FROM THE REGISTRAR’S DESK
I
would also like to bring your
attention to an interview that we
have in this issue with Dr. Wendy
Levinson about an important campaign that she is leading. Choosing
Wisely Canada is an initiative to
reduce unnecessary, possibly even
harmful, over-testing and overtreating.
This initiative, which is modelled
on a U.S. campaign, is an attempt
to change the culture of “more is
better” and get patients and doctors
talking about overuse and harm.
The Canadian Medical Association
has already welcomed a number of
medical societies to the campaign.
Each society has come up with
a list of five tests, treatments or procedures in their own disciplines for
which there is excellent evidence of
overuse, and harm.
“High quality patient care is doing
the right thing for people and not
doing something which might be
unnecessary or harmful,” says Dr.
Levinson. For example, she points
out that unnecessary drugs can
cause side effects and unnecessary
tests can lead to more tests with
false positives.
She makes the point that this is not
an attempt to ration health care.
“Specifically because it is not a costcutting measure but rather a good
care exercise that it’s been so well
received,” she said. “It’s good for
everyone – good for doctors who
don’t want to order unnecessary
things but often have pressure to
do so. It’s good for patients because
it improves the quality of care. If
it does end up saving costs, that’s
good too.”
This is a smart, much-needed
initiative to kickstart important
conversations. It is certainly an
initiative that our Council and our
committees support. I applaud
Dr. Levinson for spearheading the
campaign and I congratulate all of
you for working so hard to make it
a success.
We welcome your feedback on
any issue raised in Dialogue.
Please send your comments by email to Dialogue’s
Managing Editor at [email protected], or send your
letters to:
Managing Editor, Dialogue
College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario
80 College Street, Toronto, ON M5G 2E2
Fax: (416) 961-8035
We reserve the right to edit letters for length and clarity.
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DIALOGUE • Issue 1, 2014