Study Released Lists Most Overused Medical Procedures Which Cost Americans BILLIONS!

There is a lot of discussion about the tort reform and how medical malpractice increases the cost of health care significantly. From time to time, I have rebutted this presumption. Medical malpractice cases are heinous! Patients suffer absolutely horrifying medical malpractice mistakes which could affect their whole life. We are talking about the HEALTH of a patient—money cannot justify the pain and suffering these patients have endured; they can never be made whole again. That is why large awards against health care providers are necessary to punish them and provide a deterrent effect on them, while also covering the medical bills of the patient for the rest of their lives and trying to pay to ease their now wrongfully altered lives.

If we really want to focus on bringing down the costs of health care, we really should be focusing on overused medical procedures. Unnecessary procedures can actually be dangerous! I wrote a post awhile ago about prostate biopsies causing increased infections and also that overstenting could expose patients to extraneous medical procedures that are not needed. Two years ago, an article was published which questioned a lot of procedures performed on patients that are being overused and likely unnecessary which, as a result, is costing Americans BILLIONS!

Now, nine U.S. medical specifically societies studying this issue released research data about this. Each society provided EXTENSIVE information in their reports, but I have taken some of the more important procedures or more common that you—the patient—should always question before undergoing to see if it is necessary.

Here are some of the most common pieces of advice about procedures to help reduce the costs of health care in the United States:

Don’t undergo radiology imaging for uncomplicated headaches.

For uncomplicated, acute rhinosinusits, don’t order sinus CT’s or antibiotics unless there is good reason to do it.

Don’t rush to have radiology images for lower back pain within the first six weeks, unless there are other serious conditions present.

Don’t have EKG’s done if you are a low-risk patient without any warning symptoms.

Don’t have pap screens if under 21 years old or if there was a hysterectomy for non-cancer disease.

For more of the tests per medical society, click here to learn more: http://choosingwisely.org/?page_id=13.

But what do you think? I would love to hear from you! I welcome your phone call on my toll-free cell at 1-866-889-6882 or you can drop me an e-mail at jfisher@fishermalpracticelaw.com . You are always welcome to request my FREE book, The Seven Deadly Mistakes of Malpractice Victims, at the home page of my website at www.protectingpatientrights.com.