The Choosing Wisely Program

Nearly 60 medical organizations have endorsed a new program that has identified 120 tests and procedures that might be medically unnecessary and should be avoided.  Patients often come out of the ER with thousands of dollars of bills that might have been avoided.  I have seen families with an autistic child elsewhere rack up $25,000 charges in a couple of months.  Every test should have a purpose that leads to potential benefit for each individual patient.  The risks to testing such as mammograms, CT scans, MRI’s, and catherizations should be carefully weighed against the potential benefits.  Is the proposed test going to change the therapy for that patient?  We certainly do not want to spend so much on testing that we have nothing left for treatment.

See Family Practice News, 12/2013, p. 48.

Celebration of HealthAssociation website