,279 --> 00:27:35,360 +would need someone who had performed + +561 +00:27:33,440 --> 00:27:39,399 +that type of surgery in the + +562 +00:27:35,360 --> 00:27:42,000 +past and who was competent in doing that + +563 +00:27:39,399 --> 00:27:45,320 +particular type of surgery and that he + +564 +00:27:42,000 --> 00:27:49,399 +had that experience and that um if + +565 +00:27:45,320 --> 00:27:51,519 +anyone could help her it was him he just + +566 +00:27:49,399 --> 00:27:55,519 +swept both of us + +567 +00:27:51,519 --> 00:27:59,559 +up and she was in a lot of pain constant + +568 +00:27:55,519 --> 00:28:02,760 +pain yes she'd um she'd been suffering + +569 +00:27:59,559 --> 00:28:06,360 +severe pain for many years + +570 +00:28:02,760 --> 00:28:11,080 +um in 88 it + +571 +00:28:06,360 --> 00:28:11,080 +was debilitating and later on became + +572 +00:28:11,279 --> 00:28:15,760 +crippling Gil and David first met Mr + +573 +00:28:14,279 --> 00:28:18,080 +Morris in + +574 +00:28:15,760 --> 00:28:20,559 +2017 he'd been qualified as a + +575 +00:28:18,080 --> 00:28:23,279 +neurosurgeon since + +576 +00:28:20,559 --> 00:28:26,279 +2016 we assumed that he'd been a + +577 +00:28:23,279 --> 00:28:28,480 +neurosurgeon for quite some time because + +578 +00:28:26,279 --> 00:28:32,600 +the procedure he was talking about we + +579 +00:28:28,480 --> 00:28:32,600 +knew was going to be + +580 +00:28:33,440 --> 00:28:39,720 +difficult Gail was in poor health making + +581 +00:28:36,679 --> 00:28:42,880 +her higher risk for + +582 +00:28:39,720 --> 00:28:45,720 +surgery Mr Morris performed four major + +583 +00:28:42,880 --> 00:28:49,320 +surgeries on her over 7 + +584 +00:28:45,720 --> 00:28:52,080 +months three of them over an 8we + +585 +00:28:49,320 --> 00:28:54,120 +period which was quite a huge + +586 +00:28:52,080 --> 00:28:57,200 +undertaking because she was having from + +587 +00:28:54,120 --> 00:28:58,760 +her thoracic spine down to her pelvis + +588 +00:28:57,200 --> 00:29:01,519 +entirely fud + +589 +00:28:58,760 --> 00:29:04,600 +it's quite a significant + +590 +00:29:01,519 --> 00:29:07,600 +undertaking something went horribly + +591 +00:29:04,600 --> 00:29:10,120 +wrong I got a phone call from Tom to say + +592 +00:29:07,600 --> 00:29:12,640 +that everything had gone well I got + +593 +00:29:10,120 --> 00:29:15,760 +another phone call from Tom to say that + +594 +00:29:12,640 --> 00:29:19,120 +g had had a catastrophic brain injury + +595 +00:29:15,760 --> 00:29:22,519 +get in here she's not going to make + +596 +00:29:19,120 --> 00:29:24,760 +it former Neurosurgical nurse and lawyer + +597 +00:29:22,519 --> 00:29:27,039 +Allison spec is running a medical + +598 +00:29:24,760 --> 00:29:28,960 +negligence case against Mr + +599 +00:29:27,039 --> 00:29:30,840 +Morris + +600 +00:29:28,960 --> 00:29:33,279 +there's two main allegations of + +601 +00:29:30,840 --> 00:29:34,840 +negligence the first is that it was + +602 +00:29:33,279 --> 00:29:36,919 +actually unreasonable to have + +603 +00:29:34,840 --> 00:29:39,720 +recommended that procedure in the first + +604 +00:29:36,919 --> 00:29:42,240 +place and performed it on Gale and the + +605 +00:29:39,720 --> 00:29:45,000 +second is an issue of + +606 +00:29:42,240 --> 00:29:48,720 +consent multiple hospital records show + +607 +00:29:45,000 --> 00:29:52,080 +in the days before surgery Gail got cold + +608 +00:29:48,720 --> 00:29:54,840 +feet hours before the operation she told + +609 +00:29:52,080 --> 00:29:58,600 +a nurse of her + +610 +00:29:54,840 --> 00:30:01,559 +doubts their nursing staff know voting + +611 +00:29:58,600 --> 00:30:03,480 +that Gail has said to them words the + +612 +00:30:01,559 --> 00:30:05,320 +effect of she's scared she wants to call + +613 +00:30:03,480 --> 00:30:07,640 +the surgery off she doesn't want to go + +614 +00:30:05,320 --> 00:30:11,480 +ahead she's + +615 +00:30:07,640 --> 00:30:14,279 +frightened and that they would notify Mr + +616 +00:30:11,480 --> 00:30:16,000 +Morris we don't know if that message was + +617 +00:30:14,279 --> 00:30:18,799 +passed on to Mr + +618 +00:30:16,000 --> 00:30:20,600 +Morris but then she has the surgery she + +619 +00:30:18,799 --> 00:30:24,640 +had the surgery there's nothing in the + +620 +00:30:20,600 --> 00:30:26,960 +notes to suggest that Mr Morris spoke to + +621 +00:30:24,640 --> 00:30:30,000 +her or attended because there's nothing + +622 +00:30:26,960 --> 00:30:33,679 +in the progress notes from + +623 +00:30:30,000 --> 00:30:36,600 +him in his legal defense Mr Morris says + +624 +00:30:33,679 --> 00:30:39,880 +he discussed the risks with Gail and + +625 +00:30:36,600 --> 00:30:42,960 +David he denies medical negligence and + +626 +00:30:39,880 --> 00:30:45,519 +says Gail didn't withdraw + +627 +00:30:42,960 --> 00:30:48,240 +consent medical records show he'd + +628 +00:30:45,519 --> 00:30:51,440 +outlined the risks of surgery to + +629 +00:30:48,240 --> 00:30:54,080 +Gail Mr moris says he also received + +630 +00:30:51,440 --> 00:30:56,600 +messages of gratitude from David isard + +631 +00:30:54,080 --> 00:30:59,200 +after Gail's death and he says he's + +632 +00:30:56,600 --> 00:31:01,880 +never financially motiv ated when doing + +633 +00:30:59,200 --> 00:31:01,880 +surgical + +634 +00:31:02,240 --> 00:31:08,080 +interventions Gail wasn't Mr Morris's + +635 +00:31:04,840 --> 00:31:11,559 +only poor outcome according to a 2021 + +636 +00:31:08,080 --> 00:31:15,200 +decision by Victorian tribunal vcat it + +637 +00:31:11,559 --> 00:31:18,039 +found he poses a serious risk vcat + +638 +00:31:15,200 --> 00:31:20,760 +documents show he operated on the wrong + +639 +00:31:18,039 --> 00:31:22,760 +part of an 81-year-old spine at a + +640 +00:31:20,760 --> 00:31:26,080 +regional hospital in + +641 +00:31:22,760 --> 00:31:28,279 +2018 and it noted 22 patients with + +642 +00:31:26,080 --> 00:31:32,880 +surgical complications at EP worth + +643 +00:31:28,279 --> 00:31:35,480 +Richmond between 2017 and early + +644 +00:31:32,880 --> 00:31:39,960 +2018 atw Worth's notes say he was + +645 +00:31:35,480 --> 00:31:43,120 +reluctant to reduce the number of spinal + +646 +00:31:39,960 --> 00:31:46,279 +surgeries so you can see from the vcat + +647 +00:31:43,120 --> 00:31:48,720 +Judgment that they think Mr Morris poses + +648 +00:31:46,279 --> 00:31:51,639 +a risk to the public as a surgeon and + +649 +00:31:48,720 --> 00:31:53,760 +they took immediate action to make sure + +650 +00:31:51,639 --> 00:31:55,760 +that there are restrictions on his + +651 +00:31:53,760 --> 00:31:59,519 +practicing certificate essentially what + +652 +00:31:55,760 --> 00:32:02,159 +he can and can't do vcat heard that + +653 +00:31:59,519 --> 00:32:04,799 +etworth didn't impose any restrictions + +654 +00:32:02,159 --> 00:32:09,120 +on Mr Morris it tried to deal with him + +655 +00:32:04,799 --> 00:32:09,120 +internally but he resigned in June + +656 +00:32:10,440 --> 00:32:16,679 +2018 just a few months later there were + +657 +00:32:13,519 --> 00:32:17,679 +more patient complications this time at + +658 +00:32:16,679 --> 00:32:19,880 +St + +659 +00:32:17,679 --> 00:32:23,639 +Vincent they reported him to the + +660 +00:32:19,880 --> 00:32:26,840 +regulator ARA atworth declined to answer + +661 +00:32:23,639 --> 00:32:29,840 +questions but said patient safety is a + +662 +00:32:26,840 --> 00:32:29,840 +priority + +663 +00:32:29,960 --> 00:32:35,320 +I understand that they undertook their + +664 +00:32:31,760 --> 00:32:38,519 +own review following some quite + +665 +00:32:35,320 --> 00:32:41,399 +significant and awful outcomes there and + +666 +00:32:38,519 --> 00:32:45,200 +that sort of triggered uh arera to + +667 +00:32:41,399 --> 00:32:48,360 +investigate and therefore impose + +668 +00:32:45,200 --> 00:32:51,519 +restrictions a vcat ruling allows him to + +669 +00:32:48,360 --> 00:32:53,760 +still operate as a surgeon but under his + +670 +00:32:51,519 --> 00:32:54,960 +current restrictions he must consult + +671 +00:32:53,760 --> 00:32:57,159 +with a + +672 +00:32:54,960 --> 00:32:58,399 +supervisor he's also allowed to be a + +673 +00:32:57,159 --> 00:33:02,960 +surgical assist + +674 +00:32:58,399 --> 00:33:06,440 +assistant Mr Morris declined to be + +675 +00:33:02,960 --> 00:33:07,279 +interviewed there's some obvious Cowboys + +676 +00:33:06,440 --> 00:33:12,919 +out + +677 +00:33:07,279 --> 00:33:16,320 +there um unfortunately we met + +678 +00:33:12,919 --> 00:33:19,840 +one Mr Morris's medical billing was also + +679 +00:33:16,320 --> 00:33:22,279 +flagged in the vcat documents by experts + +680 +00:33:19,840 --> 00:33:22,279 +which he + +681 +00:33:22,480 --> 00:33:26,760 +disputed we asked Dr foe to look at + +682 +00:33:25,360 --> 00:33:30,519 +Gail's Health + +683 +00:33:26,760 --> 00:33:32,200 +bills Gail's records um raised the most + +684 +00:33:30,519 --> 00:33:37,480 +concerns for + +685 +00:33:32,200 --> 00:33:40,360 +me so this included billing for surgical + +686 +00:33:37,480 --> 00:33:43,279 +procedures that may not have been + +687 +00:33:40,360 --> 00:33:46,639 +performed and billing for hospital + +688 +00:33:43,279 --> 00:33:49,919 +visits when there is no evidence in the + +689 +00:33:46,639 --> 00:33:53,600 +record that those visits took place and + +690 +00:33:49,919 --> 00:33:57,279 +in fact on one date Gail wasn't even in + +691 +00:33:53,600 --> 00:33:58,919 +hospital yet a hospital visit was build + +692 +00:33:57,279 --> 00:34:02,240 +and pain + +693 +00:33:58,919 --> 00:34:02,240 +and it needs to be further + +694 +00:34:05,159 --> 00:34:10,440 +investigated it's just not the same it + +695 +00:34:08,199 --> 00:34:13,800 +never will + +696 +00:34:10,440 --> 00:34:14,300 +be sure I've got some friends but I'm + +697 +00:34:13,800 --> 00:34:16,359 +miss my + +698 +00:34:14,300 --> 00:34:20,040 +[Music] + +699 +00:34:16,359 --> 00:34:21,800 +mate we just saw that ray of light and + +700 +00:34:20,040 --> 00:34:24,040 +thought you beauty there's the tunnel + +701 +00:34:21,800 --> 00:34:27,280 +there's a light at the end of + +702 +00:34:24,040 --> 00:34:30,159 +it but it was just a train it came down + +703 +00:34:27,280 --> 00:34:30,159 +and wacked just so + +704 +00:34:30,839 --> 00:34:36,760 +hard for the last 6 months I've been + +705 +00:34:34,040 --> 00:34:38,918 +investigating the pain industry and + +706 +00:34:36,760 --> 00:34:41,079 +what's alarmed me most has been the + +707 +00:34:38,918 --> 00:34:44,199 +slowness of The Regulators who are + +708 +00:34:41,079 --> 00:34:46,520 +supposed to keep patients + +709 +00:34:44,199 --> 00:34:51,199 +safe the therapeutic Goods + +710 +00:34:46,520 --> 00:34:54,119 +Administration or TGA regulates medical + +711 +00:34:51,199 --> 00:34:57,400 +devices it runs a database that tracks + +712 +00:34:54,119 --> 00:34:59,599 +harmful and negative patient outcomes + +713 +00:34:57,400 --> 00:35:02,720 +the TGA says there's been more than + +714 +00:34:59,599 --> 00:35:04,680 +2,000 adverse event reports related to + +715 +00:35:02,720 --> 00:35:07,800 +spinal cord + +716 +00:35:04,680 --> 00:35:11,720 +stimulators paralysis infection at the + +717 +00:35:07,800 --> 00:35:15,079 +sight chest pain spinal fluid leak nerve + +718 +00:35:11,720 --> 00:35:17,760 +irritation sepsis recurring electric + +719 +00:35:15,079 --> 00:35:21,040 +shocks left side brain + +720 +00:35:17,760 --> 00:35:24,359 +hemorrhage does that sound High to you + +721 +00:35:21,040 --> 00:35:27,960 +yeah look it does it sounds alarming to + +722 +00:35:24,359 --> 00:35:30,599 +me the last major Scandal that we've + +723 +00:35:27,960 --> 00:35:33,040 +dealt with in terms of medical implants + +724 +00:35:30,599 --> 00:35:35,880 +was the use of hernia mesh for pelvic + +725 +00:35:33,040 --> 00:35:39,880 +Oran organ prolapse in + +726 +00:35:35,880 --> 00:35:41,560 +women for mesh over the same period + +727 +00:35:39,880 --> 00:35:45,280 +there were + +728 +00:35:41,560 --> 00:35:48,640 +224 Adverse Events reported and that as + +729 +00:35:45,280 --> 00:35:51,880 +we know now was a major scandal in which + +730 +00:35:48,640 --> 00:35:55,400 +a number of patients came to + +731 +00:35:51,880 --> 00:35:57,760 +harm we also uncovered vast Under + +732 +00:35:55,400 --> 00:36:01,160 +reporting one of the biggest device + +733 +00:35:57,760 --> 00:36:03,680 +companies metronics had fewer than 10 + +734 +00:36:01,160 --> 00:36:07,359 +Adverse Events related to its spinal + +735 +00:36:03,680 --> 00:36:10,240 +cord stimulators in the database over a + +736 +00:36:07,359 --> 00:36:12,880 +decade we asked the Private health funds + +737 +00:36:10,240 --> 00:36:12,880 +to run the + +738 +00:36:13,640 --> 00:36:19,400 +numbers we looked at + +739 +00:36:16,280 --> 00:36:22,079 +764 metronic generators that were or + +740 +00:36:19,400 --> 00:36:26,640 +stimulators that were implanted and of + +741 +00:36:22,079 --> 00:36:28,760 +those 30% were revised or acquired some + +742 +00:36:26,640 --> 00:36:30,880 +sort of Prem mature surgical + +743 +00:36:28,760 --> 00:36:33,319 +intervention to reset them within the + +744 +00:36:30,880 --> 00:36:36,720 +first 3 years which would be either that + +745 +00:36:33,319 --> 00:36:39,680 +the device was replaced or a lead was + +746 +00:36:36,720 --> 00:36:42,720 +replaced Australian sponsors of medical + +747 +00:36:39,680 --> 00:36:46,599 +devices are legally required to report + +748 +00:36:42,720 --> 00:36:49,400 +Adverse Events to the TGA but the TGA + +749 +00:36:46,599 --> 00:36:52,319 +has never taken any action for failures + +750 +00:36:49,400 --> 00:36:53,880 +to report an adverse event relating to + +751 +00:36:52,319 --> 00:36:56,440 +spinal cord + +752 +00:36:53,880 --> 00:37:01,240 +stimulators metronics denies Under + +753 +00:36:56,440 --> 00:37:01,240 +reporting and says it follows the TGA + +754 +00:37:02,640 --> 00:37:07,640 +rules we can't find evidence that + +755 +00:37:05,160 --> 00:37:09,680 +Theresa or Gordon's stimulator horror + +756 +00:37:07,640 --> 00:37:12,280 +stories were ever + +757 +00:37:09,680 --> 00:37:15,560 +reported the device companies won't + +758 +00:37:12,280 --> 00:37:18,730 +comment on individual patients they say + +759 +00:37:15,560 --> 00:37:21,160 +their devices are safe and abide by the + +760 +00:37:18,730 --> 00:37:24,680 +[Music] + +761 +00:37:21,160 --> 00:37:28,599 +law I can't understand why the + +762 +00:37:24,680 --> 00:37:32,119 +TGA haven't done more I can't understand + +763 +00:37:28,599 --> 00:37:35,160 +why the stimulated companies don't ring + +764 +00:37:32,119 --> 00:37:37,640 +up people like me or even get me down to + +765 +00:37:35,160 --> 00:37:40,280 +their big fancy officers and say well + +766 +00:37:37,640 --> 00:37:43,640 +you know what are the symptoms you've + +767 +00:37:40,280 --> 00:37:47,280 +had um how do we improve + +768 +00:37:43,640 --> 00:37:50,680 +this all that sort of stuff the job of + +769 +00:37:47,280 --> 00:37:53,599 +the regulator is to keep people safe + +770 +00:37:50,680 --> 00:37:55,640 +when it comes to spinal cord stimulators + +771 +00:37:53,599 --> 00:37:58,839 +its performance has been + +772 +00:37:55,640 --> 00:38:02,160 +appalling its own data base is littered + +773 +00:37:58,839 --> 00:38:05,079 +with people who've been hurt by a device + +774 +00:38:02,160 --> 00:38:07,800 +they believe is safe the regulator + +775 +00:38:05,079 --> 00:38:11,240 +launched a review but that was 2 years + +776 +00:38:07,800 --> 00:38:13,839 +ago and we're still + +777 +00:38:11,240 --> 00:38:16,800 +waiting we asked the TGA for an + +778 +00:38:13,839 --> 00:38:19,000 +interview but it couldn't make the time + +779 +00:38:16,800 --> 00:38:20,960 +in a statement it said approval of a + +780 +00:38:19,000 --> 00:38:24,160 +device is based on the available + +781 +00:38:20,960 --> 00:38:26,440 +evidence at the time it said patient + +782 +00:38:24,160 --> 00:38:28,640 +safety is a + +783 +00:38:26,440 --> 00:38:31,359 +priority + +784 +00:38:28,640 --> 00:38:34,200 +it's no surprise some private pain + +785 +00:38:31,359 --> 00:38:36,400 +clinics are making a fortune from + +786 +00:38:34,200 --> 00:38:39,920 +stimulators and the funds paying for + +787 +00:38:36,400 --> 00:38:42,920 +them aren't happy you're representing + +788 +00:38:39,920 --> 00:38:46,119 +the Private health funds uh many people + +789 +00:38:42,920 --> 00:38:47,240 +would see them as making big profits + +790 +00:38:46,119 --> 00:38:50,160 +they were up at + +791 +00:38:47,240 --> 00:38:52,599 +110% last year while premiums are going + +792 +00:38:50,160 --> 00:38:55,119 +up and people are complaining that + +793 +00:38:52,599 --> 00:38:57,880 +they're not getting as many services for + +794 +00:38:55,119 --> 00:38:59,599 +what they're paying for how do you you + +795 +00:38:57,880 --> 00:39:03,079 +answer those sort of + +796 +00:38:59,599 --> 00:39:04,760 +criticisms I am absolutely confident + +797 +00:39:03,079 --> 00:39:07,560 +that the health funds would spend even + +798 +00:39:04,760 --> 00:39:10,160 +more money if they knew that it was on + +799 +00:39:07,560 --> 00:39:12,920 +treatments that were working what we're + +800 +00:39:10,160 --> 00:39:15,359 +seeing with what we are spending is that + +801 +00:39:12,920 --> 00:39:17,319 +it is simply putting people on a hamster + +802 +00:39:15,359 --> 00:39:20,079 +wheel of more + +803 +00:39:17,319 --> 00:39:21,160 +treatment Hospital admissions and + +804 +00:39:20,079 --> 00:39:24,160 +revision + +805 +00:39:21,160 --> 00:39:26,000 +surgery that is not a good investment in + +806 +00:39:24,160 --> 00:39:29,400 +people's + +807 +00:39:26,000 --> 00:39:32,920 +care pain specialist Dr Chris Hayes + +808 +00:39:29,400 --> 00:39:35,599 +stopped implanting stimulators 20 years + +809 +00:39:32,920 --> 00:39:38,920 +ago I found that people were just not + +810 +00:39:35,599 --> 00:39:41,040 +making good improvements and to my mind + +811 +00:39:38,920 --> 00:39:43,160 +nothing substantial has changed in the + +812 +00:39:41,040 --> 00:39:46,160 +scientific evidence over the last 20 + +813 +00:39:43,160 --> 00:39:48,480 +years other than to reinforce the view + +814 +00:39:46,160 --> 00:39:50,200 +that this hasn't got good evidence to + +815 +00:39:48,480 --> 00:39:53,200 +support it and that there is a + +816 +00:39:50,200 --> 00:39:53,200 +substantial risk of + +817 +00:39:55,800 --> 00:40:01,880 +harm the pain in indry + +818 +00:39:58,920 --> 00:40:05,480 +is an interesting place in Australia it + +819 +00:40:01,880 --> 00:40:05,480 +is a bit of a jungle in some + +820 +00:40:12,119 --> 00:40:20,480 +ways I just managed to find a way to see + +821 +00:40:17,240 --> 00:40:22,560 +a life without depending on anything to + +822 +00:40:20,480 --> 00:40:26,800 +support my + +823 +00:40:22,560 --> 00:40:28,800 +pain my desire was to live with color + +824 +00:40:26,800 --> 00:40:31,280 +and joy + +825 +00:40:28,800 --> 00:40:33,280 +that had all been removed by the spinal + +826 +00:40:31,280 --> 00:40:35,960 +cord stimulator the opioids the nerve + +827 +00:40:33,280 --> 00:40:38,960 +pain um the injections the steroids the + +828 +00:40:35,960 --> 00:40:40,839 +everything else so the only way I was + +829 +00:40:38,960 --> 00:40:43,720 +going to come out of that was find a way + +830 +00:40:40,839 --> 00:40:43,720 +to leave those + +831 +00:40:45,800 --> 00:40:51,920 +behind Jason Parker felt like a prisoner + +832 +00:40:49,359 --> 00:40:55,960 +trapped inside the pain industry for + +833 +00:40:51,920 --> 00:40:59,200 +years now he's finally made it + +834 +00:40:55,960 --> 00:41:05,040 +out so this so when was The Turning + +835 +00:40:59,200 --> 00:41:05,040 +Point um when I got the machine + +836 +00:41:07,280 --> 00:41:14,079 +out Jason's medical history is harrowing + +837 +00:41:11,839 --> 00:41:15,920 +he was in a terrible car accident + +838 +00:41:14,079 --> 00:41:19,520 +leaving him in + +839 +00:41:15,920 --> 00:41:23,560 +agony he later lost his legs to an + +840 +00:41:19,520 --> 00:41:26,240 +infection he's had the works surgeries + +841 +00:41:23,560 --> 00:41:28,720 +stimulators spinal + +842 +00:41:26,240 --> 00:41:31,720 +fusion a lot of people making an awful + +843 +00:41:28,720 --> 00:41:31,720 +lot of money out of people's + +844 +00:41:35,079 --> 00:41:40,800 +misery I just was wasting away in a + +845 +00:41:38,000 --> 00:41:42,560 +bedroom essentially the financial impact + +846 +00:41:40,800 --> 00:41:44,200 +of not being able to work meant you had + +847 +00:41:42,560 --> 00:41:47,599 +to go on the doll and I was in my + +848 +00:41:44,200 --> 00:41:50,960 +parents' third bedroom I lost my house I + +849 +00:41:47,599 --> 00:41:54,599 +went everything + +850 +00:41:50,960 --> 00:41:58,960 +gone Jason had 10 spinal cord stimulator + +851 +00:41:54,599 --> 00:42:02,200 +operations over 5 years + +852 +00:41:58,960 --> 00:42:05,160 +I was expecting him to say listen mate + +853 +00:42:02,200 --> 00:42:07,000 +this ain't working let's just call it + +854 +00:42:05,160 --> 00:42:08,760 +quits and I'm not going to put you + +855 +00:42:07,000 --> 00:42:11,840 +through anymore but it was always there + +856 +00:42:08,760 --> 00:42:15,040 +was another thing he could do to fix + +857 +00:42:11,840 --> 00:42:17,040 +[Music] + +858 +00:42:15,040 --> 00:42:19,520 +it do you think it was the worst + +859 +00:42:17,040 --> 00:42:22,000 +decision of your life absolutely the + +860 +00:42:19,520 --> 00:42:23,599 +Frankenstein machines they are not built + +861 +00:42:22,000 --> 00:42:26,800 +for the human + +862 +00:42:23,599 --> 00:42:29,800 +body and it sold as the dream it sold as + +863 +00:42:26,800 --> 00:42:31,960 +the we've got your answer now I + +864 +00:42:29,800 --> 00:42:34,079 +sometimes feel that the answer was + +865 +00:42:31,960 --> 00:42:35,640 +provided because I had the highest + +866 +00:42:34,079 --> 00:42:38,559 +Medical + +867 +00:42:35,640 --> 00:42:40,480 +cover it's been a year since Jason had + +868 +00:42:38,559 --> 00:42:43,359 +his stimulator + +869 +00:42:40,480 --> 00:42:46,480 +removed I still am in pain but I've + +870 +00:42:43,359 --> 00:42:50,119 +learned to live and understand how my + +871 +00:42:46,480 --> 00:42:52,280 +body deals with pain I hope that + +872 +00:42:50,119 --> 00:42:56,119 +somebody is out there going you know + +873 +00:42:52,280 --> 00:43:00,000 +what maybe I won't take that step + +874 +00:42:56,119 --> 00:43:03,800 +first what's clear this industry can't + +875 +00:43:00,000 --> 00:43:07,280 +cure chronic pain but overtreatment is + +876 +00:43:03,800 --> 00:43:11,280 +Rife as the vulnerable seek hope and + +877 +00:43:07,280 --> 00:43:13,599 +some unscrupulous practitioners see + +878 +00:43:11,280 --> 00:43:16,400 +opportunity there is a big business + +879 +00:43:13,599 --> 00:43:18,640 +element to this given that one in five + +880 +00:43:16,400 --> 00:43:21,280 +Australians or thereabouts experience + +881 +00:43:18,640 --> 00:43:22,760 +chronic pain and it could be said + +882 +00:43:21,280 --> 00:43:25,839 +they're walking around with a big dollar + +883 +00:43:22,760 --> 00:43:25,839 +sign hanging around their + +884 +00:43:26,119 --> 00:43:31,680 +neck find that chronic pain is not well + +885 +00:43:29,559 --> 00:43:32,760 +treated by cutting people and operating + +886 +00:43:31,680 --> 00:43:35,520 +on + +887 +00:43:32,760 --> 00:43:37,880 +them so you have to start thinking more + +888 +00:43:35,520 --> 00:43:40,240 +scientifically and objectively before + +889 +00:43:37,880 --> 00:43:43,280 +offering the treatment but there's no + +890 +00:43:40,240 --> 00:43:44,839 +there's no policing of that I can offer + +891 +00:43:43,280 --> 00:43:48,680 +a spine fusion on every patient that + +892 +00:43:44,839 --> 00:43:51,079 +comes to see me with a degenerative disc + +893 +00:43:48,680 --> 00:43:53,119 +in their back nobody's going to stop me + +894 +00:43:51,079 --> 00:43:56,160 +from doing + +895 +00:43:53,119 --> 00:43:57,680 +that and there's little appetite to + +896 +00:43:56,160 --> 00:44:00,040 +change a system + +897 +00:43:57,680 --> 00:44:04,400 +desperate for + +898 +00:44:00,040 --> 00:44:06,160 +reform and are you in pain now oh yeah + +899 +00:44:04,400 --> 00:44:07,720 +yeah + +900 +00:44:06,160 --> 00:44:12,440 +yes + +901 +00:44:07,720 --> 00:44:15,920 +always I was a victim to it it's just + +902 +00:44:12,440 --> 00:44:18,559 +the most horrific thing the only piece I + +903 +00:44:15,920 --> 00:44:18,559 +get is when I'm + +904 +00:44:26,040 --> 00:44:32,480 +asleep + +905 +00:44:28,960 --> 00:44:35,000 +it really has destroyed our + +906 +00:44:32,480 --> 00:44:38,760 +lives once you get on that merry-go + +907 +00:44:35,000 --> 00:44:38,760 +round it's extremely difficult to get + +908 +00:44:38,960 --> 00:44:45,440 +off don't do it don't do + +909 +00:44:42,559 --> 00:44:49,319 +it why does all of this matter what's so + +910 +00:44:45,440 --> 00:44:53,440 +important about it it matters because it + +911 +00:44:49,319 --> 00:44:56,480 +depletes our health system of the money + +912 +00:44:53,440 --> 00:44:58,160 +it needs and it's a patient safety issue + +913 +00:44:56,480 --> 00:45:01,480 +it's both + +914 +00:44:58,160 --> 00:45:04,359 +so it's misappropriation of funds and + +915 +00:45:01,480 --> 00:45:06,240 +you're putting patients at risk so it + +916 +00:45:04,359 --> 00:45:09,240 +matters a great + +917 +00:45:06,240 --> 00:45:11,559 +deal if we don't keep shining a light + +918 +00:45:09,240 --> 00:45:16,200 +into this very dark part of the health + +919 +00:45:11,559 --> 00:45:17,359 +system it will soon collapse it's LED + +920 +00:45:16,200 --> 00:45:21,319 +with waste and + +921 +00:45:17,359 --> 00:45:22,800 +abuse and I think Australians deserve to + +922 +00:45:21,319 --> 00:45:25,960 +know the + +923 +00:45:22,800 --> 00:45:28,880 +truth don't + +924 +00:45:25,960 --> 00:45:32,559 +you + +925 +00:45:28,880 --> 00:45:36,720 +it's left me in worse pain than I could + +926 +00:45:32,559 --> 00:45:39,760 +ever have imagined it's taken my + +927 +00:45:36,720 --> 00:45:42,640 +Mobility it's taken my + +928 +00:45:39,760 --> 00:45:47,000 +business taken my + +929 +00:45:42,640 --> 00:45:47,000 +career taking my dignity at + +930 +00:45:47,599 --> 00:45:51,000 +times taking + +931 +00:45:52,319 --> 00:45:59,680 +relationships and it's been the biggest + +932 +00:45:55,040 --> 00:45:59,680 +Injustice that I've ever faced in my + +933 +00:46:07,800 --> 00:46:14,139 +[Music] + +934 +00:46:17,650 --> 00:46:20,860 +[Applause] + +935 +00:46:25,920 --> 00:46:28,920 +life + +936 +00:46:29,160 --> 00:46:32,929 +[Music] +