In medical care, sometimes less is more.
A coalition of 25 medical societies today releases its latest list of overused tests and procedures to question, if not avoid.
Unnecessary tests, surgeries and drugs drive up health care costs and, in some cases, actually harm patients, says Christine Cassel, president and CEO of the ABIM (American Board of Internal Medicine) Foundation.
The campaign, called Choosing Wisely, released its first set of recommendations last year, with nine medical groups on board; 16 additional medical societies have since joined. Recommendations, which include advice on obstetrics and pediatrics for the first time, include:
Obstetrics. Don't induce labor or perform a C-section before the 39th week of pregnancy, unless medically necessary. A typical pregnancy is 40 weeks. Babies born before 39 weeks have higher risks of learning disabilities and respiratory problems. The March of Dimes' Diane Ashton, who isn't involved in the new campaign, notes that a baby's brain undergoes significant development in the last few weeks of pregnancy.
Obstetrics. Between weeks 39 and 41 of pregnancy, don't induce labor before the cervix is ready, unless it's medically necessary. Trying to induce labor before the cervix has thinned and softened naturally could lead to longer delivery times and an increased risk of C-sections, says Hal Lawrence, executive vice president of the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, a member of the campaign.
Pediatrics. Don't perform a CT scan for every minor head injury in children. Half of children who visit the ER with a head injury now have CT scans, which expose them to radiation that can increase their future risk of cancer.
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