In this past blog post (April 2012), one of many related to the overuse and misuse of medical testing and imaging, I introduced the new campaign between some medical groups and the organization Consumer Reports.
The initiative is moving along and an update is available in the current issue of JAMA (Journal of the American Medical Association). As I read about the patient education initiative, a collaboration between two physician groups with existing programs - the American College of Physicians and the American Board of Internal Medicine- and Consumer Reports, I was excited but also guarded.
I have found that the really good stuff - the headline grabbing stuff - that comes from Consumer Reports research - is only available for a fee - to subscribers. Imagine my delight to learn that this health information, including videos, is available to all of us - for free - check out the main website HERE.
The information, because it is endorsed by physician groups and builds on their own previously created materials, is peer reviewed. In other words, if a certain suggestion is made regarding low back pain - you can be assured that it comes from a qualified source.
You can read the JAMA up date here. If you want to go directly to the video that is discussed in the JAMA article - re: back pain and imaging (xray, etc) click here and if you want to see the tips for dealing with low back pain click here and go to the second page.
Remember - just because a test exists doesn't mean YOU need it. Secondly, not all tests are harmless and certainly none are free - even if they are free to you.
No comments:
Post a Comment