The Right Care

Not only do Americans not always get the right care, sometimes we get too much of it. Not all medical procedures are created equal, and sometimes they can hurt us. ShopSmart, a national magazine from the creators of Consumer Reports, encourage readers to use data, including AF4Q public reports, whenever possible to make empowered decisions.

“Data are scarce, but we were able to get info from three states: Massachusetts, Minnesota, and Wisconsin. In Minnesota, for example, the percentage of women 21 to 64 years old who underwent cervical-cancer screenings ranged from 33 percent to 100 percent, depending on the medical group. (If you live in one of those states, you can look up how the practices compare. In Massachusetts, check mhqp.org; in Minnesota, mnhealthscores.org; in Wisconsin, wchq.org).”

The article discusses ways to share decision-making power with your medical provider, five test to reconsider, and tips to politely decline a doctor recommended exam.

Read the entire article in the April edition of ShopSmart. There, is also a great deal of work in this area being done by programs like Choosing Wisely.