The most important questions you should always ask your doctor
You know that old saying — it’s better to be safe than sorry?
Well, it often turns out to be wrong. Especially when you’re talking about unnecessary medical testing.
In that case, being too safe can actually make you very sorry.
A new study examining dozens of medical tests that the researchers said provide “little value to patients,” uncovered what would be called a major scam in any other industry.
And the better your insurance coverage, and the lower your deductible, the more likely it is that you’ll be a victim.
Say you’ve been having headaches, or maybe your back is really bothering you.
Having that imaging test seems like it can’t hurt, right? Or maybe your doctor decides to give you a spinal injection for that nagging lower back pain.
Well, researchers from Brigham and Women’s Hospital and UCLA have taken a look at 28 of the most commonly prescribed tests. And head and back scans, hormone tests for thyroid issues, and those spinal shots, made it to the top of the list in this study aptly named, “Less is More.”
Excessive and pointless testing not only costs an arm and a leg, but can expose you to unnecessary radiation, and, as Dr. John Santa, former Consumer Reports medical director points out, can often give false positive results. And those in turn can lead to a “spiral of unneeded invasive procedures, medications and even surgeries.”
So why do doctors order all these tests?
Dr. Jane Oriert, head of the Association of American Physicians and Surgeons said that while “it’s terrible,” doctors get paid for “following insurance company recommendations.”
And often, those recommendations come from committees who may have “conflicts of interest” in what they propose.
There’s also the fact that medical schools don’t teach doctors how to interpret studies that would show the real “risks and rewards” for all these tests and procedures, she said.
Now, certainly there are lots of valid reasons why your doctor might want you to have tests done. And while the researchers in this new study didn’t give any advice on how to steer clear of these “low value” procedures, there are ways to weed out the ones you don’t need.
And that starts with asking your doctor these four questions:
- How reliable and accurate is this test?
- What if I do nothing? Could this condition improve on its own?
- What alternative tests are available? CT scans and X-rays will exposure you to radiation, and while it’s a small amount, the risk involved accumulates with each one you take.
- For blood work, ask how many vials are required and why. Your doctor should have a valid reason for each blood test being ordered.
Finally, there are two tests that, in my opinion, are in a low-value league of their own.
Those are the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) test for guys, and the DXA bone scan for women.
As I’ve told you for years, the PSA test is notorious for giving false positives. And that can mean more than just a little inconvenience, as it can lead you right into more unnecessary testing and even surgery.
As for the DXA scan, it’s one of the most useless and unreliable medical screenings there is.
It gives highly inconsistent results, and more often than not serves as a “gateway test” that will land you with an Rx in your hand for some of the most dangerous meds out there.
Just remember, you’re the CEO of your body. And you have the right to ask questions and get answers before you allow anything to be done to it.
Sources:
“Are you getting medical tests you don’t need? Perhaps, says study” Susan Scutti, CNN, cnn.com
