3 ms·
Exactly this. Unnecessary imaging needs to unnecessary follow-up evaluations like biopsies which in turn have additional complications. When I was in med schoo
by phren0logy 15y ago
Exactly this. Unnecessary imaging needs to unnecessary follow-up evaluations like biopsies which in turn have additional complications.
When I was in med school we spent a lot of time in a hospital providing indigent care. We ordered tests that we needed to determine how to treat someone, but not more than that. When I worked in a private hospital, most patients got lab tests done daily, with no specific reason for ordering them.
- rdl 15y agoI'd be willing to buy that imaging is sometimes underused with some patient populations, and sometimes overused -- just like medications, even painkillers, which are dramatically overprescribed in some places (old people, Florida, pill mills for diversion) and underprescribed for others (some chronic pain patients, terminal care).
- jongraehl 15y agoI don't doubt your experience. Now, what if imaging were free ... wouldn't the solution be to use it all the time but fix the tendency to over-treat harmless irregularities/growths, rather than using it selectively? Or is fear-of-malpractice preventing this?