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
    healthcare cybersecurity
    4 Helpful Tips on How to Protect Your Medical Practice Against Cyber Attacks
    October 24, 2021
    Health Check Diagnosis Medical Condition Analysis Concept
    6 Health Woes With Online Remedies
    January 19, 2022
    Eight Things Men Should Know About the Male Menopause
    Eight Things Men Should Know About the Male Menopause
    April 24, 2022
    Latest News
    Beyond Nutrition: Everyday Foods That Support Whole-Body Health
    June 15, 2025
    The Wide-Ranging Benefits of Magnesium Supplements
    June 11, 2025
    The Best Home Remedies for Migraines
    June 5, 2025
    The Hidden Impact Of Stress On Your Body’s Alignment And Balance
    May 22, 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
    healthy nursing school habits
    Healthy Habits for Nursing Student Nursing School Students
    May 24, 2024
    High Deductables
    High-Deductible Insurance and Rising Bad Debt
    July 24, 2015
    How People Are Taking Advantage of Health Deals in the Recent Recession
    February 5, 2021
    Latest News
    Top HIPAA-Compliant Messaging Apps for Healthcare Teams
    June 25, 2025
    When Healthcare Ends, the Legal Process Begins: What Families Should Know About Probate and Medical Estates
    June 20, 2025
    Preventing Contamination In Healthcare Facilities Starts With Hygiene
    June 15, 2025
    Strengthening Healthcare Systems Through Clinical and Administrative Career Development
    June 13, 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

women dental care
What Is a Smile Makeover and How Much Does It Cost?
Dental health
June 30, 2025
HIPAA-Compliant Messaging Apps
Top HIPAA-Compliant Messaging Apps for Healthcare Teams
Global Healthcare Policy & Law Technology
June 25, 2025
recovering from injury
Rebuilding After Injury: Path to Physical and Emotional Recovery
News
June 22, 2025
scientist using microscope
When Healthcare Ends, the Legal Process Begins: What Families Should Know About Probate and Medical Estates
Global Healthcare
June 18, 2025

You Might also Like

americans with healthy behaviors
GeriatricsPublic HealthWellness

Aging Gracefully, Part 2: Slowing the Aging Process

January 8, 2015
Processed with VSCOcam with acg preset
BusinessHealth ReformNewsPolicy & Law

All Payor Claims Databases: ERISA Pre-emption and the Tragedy of the Commons

March 8, 2016

The Massachusetts Experiment Analyzed: Are We Ready for Global Payments?

June 25, 2011
Health Reform

Shared Care Plans and Utilization Management

February 24, 2016
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?