A short interview with Dr Joel Hissink discussing bowel cancer and the National Bowel Cancer Screening Program – it’s important to do your poo test!
*This story and video was produced with the assistance of the NSW Department of Regional NSW Regional Growth Fund
Dr Joel Hissink – BSc (Oceanography) MBBS (Hons) DCH FRACGP
General Practice / Diving & Aviation Medicine – Byron Bay
Dr Hissink really loves life as a rural doctor, even though a career in medicine wasn’t originally part of his life plan.
Young Joel joined the military straight out of school as a Navy Officer at the Australian Defence Force Academy in Canberra at 17, where he studied Oceanography – a career involving SCUBA diving was where he thought he’d end up…
Life began off the grid
Dr Joel Hissink grew up a long way from anywhere in a small hamlet called Tanja, on the far south coast of NSW, near Bega. ‘We were raised in a tiny mud brick house that my dad built by hand without power tools. We had no running hot water and no electricity aside from a small solar panel and four car batteries that powered a couple of halogen light globes in upside-down aluminium pie tins. Our other lights were kerosene lamps.
’Now I live on a small farm in Mullum with my wife, Abelia, our three children, a couple of dogs, a dozen or so chooks, and a few cows.’
Following in grandfather’s footsteps
A career in medicine is a huge ask of anyone, but Dr Hissink says his family ties pointed him in that direction. ‘My grandfather was a cardiothoracic surgeon in the Dutch Army in Indonesia and later a GP in North Narrabeen in Sydney.
‘He practiced from a converted garage in the front yard of his house and I remember his patients walking up the driveway and into the waiting room where I’d sometimes sit. His patients would turn up to the front door of the house at all hours.
‘I observed my grandfather, who I adored, demonstrating great care and attention to the people that came to him for help. Perhaps this was more influential than I ever considered…’
So many things to love
It’s not everyone who would choose a career in medicine, but Dr Hissink feels he made the right decision.
‘I absolutely love my job. My favourite aspects of General Practice include the relationships that I form with families in the community, their fascinating stories, their trust in me that I will always put their health first.
‘Every day is unpredictable and brings challenges and puzzles to solve.’
Dr Hissink holds sub-specialties in child health, skin cancer medicine, as well as diving and aviation medicine. ‘General Practice is a rewarding job and it’s an absolute privilege to be able to support people through life’s challenges.’
The tricky bits
Dr Hissink says navigating Medicare can sometimes be tricky. ‘Medicare is an incredible asset to the people of Australia but it’s also very complex.
‘It would be really nice to just focus on delivering excellent medical care but it’s necessary to consider the Medicare implications of every decision. Thankfully the Medicare system allows us to put patient’s health first but the funding is finite so there’s a responsibility to be judicious.
‘It is, of course, necessary that healthcare providers are held to account as we are all spending taxpayer money in our daily work and I take that responsibility very seriously. The gap fees that some patients pay for consultations, procedures and investigations helps to reduce the taxpayer burden and extend Medicare bulk-billing to those who cannot afford to pay gaps.
‘A huge challenge in regional Australia is the limited availability of public and bulk-billed specialist care beyond primary care. This results in regional GPs managing more complex health conditions without specialist support.’
A quiet thought
A motto to live by – Dr Hissink says: ‘We spend most of our lives trying to control every aspect of our lives, only to find, in the end, that we have very little control over any of it.
‘That’s not about being defeatist, but rather being grateful for every day, spending time wisely, helping others, seeing the positive things in life and also not being too proud – every decision we make is half chance.’
He has some good advice: ‘Remember the Everbody’s Free (To Wear Sunscreen) song.’
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