I just read an article that addresses a complicated problem.
The title of the article is Regional culture impacts inappropriate imaging for prostate, breast cancer. It's a summary of a study reported in JAMA Oncology this week. Records of prostate and breast cancer testing on medicare patients were dissected and correlated. It's important to note that there is no relationship between the two conditions. And yet, the incidence or rate of what was determined to be inappropriate (read: unnecessary) screening (read:tests) was almost identical. In approximately 40% of patients being screened for prostate cancer and approximately 40% of patients being screened for breast cancer the tests were determined to be unnecessary.
Why, then, were the patients subjected to the "imaging" and the healthcare system burdened with the expense?
The primary cause was the practice of defensive medicine, meaning the doctor orders tests to protect himself from a lawsuit claiming he failed to diagnose a serious condition. Too, patients are worried and request unnecessary tests. Less common, doctors are not familiar with test protocol. The "regional culture" factor comes into the equation when the medical network encourages tests to increase revenue or doctors feel pressure to order tests to keep up with the Dr. Joneses. Either way, it is estimated that unnecessary screening can run up bills as much as $12 billion dollars. A year!
The article suggests that steps must be taken to get things under control. What steps are not addressed. I am all for saving money within the healthcare system. There is absolutely too much waste. Until someone starts to cut back on my benefits. Then, being a normal human being, I want my inappropriate screening and I want it now. ;)
Actually, I try hard to resist " inappropriate screenings." To no avail. I should copy this article and carry it with me to my appointments. But in the end, I am a vulnerable human who wants the reassurance even if it costs $12,000,000,000.
The title of the article is Regional culture impacts inappropriate imaging for prostate, breast cancer. It's a summary of a study reported in JAMA Oncology this week. Records of prostate and breast cancer testing on medicare patients were dissected and correlated. It's important to note that there is no relationship between the two conditions. And yet, the incidence or rate of what was determined to be inappropriate (read: unnecessary) screening (read:tests) was almost identical. In approximately 40% of patients being screened for prostate cancer and approximately 40% of patients being screened for breast cancer the tests were determined to be unnecessary.
Why, then, were the patients subjected to the "imaging" and the healthcare system burdened with the expense?
The primary cause was the practice of defensive medicine, meaning the doctor orders tests to protect himself from a lawsuit claiming he failed to diagnose a serious condition. Too, patients are worried and request unnecessary tests. Less common, doctors are not familiar with test protocol. The "regional culture" factor comes into the equation when the medical network encourages tests to increase revenue or doctors feel pressure to order tests to keep up with the Dr. Joneses. Either way, it is estimated that unnecessary screening can run up bills as much as $12 billion dollars. A year!
The article suggests that steps must be taken to get things under control. What steps are not addressed. I am all for saving money within the healthcare system. There is absolutely too much waste. Until someone starts to cut back on my benefits. Then, being a normal human being, I want my inappropriate screening and I want it now. ;)
Actually, I try hard to resist " inappropriate screenings." To no avail. I should copy this article and carry it with me to my appointments. But in the end, I am a vulnerable human who wants the reassurance even if it costs $12,000,000,000.
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