Physicians may know that ordering unnecessary tests can be potentially harmful to patients, but that's not enough to stop them from doing it, according to a new survey. Progress is being made, researchers say, but old habits are hard to break.
In a phone survey of more than 600 physicians, 73% said the frequency with which physicians order unnecessary tests and procedures was either a “very serious” or “somewhat serious” problem, but 53% said they would still order an unnecessary medical test or procedure if the patient insisted. Nearly half of the physicians surveyed said they have at least one patient per week request a test or procedure the physician knows is not necessary.
“Doctor-patient interaction is a negotiation,” said Dr. Richard Baron, president and CEO of the American Board of Internal Medicine Foundation, which released the survey Thursday as part of its Choosing Wisely campaign. Launched in 2012, the campaign is a collaborative effort among various specialty societies to create best-practice lists that can help physicians and patients reduce overuse of healthcare services.