DataBrief: Findings frm a Natinal Survey f Physicians Evidence has lng shwn that much f the health care delivered in the United States may prvide little benefit t patients. Experts have reprted that up t 30 percent f U.S. health care spending is duplicative r unnecessary and research shws that certain tests, prcedures, dctr visits, hspital stays and ther services may nt be necessary and culd cause harm. Since its launch in 2012, the Chsing Wisely campaign has led effrts t imprve cmmunicatin between patients and clinicians t reduce unnecessary tests and treatments in health care. T date, 76 medical specialty grups have identified 495 tests, treatments r prcedures that are cmmn t their specialty, but may ffer negligible benefit. Chsing Wisely encurages and enhances clinician and patient cnversatins abut what care is really needed fr a given cnditin. Physicians, in particular, play critical leadership rles in prmting and managing the delivery and use f health care resurces. Sme physicians say they struggle t have cnversatins abut apprpriate tests and treatments with their patients. Many say they prescribe tests and treatments that may nt be necessary, but d it t cver their bases. In additin, patients ften request unnecessary care. Sme physicians say they dn t always have enugh time with patients fr these imprtant cnversatins. Since Chsing Wisely s launch in 2012, resurces have primarily been used t supprt lcal grantees wrking t reduce veruse based n specific Chsing Wisely recmmendatins. Relatively few resurces have been spent n increasing natinal awareness f Chsing Wisely. Implementatin effrts have ccurred in a variety f clinical settings, mstly in health systems where frntline clinicians with leadership supprt have driven lcal effrts. The survey results highlight and reinfrce the challenges f reaching int typical clinical practices that are verwhelmed with demands. Nevertheless and despite massive changes in the U.S. health care system that attracted glbal attentin physician awareness f Chsing Wisely and the tpic f veruse f medical tests and prcedures has held steady. 1
Key Findings frm 2017 Survey f Physicians 40% f physicians 46% f primary care dctrs are aware f the Chsing Wisely campaign. Is the Chsing Wisely campaign smething yu have seen r heard abut? Have yu seen Chsing Wisely materials? (% yes) Aided recall 40% 46% 48% 50% Ttal PCP/Internal Medicine Wmen Multi-speciality practice Have yu seen Chsing Wisely Materials? 93% f primary care physicians and 85% f all physicians wh have seen Chsing Wisely materials say they help physicians talk t patients abut unnecessary tests and prcedures. 2
D yu feel Chsing Wisely is valuable r nt valuable in helping physicians talk t patients abut unnecessary tests and prcedures? Nt t valuable (6%) Nt at all valuable (1%) Smewhat valuable (43%) Very valuable (49%) Physicians wh have seen Chsing Wisely materials are 14 pints mre likely t say it has gtten easier ver the past few years t talk t patients abut aviding unnecessary care. Over the last few years, has it gtten easier r harder t talk t patients abut why they shuld avid a test r prcedure? (% Easier) 35% 21% Seen CW materials Have nt 59% f physicians wh have seen Chsing Wisely materials say they have reduced the number f times they recmmended a test r prcedure in the last 12 mnths because they learned it was unnecessary. 3
Respndents wh have nt seen the campaign s materials are 16 pints less likely t say they have reduced unnecessary care. In the past 12 mnths, have yu reduced the number f times yu recmmended a test r prcedure because yu learned it was unnecessary? Yes, have reduced N, has nt happened 59% 40% 43% 52% Seen CW Materials Have nt seen materials 4
Other Findings f Nte frm 2017 Survey 87% f physicians wh have seen Chsing Wisely materials say they ve heard f evidence abut when t rder tests (r nt) in the last 12 mnths cmpared t 59% f thse wh have nt seen materials. 69% f physicians say the average physician prescribes an unnecessary test r prcedure at least nce a week. 77% f physicians say the frequency f unnecessary tests and prcedures is a serius prblem. 63% f physicians think physicians are in the best psitin t help address the prblem f unnecessary tests and prcedures. 92% f physicians think they have at least sme respnsibility fr making sure patients avid unnecessary tests and prcedures. Nearly half f physicians (45%) wuld refuse t rder a test fr a patient wh was insistent abut needing a specific test the dctr knew was unnecessary. Reasns physicians smetimes rder an unnecessary test r prcedure include: Percentage f physicians saying majr r Reasn minr reasn fr rdering unnecessary test r prcedure Cncern abut malpractice issues 86% Wanting mre infrmatin t reassure yurself 83% Just t be safe 76% Patients insisting n the test r prcedure 73% Wanting t keep patients happy 71% Feeling patients shuld be able t make the final decisin 55% Nt enugh time with the patient fr meaningful discussin 48% Having new technlgy in yur practice 32% Fee-fr-service system f payment 31% 83% f physicians always r almst always talk t patients abut why they shuld nt have a test r prcedure, when they ask fr smething the physician feels is unnecessary. 90% f physicians say that when they talk t patients abut unnecessary tests r prcedures, patients fllw their advice and avid the test/prcedure at least half the time. 27% f physicians wh have seen Chsing Wisely materials say they will talk t patients mre ften in the next 12 mnths abut unnecessary care cmpared t 19% f physicians wh have nt seen materials. Methdlgy The survey was cnducted by telephne in March and April 2017 by PerryUndem Research/Cmmunicatin n behalf f the ABIM Fundatin. A ttal f 601 physicians natinwide were 5
surveyed (360 primary care physicians and 241 specialists). The margin f sampling errr verall fr physicians is +/- 4.0 percentage pints. # # # 6