Title | Variation in medical practice: getting the balance right |
Publication Type | Published Journal Article |
2012 | |
Authors | Wallace E, Smith SM, Fahey T |
Journal | Fam Pract |
Volume | 29 |
Issue | 5 |
Pagination | 501-2 |
Date Published | 2012 Oct |
ISSN | 1460-2229 |
Workpackage | 1 |
Keywords | clinical practice, medical interventions, variation in medical practice |
Abstract | Contemporary clinical practice is characterized by its complexity as the volume and diversity of medical interventions, whether they are drugs, procedures or diagnostic tests, are increasing and threaten to overwhelm our capacity to deliver patient-centred care. Consider some statistics: the average American citizen can expect to undergo seven operations in their lifetime, 10% will undergo an MRI scan annually (three times higher than the rate in neighbouring Canada) and 50% of Medicare beneficiaries are prescribed five or more medications. In Ireland, one-fifth of the whole population aged over 70 years are taking long-term Proton Pump Inhibitor (PPI) therapy.1–3 |
URL | http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23008518 |
DOI | 10.1093/fampra/cms061 |
Alternate Journal | Fam Pract |
PubMed ID | 23008518 |