Once in awhile I hear from a patient empowerment site visitor who takes umbrage with something I have written in an article. This week I heard from a physician's assistant who felt I was misleading readers. It concluded with "I must say that until you practice medicine, you should not comment too much on it."
Hmmm....
His problem was with this article, Why Does My Doctor Send Me for So Many Medical Tests? Somehow he thought I was missing the boat.
So I replied to him, asking him - if I am wrong, why DO doctors insist their patients undergo so many medical tests?"
His emails contained three reasons:
1. Doctors get paid when they run the tests themselves (OK, that's what my article said.)
2. Doctors order tests because they practice defensive medicine (OK, my article also said that, too.)
3. And - this one was new - because doctors rely too much on tests to diagnose instead of using their own sense and training. (OK - he's right - I hadn't included that one.)
So the article has been updated and this would be a good time to make yourself familiar with overtesting and your doctor's incentives. It will also help you know how to fend off the extras to protect your health - and your wallet, too.
Learn more about following the money to explain problems with your healthcare.
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