Are physicians over-testing patients? New research explores the repercussions
It’s common practice by providers to get CT scans and perform procedures with every hint of disease in a patient, even if such conditions don’t appear to be that serious.
But two doctors in a new Washington Post article challenge that notion, making the argument that providers often over-test, which eventually can lead to unnecessary invasive treatments.
Over-testing has been on the rise since CT technology has improved. Physicians are now able to see tumors, orthopedic tears and heart irregularities, and following up on those findings has become expected, regardless of how little they are.
Stella Kang, MD, and Arthur Caplan, MD, both researchers at New York University, published a study yesterday in the Journal of the American College of Radiology that discusses these issues and provides recommendations for providers.
To read more about their study, click the link below:
Senior Writer
As a Senior Writer for TriMed Media Group, Katherine primarily focuses on producing news stories, Q&As and features for Cardiovascular Business. She reports on several facets of the cardiology industry, including emerging technology, new clinical trials and findings, and quality initiatives among providers. She is based out of TriMed's Chicago office and holds a bachelor's degree in journalism from Columbia College Chicago. Her work has appeared in Modern Healthcare, Crain's Chicago Business and The Detroit News. She joined TriMed in 2016.