Tuesday, January 14, 2014

Unnecessary Procedures

Sometimes it’s terrible to undergo certain tests, whether or not said tests are diagnostic imaging related. When tests are performed and they are unnecessary it will put the patient through unnecessary stress. This is the kind of situation that puts a person in dangerous territory and it also may serve as an insight to either a lack of ethical employment or confidence on the part of a physician.

As a way to combat this particular situation there is a new set of lists being released by medical societies. The lists, totaling 30 in number, covers commonly ordered but sometimes unnecessary procedures. Not all procedures are necessarily dangerous procedures but still there may be some danger in them because some physicians will over-use them.

This is a campaign that’s very positive as far as procedural medicine is concerned. It’s important to know how to avoid certain procedures. This set of lists may not necessarily be well received by everyone. It was stated that “The lists address an ongoing conversation around waste and unnecessary testing in the U.S. health care system and were developed by specialty societies using current clinical evidence.”

This set of lists takes the price factor out of the equation. It doesn't matter if it’s a cheap test or an expensive test, it does matter if it’s something that’s truly necessary. When you think of the levels of radiation in a given procedure and how they affect a patient when repeated too often, you got something else altogether.

It’s important that these lists be followed for a number of reasons. In the end it is vital that the lists be followed for the well being of the patient, as intended.

If you have any questions about diagnostic imaging procedures please feel free to give us a call. We here at Clermont Radiology look forward to answering any questions you may have.


Charla Hurst
General Operations Manager

Charla@ClermontRadiology.com  
352-241-6100 



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