BoatBanter.com - View Single Post

Peter (Yes, that one)

In article ,
says...

On Sat, 17 Apr 2010 15:22:20 -0500, "Peter (Yes, that one)"
wrote:

You have not defined "defensive medicine."
Whenever I hear that phrase used I wonder what it means.
"Unnecessary tests" is often used in conjunction with "defensive
medicine."

An example of defensive medicine is when the doctor gives someone an
MRI when there is really nothing in their diagnosis that justifies an
MRI but the doctor is afraid if anything ever did go south he would
have to defend that decision.
I had that happen to me.

"Really nothing in their diagnosis" would get an objection from your
doctor. And I'm sure he gave you his reasoning for the MRI.
What you have said doesn't make sense.
If you had an ailment for which an MRI did not make sense, an honest
doctor would not have it done.
If he ordered a Pap smear for you, you would have a case.
Not saying you are playing doctor here. Just standard politics.
Personally, I usually follow my doctor's advice, though not always.
Many doctors think there is a drug to cure everything.
But I have had a "useless" MRI. Didn't mean it was a test not indicated
by my ailment, and by eliminating internal causes we found out the real
cause.
By the way, though doctoring is part art, there are plenty of diagnostic
road maps used to determine what tests should be performed.
That is why "unnecessary tests" would be easy to identify - if they
existed.
Of course there are USPSTF guidelines for testing.
Remember the recent furor over that agency not recommending mammograms
for women under 40?
Too much cost and only so many lives saved. Right.
Remember "Nothing should come between doctor and patient?"
Remember "Death panels?"
A good doctor is not stingy with testing.
If I want "take an aspirin, and get some sleep" advice, I need not see a
doctor for that.

Peter