Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
When 'Do No Harm' Doesn't Include Costs: Hundreds Of Thousands Of Patients Getting Unnecessary Medical Care
“Little things add up,” said Susie Dade, the author of a new report looking at unnecessary medical care. “It’s easy for a single doctor and patient to say, ‘Why not do this test? What difference does it make?’”
ProPublica: Unnecessary Medical Care Is More Common Than You Think
It’s one of the intractable financial boondoggles of the U.S. health care system: Lots and lots of patients get lots and lots of tests and procedures that they don’t need. Women still get annual cervical cancer testing even when it’s recommended every three to five years for most women. Healthy patients are subjected to slates of unnecessary lab work before elective procedures. Doctors routinely order annual electrocardiograms and other heart tests for people who don’t need them. (Allen, 2/1)
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