By using this site, you agree to the Privacy Policy and Terms of Use.
Accept
Health 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
    The 6 Most Common Injuries Resulting from Motorcycle Accidents
    January 30, 2023
    6 Essential Strategies for Improving Your Medical Practice
    January 25, 2023
    Staying Positive While Living with Mesothelioma
    January 24, 2023
    The Many Health Benefits of Being Outdoors
    January 17, 2023
  • 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
    Ultraprocessed Foods Lead to Chronic Illnesses
    April 18, 2011
    Cancer/Cell Phone Connection Challenged
    June 7, 2011
    States Ranked by Percent Obese Highlights Pervasive Negative Trend
    July 11, 2011
    Latest News
    Why Is a Referenced Based Pricing Tool Necessary?
    February 3, 2023
    Simplifying the Genetic Testing Process: How At-Home Kits are Changing the Game
    January 25, 2023
    9 Hospitals That Have Introduced Green Initiatives
    February 1, 2023
    Why a Health Retreat Can Be the Best Medicine
    January 12, 2023
  • Medical Innovations
  • News
  • Wellness
  • Tech
Search
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Reading: (Some) Docs Launch War on Overutilization
Share
Sign In
Notification Show More
Latest News
Why Is a Referenced Based Pricing Tool Necessary?
Health care
struggling with addiction
6 Signs Someone You Know Is Struggling With Addiction
Addiction Addiction Recovery
regrow teeth naturally
Advances in Stem Cell Research Can Help Regrow Teeth Naturally
Dental health
air pollution and cancer
The Proven Links Between Air Pollution and Cancer
News
investing in senior care
5 Reasons Why Investing in Senior Care Is a Wise Choice?
Senior Care
Aa
Health Works CollectiveHealth Works Collective
Aa
Search
Have an existing account? Sign In
Follow US
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
© 2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.
Health Works Collective > Business > Hospital Administration > (Some) Docs Launch War on Overutilization
BusinessDiagnosticsHospital AdministrationNewsPolicy & LawPublic Health

(Some) Docs Launch War on Overutilization

gooznews
Last updated: 2012/02/19 at 10:15 AM
gooznews
Share
3 Min Read
SHARE

(Reuters)–A leading group of U.S. doctors is trying to tackle the costly problem of excessive medical testing, hoping to avoid more government intervention in how they practice.

The American College of Physicians (ACP), the largest U.S. medical specialty group, is rolling out guidelines to help doctors better identify when patients should screen for specific diseases and when they can be spared the cost, and potentially invasive procedures that follow.

(Reuters)–A leading group of U.S. doctors is trying to tackle the costly problem of excessive medical testing, hoping to avoid more government intervention in how they practice.

The American College of Physicians (ACP), the largest U.S. medical specialty group, is rolling out guidelines to help doctors better identify when patients should screen for specific diseases and when they can be spared the cost, and potentially invasive procedures that follow.

More Read

green hospitals

9 Hospitals That Have Introduced Green Initiatives

Quitting Smoking: 6 Tips to Help You Kick the Habit
Why a Health Retreat Can Be the Best Medicine
Best Money-Saving Tips for Health Managers
Benefits of Buying Health Insurance for Your Adults

Many individual U.S. medical centers have launched their own efforts to build a protocol of patient care in fields such as diabetes or obstetrics, but the ACP effort has the potential to influence doctors nationally. ACP members include more than 132,000 physicians, mainly focused on internal medicine.

“Excessive testing costs $200 billion to $250 billion (per year),” Dr. Steven Weinberger, CEO of ACP said in an interview from his office in Philadelphia. “There’s an overuse of imaging studies, CT scans for lung disease, overuse of routine electrocardiograms and other cardiac tests such as stress testing.”

In an article published last month in the Annals of Internal Medicine, the ACP cited 37 clinical situations where screening did not promote health and might actually hurt patients.

They included performing coronary angiography – a procedure that uses a special contrast agent and X-rays to see inside the heart’s arteries – in patients with chronic, stable chest pain that is being controlled by drugs or who lack specific high-risk criteria on exercise testing.

“It’s medical gluttony,” said Dr. Otis Brawley, chief medical officer of the American Cancer Society.

“The ironic thing is that people are talking about rationing. We have got to think about the rational use of medicine in order to avoid rationing medicine,” he said.

For Weinberger, establishing guidelines on when to perform a range of diagnostic tests in order to cut waste out of the healthcare system is one of his top priorities at ACP.

He should enjoy broad-based support, as U.S. healthcare costs reached $2.6 trillion in 2010, contributing to a spiraling national deficit. That’s $8,086 per person, or 17.6 percent of the nation’s gross domestic product, government figures show.

Yet there certainly will be protests from some doctors who decry guidelines as undermining their judgment and the art of practicing medicine. Guidelines may also cut into their income. (To read more, click here.)

 

 

TAGGED: health reform, screenings

Sign Up For Daily Newsletter

Be keep up! Get the latest breaking news delivered straight to your inbox.
By signing up, you agree to our Terms of Use and acknowledge the data practices in our Privacy Policy. You may unsubscribe at any time.
gooznews February 19, 2012
Share this Article
Facebook Twitter Copy Link Print
Share
Previous Article Kick-starting Healthcare Innovation with TEDMED2012
Next Article Online Patient Communities Garner Interest at Social Media Week, Toronto

Stay Connected

1.5k Followers Like
4.5k Followers Follow
2.8k Followers Pin
136k Subscribers Subscribe

Latest News

Why Is a Referenced Based Pricing Tool Necessary?
Health care February 3, 2023
struggling with addiction
6 Signs Someone You Know Is Struggling With Addiction
Addiction Addiction Recovery February 2, 2023
regrow teeth naturally
Advances in Stem Cell Research Can Help Regrow Teeth Naturally
Dental health February 1, 2023
air pollution and cancer
The Proven Links Between Air Pollution and Cancer
News February 1, 2023

You Might also Like

Health care

Why Is a Referenced Based Pricing Tool Necessary?

February 3, 2023
air pollution and cancer
News

The Proven Links Between Air Pollution and Cancer

February 1, 2023
stablecoins in healthcare
News

Stablecoins May Change the Future of Healthcare Billing

January 30, 2023
at-home genetic testing method kits
Global Healthcare

Simplifying the Genetic Testing Process: How At-Home Kits are Changing the Game

January 25, 2023
//

We influence million of users and is the most authentic source of information on healthcare business and technology news.

Quick Links

  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy
Subscribe

Subscribe to our newsletter to get our newest articles instantly!

Follow US

© 2008-2023 HealthWorks Collective. All Rights Reserved.

Removed from reading list

Undo
Welcome Back!

Sign in to your account

Lost your password?