Physicians routinely order multiple tests to learn what might be wrong when a patient is not feeling well.
It is not uncommon for the results of that testing to lead to certain findings and/or diagnoses, and to a discussion between the patient and the physician regarding available treatment options.
There are occasions, however, where doctors order tests even though the patient might not be experiencing the symptoms that are recognized by the medical community as appropriate reasons for ordering those tests. For example, a nuclear imaging study is a test often used to assess whether a patient has adequate blood flow to his/her heart muscle. Ordering this test is appropriate where a patient is experiencing signs and symptoms suggesting a narrowing or blockage of a blood vessel within the heart; ordering this test is not appropriate, however, if a patient simply has risk factors for a blockage, but is not experiencing symptoms of a blockage. The problem with ordering unnecessary tests is that they can often lead to false or incidental findings, prompting further unnecessary medical procedures and/or interventions, along with potential complications of those procedures and/or interventions. A study from various veteran affair institutions illustrated this point:
The Study
The study focused on patients given nuclear stress tests – tests which can show when a portion of the heart muscle is not receiving sufficient oxygen to function in a healthy and normal fashion. There are specific protocols in place that state when these tests should be ordered, but the results of this study showed that there are many more of these tests being performed than are necessary.
Out of the tests examined in the survey, only 78% of the patients who underwent testing were found to have met the criteria to be an appropriate candidate for the test. This was a concern to the study’s authors because unnecessary nuclear medicine testing often led to further unnecessary medical procedures, such as stenting of heart vessels.
Patients who have are encouraged to undergo unnecessary testing may experience adverse health consequences from those tests, or from further unnecessary procedures following the testing. If you feel that you might have been encouraged to undergo an unnecessary test or medical procedure, please reach out to the experienced medical malpractice attorneys at CHH to learn more.
Source: Reuters, “More than money and lawsuits driver overtesting: study,” Andrew Seaman, June 11, 2013.
Failure to Diagnose + Misdiagnosis
