Dive Brief:
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Antibiotics for respiratory infections, opioids for chronic pain, aggressive treatments for patients with limited life expectancy, and dietary supplements are the most prescribed low-value interventions, according to an American College of Physicians (ACP) survey of 5,000 doctors published in Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Over reliance on these interventions runs counter to current clinical guidelines, but reflects physician tendencies to do something rather than “do nothing,” Dr. Amir Qaseem, vice president of clinical policy at ACP, said in statement published Tuesday.
- Physicians were asked to identify frequently used interventions they believed to be low value and their answers suggest awareness of the problem, Qaseem said.
Dive Insight:
Over reliance on low-value interventions continues despite the high costs. However, throughout the industry, efforts are being made to encourage providers to rely less on interventions that don’t work.
Around one-half of of antibiotic prescriptions for respiratory infection were inappropriate, according to an ACP review published in March. The consequences, such as antibiotic-resistant illnesses and adverse effects, cost $30 billion annually. The effects of the opioid epidemic have been well-documented. For example, misuse of prescription opioids have driven some to heroin and contributed to more than 28,000 deaths in 2014.
Over the past several years, the federal government has launched several initiatives aimed at reducing reliance on ineffective treatments. For instance, the CDC launched the “Get Smart” public information campaign on antibiotics and the FDA will hold prescription opioid makers to higher standards. Companies like Cigna have also launched initiatives aimed at reducing opioid prescribing.
Additionally, as value-based care programs place more financial risk on providers, they will be on the hook for negative outcomes. This could help to improve over reliance on low-value interventions.