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The Endocrine Society and the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists have released a list of 5 unnecessary tests and procedures as part of the Choosing Wisely project.
What happens when American healthcare provider organizations representing more than one million providers work together to identify poor medical practices that could be easily remedied? The Chicago-based ABIM Foundation has worked with dozens of professional organizations and Consumer Reports on a project called Choosing Wisely to do just that.
The result is lists of Things Physicians and Providers Should Question and Patient-Friendly Resources from Specialty Societies and Consumer Reports. These documents are designed to stimulate conversations to improve care and eliminate unnecessary tests and procedures.
Each list includes specific, evidence-based recommendations that providers and patients should discuss to determine each individual patient’s most appropriate care. The lists cover unnecessary tests, procedures, and drugs. They also describe methodology used.
The list developed by the Endocrine Society and American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists includes 5 points:
Choosing Wisely reminds its audience that recommendations should not be used to establish coverage decisions or exclusions. The recommendations are guidelines to determine an appropriate treatment plan with input from the patient and the healthcare team.
Endocrinologists will find the large assortment of patient handouts helpful for those situations where patients think they know what they want or need.