Dreher, Geoffrey Hamilton
Born 30th June 1939, Bundaberg, Queensland.
Qualifications:
M.B.,B.S - Melbourne University 1962
M.B.A - Monash University 1972
F.A.C.H.S.M – College of Health Service Management 1984
Honorary Qualification:
Doctor of the University – Deakin University 2002.
Positions Held:
After graduating in 1962 Geoff did his first two post graduate years as JRMO and SRMO at Footscray & District Hospital and then as Medical Registrar at Prince Henry’s Hospital in Melbourne.
In 1966 Geoff thought it would be good to get experience in paediatrics at Royal Children’s Hospital (RCH), so he became a JRMO at RCH in 1966, then Medical Registrar in 1967, then Chief RMO in 1968.
As Chief RMO the then Director of Medical Services (DMS) at RCH, LEG Sloan, asked Geoff to be his Deputy DMS as he appreciated the Medical Administrative work the Chief RMO was doing. Geoff was DMS of RCH from 1967 to 1976. During that time LEGS encouraged him to get an MBA. He applied for and received a Scholarship from the Hospitals & Charities Commission to gain an MBA from Monash University, which he did whilst working. This gave him a CV that meant he could seek Medical Administrative positions.
A key point made by Lecturers of the MBA at Monash was that success in management is gained by applying “Management by walking around”. This meant that management staff should meet and converse with all staff in their work place as often as possible to exchange views and mutually identify with the goals of the organisation.
The success of this process became very clear to Geoff during some threatened nursing and general staff strikes in the years to come where staff where he worked remained loyal to their workplace.
In 1976 Geoff was appointed DMS at Dandenong & District Hospital and then in 1978 he became DMS at Royal Melbourne Hospital (RMH) and in 1984 he was appointed Executive Director of RMH which he held until 1987.
During those years at RCH and RMH Geoff loved working on various committees and boards. These included:- Board member of RMO Wages Board; President of Sterilization and Disinfectant Society Victoria; Chairman Course Advisory Committee of Diploma of Nursing at Caulfield Tech.(now Monash Univ); Member of Board of Studies at Mayfield Centre for Health Services; Medical Advisor to Essendon & District Hospital; Appointed by Minister of Health to review rosters of RMO’s in Victorian Hospitals; President of Assoc. of Medical Superintendents of Vic Hospitals; Board Member of Walter & Eliza Institute for Medical Research.
In 1987 Geoff took the opportunity to see another side of Healthcare delivery and became Director of Operations of Healthscope, a private hospital company which at that time had six private hospitals. In 1988 he became CEO of Healthscope. He continued to be involved in many healthcare activities which included:- Councillor and Deputy President of Victoria College which later became Deakin University of which he became Chairman of the Ethics Committee and the Deputy Chancellor and received an Honorary Doctorate for his services to that University; Special advisor to the Board of Fairfield Hospital; Councillor of the Australian Hospitals Assoc.; Surveyor and Medical Preceptor and Councillor for the Aust. Council on Healthcare Standards.
In 1995 Geoff left Healthscope and became Consultant to the Victorian Postgraduate Foundation Drug Guidelines program after which he decided in 1996 to move to another aspect of health care delivery by becoming CEO of the Australian Regional Health Group (ARHG) which at that time consisted of six Regional Health Insurance Funds.
In 2004 Geoff left ARHG and became a Consultant in Health Care Delivery and was fully employed in resolving questions of compliance and complaints from Patients, Doctors, Hospitals and Health Insurance Funds. During this time he was Chairman of Maryvale Private Hospital in Morwell Victoria, which was developing over that time.
Family and Interests:
Geoff came to Melbourne from Bundaberg when 9 years old and played hockey at school and University. He married Margaret in 1965 who was a nurse at Footscray & District Hospital and Queen Victoria Hospital. They have 4 children and 9 grand children and have lived in Melbourne. During his working life Geoff has had little time for recreation of Tennis and Golf but in latter years he was a member of Whitehorse bicycle Club and led many rides of 20 or more members of the club.