By Andy Parsons, PT, DPT
In September 2014, the APTA in conjunction with American Board of Internal Medicine released "Five Things that PTs and Patients should Question" as part of the Choosing Wisely campaign. The campaign aims to increase consumer and clinician knowledge of different tests or interventions that may lack evidence, cause harm, or be wasteful. The goal is to provide care that is truly necessary. APTA was the first non-physician group to join the effort. More than 70 professional organizations have released lists to date. The APTA list is available here. The entire list is available here.
Perhaps most of the list is not surprising, but items were only considered, if their utilization was high enough to justify a need to change practice. This anniversary is a good time to reflect and ask yourself if your practice needs change. Have you modified your practice or clinic in response to choosing wisely?
Ultimately, as healthcare moves from volume-based payment to value-based payment, clinicians will need to reduce unwarranted treatments.
Evidence-based practice is not just about finding optimal intervention; it's about throwing out dated tools from you "toolbox" You need to know when to reach for a hammer not a wrench... Recently, @JeffMoorePT expressed it best on twitter when he said:
Image: "Toolbox" via Flickr by Florian Richter
** This information is not intended to replace the advice of a physician/ physical therapist. Andy Parsons, PT, DPT disclaims any liability for the decisions you make based on this information.