Justice

Health care is a right, not a PRIVILEGE.

But in order to provide the right care for all, we must be careful how we use our resources. No one would ever call antibiotic stewardship a form of rationing. We understand implicitly that using antibiotics that are not indicated simply encourage resistance to develop making them less effective. Similarly, indiscriminate use of high tech diagnostic tests simply clog the system so that patients who really need those services cannot get them. Our patients, however, have been conditioned to think that more is better. And many of our colleagues would rather meet the unreasonable expectations of these patients than to take the time to help them understand the ineffectiveness and waste of abusing this technology. Sometimes the best medicine is saying, “no”. After completing the attached reading and assignment, feel free to peruse this collection of “Choosing Wisely” lists. “Choosing Wisely” is an initiative of the American Board of Internal Medicine Foundation and now includes dozens of medical societies making evidence based suggestions about what to do and, more importantly, what NOT to do for patients.