Rational test ordering in family medicine

Simon Morgan; Mieke van Driel; Justin Coleman; Parker Magin

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Another source of unnecessary tests
Edward S. Weiss

Published on: 22 June 2015

Published on: (22 June 2015)
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Another source of unnecessary tests
Edward S. Weiss, Family Physician
I applaud Morgan et al. for their exploration of unnecessary testing in family practice. Although I generally try to minimize unnecessary investigations in my own practice, there are often circumstances in which I am faced with excessive testing ordered by other physicians. One particular bane of my existence as a family physician is the so-called "executive physical," in which patients attend private medical clinics to...
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I applaud Morgan et al. for their exploration of unnecessary testing in family practice. Although I generally try to minimize unnecessary investigations in my own practice, there are often circumstances in which I am faced with excessive testing ordered by other physicians. One particular bane of my existence as a family physician is the so-called "executive physical," in which patients attend private medical clinics to undergo a battery of (mostly unnecessary) diagnostic investigations, often on a yearly basis, and often paid for by their employers in order to further "preventative medicine" and "corporate wellness." Despite significant evidence suggesting otherwise, these patients are given routine exercise stress tests, echocardiography, and blood tests which add little, if any, prognostic value, and often end up being referred for further investigations based on incidentally discovered abnormalities. I would kindly implore those physicians involved in providing such assessments to carefully consider whether their patients are actually benefiting from such a surplus of investigations, or whether their efforts (and their clients' money) might be better spent on more effective and evidence-based practices.
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Competing Interests: None declared.