5 questions on whether medical care is needed

Wendy Levinson. MD, says more is not necessarily better when it comes to medical care. She is shown in an interview with Upstate's "HealthLink on Air" podcast/radio show. (photo by Jim Howe)

Wendy Levinson, MD, a professor from the University of Toronto, lectured at Upstate in late 2019 about a global initiative to reduce unnecessary medical care.

She says up to 30 percent of tests and procedures do not help patients and may even be harmful – in America and in many other countries, too.

The Choosing Wisely initiative, launched by the American Board of Internal Medicine, encourages patients to make shared decisions with their physicians or caregivers. Levinson, who chairs the initiative's Canadian version, suggests patients discuss these questions with their health care provider whenever a test or treatment is recommended:

1. Do I really need this test or treatment?

2. What are its downsides?

3. Are there simple, safe alternatives?

4. What happens if I don’t have this test or treatment?

5. How much will it cost?  

Click here for a podcast interview with Upstate's "HealthLink on Air" where Levinson discusses Choosing Wisely and what it means for pattents.

This article is from the winter 2020 issue of Upstate Health magazine.