When Less Is More

Medically indicated or unnecessary procedure? This is the fine line our Board Certified Physicians and Registered Nurse Case Managers walk each and everyday as part of a nationwide utilization review effort.

A group of state medical societies just issued a report on overused tests and medical procedures to question. This report is entitled the Choosing Wisely campaign and was reported on by USA Today on February 21, 2013. Christine Cassel who represents the American Board of Internal Medicine has it right when the article quotes her as saying “unnecessary tests, surgeries and drugs drive up healthcare costs and, in some cases, actually harm patients”.

For instance, half of all adolescents who visit ERs with head injuries (including minor accidents) receive CT scans. The cost is one huge factor, but this report also asks the physician to consider the potential radiation cancer risk that can come from multiple exposures, especially in children.

OMCA’s clinical staff applies nationally accepted standards of evidenced based medicine to each proposed procedure or test. This assures that only those services that are medically indicated are approved.

Choosing Wisely is a great name for this campaign. These medical societies are doing better.

Choose Wisely — Choose OMCA

Call Us. We can do better.

William Faris, JD
Chief Executive Officer
502-495-5040
william.faris@omca.biz
www.omca.biz

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