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choosing wisely
Unnecessary care could be a prescription drug, a diagnostic test or a medical procedure that does not improve a patient's health outcomes and is not backed by the best available evidence. It may also involve risks and harmful side-effects. In other words, this is medical care that offers no value to patients and strains health care resources.
Not many patients would be happy to hear that there's a lag of about 17 years between when health scientists learn something of significance through rigorous research and when health practitioners change their patient care as a result, but that's what a now-famous study from the Institute of Medicine uncovered in 2001.
When I see patients, I try to understand what underlies their concerns, and how I can provide reassurance. And reassurance doesn't always come from ordering a test or treatment. In fact, sometimes a test or treatment may not be needed and can lead to harm.
What if I told you that almost one third of medical care in Canada is unnecessary and that over testing and treatment is on the rise? Doctors across the country are taking note and sounding the alarm on potential risks.
As patients are becoming more knowledgeable about their own care, and as doctors develop a wider array of options available to treat diseases, the costs are increasing. So it may be time to better distinguish between medically necessary care and optional care, for the sake of our country's limited health care budget going forward. It's a discussion worth having.
