Physicians think colleagues order unnecessary tests

Three out of four physicians believe that fellow practitioners prescribe an unnecessary test or procedure at least once a week, according to a survey released last week. The most frequent reasons that physicians order extraneous—and costly—medical care are fears of being sued, the desire to be extra careful, and reassurance that their assessments of patients are accurate.

The survey was commissioned for Choosing Wisely, a two-year old campaign devised by a foundation created by internal medicine physicians to reduce overused tests and procedures. By some estimates, unnecessary medical care may account for a third of the $2.8 trillion the country spends on healthcare each year.

Source: NPR