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Health care waste – Is it unethical?

Jan 6, 2012 | Posted by Susan | 7 comments
If your doctor calls for an MRI when an x-ray would be just as good, is that a question of medical justification, or is it a matter of ethics? A new ethics manual from the American College of Physicians (ACP) says doctors have a moral obligation to consider cost when they diagnose and treat us. Here’s an excerpt: "Physicians have a responsibility to practice effective and efficient health care, and to use health care resources responsibly. Parsimonious care that utilizes the most efficient means to effectively diagnose a condition and treat a patient respects the need to use resources wisely and to help ensure that resources are equitably available." Some people are nervous ...


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JC commented on Health care waste – Is it unethical?

interesting article...PLEASE READ...do you think it is correct? http://benbrownmd.wordpress.com/

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Susan says: Thanks for sharing that article, JC. The relatively low pay for family doctors is one of the reasons we have so many specialists. And the Dartmouth Atlas of Health Care has tied thathigher health costs in the US. But what I was writing about has more to do with whether or not physicians know - or should know- about the cost of care they prescribe. This is especially when it comes to relative effectiveness of a given treatment. Personally, I've been prescribed an antibiotic that cost over $100, and my doctor had no idea of the cost. What was really annoying is that high-priced med didn't work, but the $7 medicine did work. That was money out of my pocket. Wish we had tried the lower-cost one first.
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jon commented on Health care waste – Is it unethical?

more things to blame physicians for without, while in the meantime giving no incentive to provide better care (and lots of incentive to provide worse care). One answer the doctor need to order the more expensive test is for malpractice. Also the government is trying to decrease reimbursements which forces doctors to see more patients faster so they will just order unnecessary tests. And the consumer has no incentive to take a lesser test either so why would they. Its poor placement of incentives really...

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jon says: sorry I cant edit...meant to say... More things to blame doctors for without giving them proper incentive to do things differently
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Susan says: Jon - you are right, doctors are facing a squeeze-play, especially with federal reimbursement. Hopefully the many pilot programs out there to pay for more coordinated, whole-person care (like the accountable care organizations), rather than by procedures, will make doctors and patients both happier.
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savvy consumer commented on Health care waste – Is it unethical?

what a concept - keep health care affordable. I've heard it said that the doctor's pen is the most expensive piece of medical equipment, because they write the prescriptions.

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killroy71 commented on Health care waste – Is it unethical?

wow, that Institute of Medicine graphic is pretty shocking. Really shows where the waste is.

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