Reducing harm from overuse of healthcare

Abstract

Reducing overuse and waste in healthcare has been identified as an essential part of providing high quality care for health systems globally. 1 Unnecessary tests, treatments, and procedures can have serious implications for individual patients, healthcare systems, and the planet. Individuals can be directly harmed through, for example, diagnostic and testing cascades that can cause side effects and lead to substantial anxiety for patients, caregivers, and families. Unnecessary medication can lead to drug interactions, and overprescribing is a driver of public health crises such as antimicrobial resistance 2 and the prescription opioid abuse epidemic. 3

A risk based model for managing conflicts of interest in clinical guidelines can’t fix a broken system

“…We therefore promote the medicalisation of life over tackling the social determinants of health, such as education, housing, and fair employment. The overuse of healthcare cannot be denied 2. This matter may not be linked predominantly to financial interest but to personal experiences and beliefs, as illustrated by the prostate cancer treatment bazaar 3…”

Building clinical pathways of the future that improve safety and reduce waste in healthcare

“…Inefficiency in the diagnostic process also creates a waste of finite medical resources, which is not only a problem for health care itself but also for communities and the environment. 1 For instance, reducing medical waste has been identified as a key priority for reducing the climate impact of healthcare operations. 2 Thus, the pursuit of diagnostic excellence can serve multiple goals of reducing errors related to missed, delayed, and wrong diagnoses as well as optimizing the use of resources in health care.…”

“…Overuse of diagnostic testing can lead to iatrogenic harm, an excess financial burden to patients, and delays in diagnosis and treatment. Inefficiency in the diagnostic process also creates a waste of finite medical resources, which is not only a problem for health care itself but also for communities and the environment 1 . For instance, reducing medical waste has been identified as a key priority for reducing the climate impact of healthcare operations 2 .…”