Avoid unnecessary tests

Dossett and colleagues reveal that unnecessary preoperative tests have acquired the status of a traditional culture in medical practice, despite voluminous evidence against their continuation.1 Accordingly, they have become much more difficult to stop. We add a couple of barriers to change to those mentioned in the article. Firstly, a battery of unnecessary tests might give doctors a sense of assurance—if they missed something in the history and examination, it will be picked up by the tests. And if not, they could defend themselves by showing their proactive approach of getting the tests done. Secondly, in developing countries, these tests could be the first a patient has had in their lifetime, so they are more willing to undergo them to know for sure that they do not have any other illnesses. But if a patient has to bear the cost of tests, which is known to push households to poverty,…
Read Original Article: Avoid unnecessary tests »