By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
  • Health
    • Mental Health
    Health
    Healthcare organizations are operating on slimmer profit margins than ever. One report in August showed that they are even lower than the beginning of the…
    Show More
    Top News
    improving patient experience
    6 Ways to Improve Patient Satisfaction Within Hospitals
    December 1, 2021
    degree for healthcare job
    What Are The Health Benefits Of Having A Degree?
    March 9, 2022
    custom software development is changing healthcare
    Digital Customer Journey Mapping and its Importance for Healthcare
    July 21, 2022
    Latest News
    Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
    May 16, 2025
    Learn how to Renew your Medical Card in West Virginia
    May 16, 2025
    Choosing the Right Supplement Manufacturer for Your Brand
    May 1, 2025
    Engineering Temporary Hospitals for Extreme Weather
    April 24, 2025
  • Policy and Law
    • Global Healthcare
    • Medical Ethics
    Policy and Law
    Get the latest updates about Insurance policies and Laws in the Healthcare industry for different geographical locations.
    Show More
    Top News
    Can Thinking Younger Make You Live Longer?
    April 20, 2011
    Image
    Obesity’s Outlook Unchanged
    June 13, 2011
    When It’s An Emergency Elderly Not Treated As Well in Hospitals
    July 16, 2011
    Latest News
    Building Smarter Care Teams: Aligning Roles, Structure, and Clinical Expertise
    May 18, 2025
    The Critical Role of Healthcare in Personal Injury Recovery: A Comprehensive Guide for Victims
    May 14, 2025
    The Backbone of Successful Trials: Clinical Data Management
    April 28, 2025
    Advancing Your Healthcare Career through Education and Specialization
    April 16, 2025
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: Good Riddance to Routine Pelvic Examinations
Share
Notification Show More
Font ResizerAa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Font ResizerAa
Search
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Policy & Law > Health Reform > Good Riddance to Routine Pelvic Examinations
Health ReformPolicy & LawPublic Health

Good Riddance to Routine Pelvic Examinations

Michael Kirsch
Last updated: August 26, 2014 8:00 am
Michael Kirsch
Share
4 Min Read
SHARE
So much in medicine and in life is done out of habit. We do stuff simply because that’s the way we always did it.  Repetition leads to the belief that we are doing the right thing. In this country, we traditionally eat three meals each day. Why not four or two?
 
Life gets more interesting when folks question long standing beliefs and practices forcing us to ask ourselves if what we are doing makes any sense. In the medical profession, a yearly physical examination was dogma.
So much in medicine and in life is done out of habit. We do stuff simply because that’s the way we always did it.  Repetition leads to the belief that we are doing the right thing. In this country, we traditionally eat three meals each day. Why not four or two?
 
Life gets more interesting when folks question long standing beliefs and practices forcing us to ask ourselves if what we are doing makes any sense. In the medical profession, a yearly physical examination was dogma. Now, even traditionalists have backed away from this ritual that had no underlying scientific data to support it. Yet, patients would present themselves to this annual event believing that this ‘check-up’ was an important health preserver.
 
Here were some medical routines that were never questioned.
  • Yearly ear drum examinations with the otoscope. Always exciting.
  • Palpation of the abdomen.
  • Listening to the lungs with a stethoscope.
  • Testing your reflexes. (Sure, this was fun, but did it help anyone?)
Keep in mind that I am referring to components of the physical exam that are performed on asymptomatic individuals who feel well. Obviously, listening to a patient’s lungs has more value if a patient has fever and a cough.
 
Yes, I recognize that there may be an intangible value in having a physician make physical contact with his patients, which some argue help to create a bond in the relationship. This may be true in part as patients have been taught to expect this from their doctors. Indeed, a ‘hands off’ physician may be construed by patients as being an inattentive or even an incompetent practitioner. 
 
Recently, the American College of Physicians issued a new guideline published in the Annals of Internal Medicine stating that routine pelvic examinations should not be performed. Why? Because there is no persuasive evidence that they do any good.
 
Sure, there will be pushback. In medicine and elsewhere, there is often resistance to change from those whose practices are being challenged.   Review the following complex table that I have prepared.
 
Procedure Under Review                Resistors
 
PSA                                                  Urologists
Mammograms                                   Radiologists
Colonoscopies                                   Gastroenterologists
Term Limits                                       Politicians
Tort Reform                                      Take a guess
 
If all of the elements of a routine check-up were subjected to scientific scrutiny, we might be shocked at how little of the exam remained. This might create an unintended benefit. It would free up time that we physicians could use to talk more with our patients. So far, no scientific study has deemed this to be a waste of time.  
Share This Article
Facebook Copy Link Print
Share

Stay Connected

1.5kFollowersLike
4.5kFollowersFollow
2.8kFollowersPin
136kSubscribersSubscribe

Latest News

Clinical Expertise
Building Smarter Care Teams: Aligning Roles, Structure, and Clinical Expertise
Health care
May 18, 2025
Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
Grounded Healing: A Natural Ally for Sustainable Healthcare Systems
Health
May 15, 2025
Learn how to Renew your Medical Card in West Virginia
Learn how to Renew your Medical Card in West Virginia
Health
May 15, 2025
Dr. Klaus Rentrop Shares Acute Myocardial Infarction heart treatment
Dr. Klaus Rentrop Shares Acute Myocardial Infarction
Cardiology
May 13, 2025

You Might also Like

The RUC, Health Care Finance’s Star Chamber, Remains Untouchable

February 4, 2013
Men vs. Women
Hospital AdministrationPolicy & Law

Does Decreased Length of Hospital Stay Equal Lower Cost?

April 10, 2013

Physically and Socially Active Adults Less Chance of Being Disabled in Elder Years

March 31, 2011
varicose veins treatments
Health

Choosing the Right Treatment Option for Varicose Veins

May 2, 2023
Subscribe
Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!
Follow US
© 2008-2025 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Username or Email Address
Password

Lost your password?