The Medical Professionalism Blog
Category Archives: Overuse/Misuse
Doctor, How Much Does It Cost?
In January, I wrote about my surgical experience for a detached retina. Since then, I met Neel Shah and learned about his organization, Costs of Care. I also read the essays of his essay contest winners. Neel wants to bring awareness of the cost of specific tests and treatments to physicians and patients alike.
Where, Oh Where Do Physicians Learn About Cost-Effectiveness?
The Institute of Healthcare Improvement (IHI) defines the Triple Aim as: Better health (population health) Better care (quality improvement) Reduced cost Although many quality improvement organizations and delivery systems are focused on the Triple Aim, cost is not often a part of their efforts.
Cost Awareness in Health Care: An Idea Whose Time Has Come
Costs of Care, where this post was originally published, is a Boston-based nonprofit organization that helps caregivers deflate medical bills and provide high-value care. Learn more at www.CostsOfCare.org or follow them on Twitter (@CostsOfCare). “Nothing is as powerful as an idea whose time has come.” – Victor Hugo
Bad Gold Drives Out Good Gold – The Effect of Overuse on Quality
Recent reports of the shortage of Ritalin for individuals who suffer from Attention Deficit Disorder made me think of the effects overuse has on the quality of care provided. According to a Dartmouth Atlas report, overuse results in: worse access lower patient satisfaction and poorer outcomes. The authors also note that “disorganized, poorly coordinated, and [...]
State of Emergency
During a recent talk at the Families USA conference, the Reverend Edward Livingston led an animated discussion regarding his groundbreaking work with the Camden Coalition of Healthcare Providers and Camden Churches Organized for People. (This work became well-known through Atul Gawande’s piece in The New Yorker, “The Hot Spotters.”) In the course of his talk, [...]
Choosing Wisely
Today the ABIM Foundation announced the launch of the Choosing Wisely campaign. The goal of the initiative is to encourage conversations between physicians and patients about the overuse or misuse of tests and procedures that offer little benefit and may sometimes inflict harm.
The Media’s Role in Educating Patients About MRI Overuse
This article is being reposted courtesy of KevinMD.com. Thankfully, there have been more news stories recently illustrating the overuse of tests. Specifically with cancer screening, the PSA test and mammograms have come under increasing scrutiny. I think this type of media attention is long overdue, as the public needs to be aware of the potential [...]
A Milestone on K Street
The October 19 Health Affairs briefing entitled “Saving Medicare Dollars and Improving Care,” sponsored by the ABIM Foundation and other funders, was a watershed moment in which ideas that would require less spending on health care that would actually improve care for patients were discussed on K Street. This is a great message for patients and, it so happens, for the super committee deliberations a [...]
Another Unintended Consequence of Clinical Performance Measures?
I highly recommend reading the “Less is More“ series in the Archives of Internal Medicine edited by Rita Redberg if you have not already done so. A recent article by Brenda Sirovich, et al, entitled “Too Little? Too Much? Primary Care Physicians’ Views on U.S. Health Care” included the results of a survey of primary [...]
Less is More But Will Patients Buy It?
The September 12th issue of Modern Healthcare reports on Thomson Reuters’ study of the 100 Top Hospitals that analyzes the relationship of financial performance and quality. Like results from other studies, higher quality was associated with lower costs – the “less equals more” drum beat continues.
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