Stop 'over-treating' patients - Medical group urges

onnaedo

May 15, 2015 2:19 PM

The group which published the warning in the British Medical Journal suggested some patients are given pills or have tests they do not need by doctors who feel under pressure to act.

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The Academy of Medical Royal Colleges (AoMRC) has urged medical doctors to stop over-treating patients.

According to BBC, the group has launched a major campaign to stop medics "over-treating" their patients in ways that do not help and could even harm them.

The group which published the warning in the British Medical Journal suggested some patients are given pills or have tests they do not need by doctors who feel under pressure to act.

They further added that there is growing evidence that pressure for doctors to "do something" at each consultation has led to patients sometimes receiving treatments that are of little or no value.

They argued that patients should feel able to discuss whether there are simpler, safer options that are right for them, without necessarily resorting to medication.

According to Prof Dame Sue Bailey, a leading psychiatrist and chair of the AoMRC, many patients with mild depression could instead be offered group exercise classes or talking therapies first, while frequent blood tests can be particularly distressing for elderly people with frail skin.

She also argues that for some patients with mildly elevated blood pressure, changing their lifestyle might be the most appropriate initial option.

The campaign is already reportedly under way in Canada and the United States.

onnaedo