From NY Times: Overtreatment is Common, Doctors Say

An excerpt:

Researchers surveyed 2,106 physicians in various specialties regarding their beliefs about unnecessary medical care. On average, the doctors believed that 20.6 percent of all medical care was unnecessary, including 22 percent of prescriptions, 24.9 percent of tests and 11.1 percent of procedures. The study is in PLOS One.

Reasons for overtreatment that were cited:

• Fear of malpractice “that fear is probably exaggerated, the authors say”
• Patient demand
• Financial incentive

My take: It takes more time explaining why a test/medicine/procedure is a waste of time than to order it; even then, many patients/families are unhappy if the physician does not order the test/medicine/procedure that they think is necessary.  Changing this dynamic is not easy.

Related blog posts:

• Rewarding Restraint vs Reality
• Trying to make Cents out of Value Care |
• Looking for Value in Medicine
• Healthcare Transition: Why Being the Best May Not Work | gutsandgrowth
• Do you know about the “Choosing Wisely Campaign?” | gutsandgrowth