Podcast 142: Really, why are you ordering that test?

The American College of Physicians wants to encourage high-value, cost-conscious care. And so they convened a consensus panel of physicians to list tests that they considered overused or inappropriately used in certain circumstances. One example would be the use of MRI for breast screening in normal-risk patients; another is the use of imaging studies in the diagnosis of nonspecific low-back pain.

The panel came up with about 40 such examples, and the ACP is inviting your reactions (and suggestions for further examples) on a survey available on its website, a link to which is in the list below.

Meanwhile, listen in on a 15-minute conversation with Dr. Amir Qaseem, the first author of the panel’s report, just published in the Annals of Internal Medicine. An editorial on the report cites a Congressional Budget Office study estimating that 5% of the nation’s GDP is misspent on medical tests and procedures that don’t help the patient. That’s fully 25% of all health expenditures! Houston, we have a problem….

Links:

Physician’s First Watch coverage (free)

Annals of Internal Medicine article (free abstract)

ACP survey form (free access)

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