With tests and scans providing a scientific basis for medical practice, they should only be used as an aid to diagnosis by doctors
· · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · ·.-.·
Today, outpatient testing has tripled in the last 10 years; in fact, laboratory tests, X-rays and scans now account for over 25 per cent of hospital .bills.
If you undergo enough tests, there is a mathematical certainty that they will show something wrong with you. Many cynics call these abnormalities 'incidentalomas', and these can often result in unnecessary surgery as well.
A problem with all medical tests, no matter how well they are performed, is that they may give rise to false positives and false negatives.· False positives are test results, which are abnormal ('positive'), even though the patient has no disease.
A false positive result causes needless anxiety, and will often lead to a situation in which the patient will have to undergo even more tests to prove or disprove the previous results.·
Conversely, test results which are normal ('negative'), even though the patient does have the disease are called 'false negatives'.
These results could also cause problems, because they may induce a false sense of security, thereby leading to a delayed or missed diagnosis.·
Most tests have a wide range of normality, and can only very rarely yield a simple 'yes' or 'no' answer as to whether a patient has a particular disease or not.The real irony is that today many patients demand that the doctor 'order' the latest 'whole body scan' to confirm that they are 'healthy' because they often have more faith in a computer-generated report than in a doctor's skills.Health check-up schemes which perform a 'comprehensive panel of tests' have also become very popular.
DR ANIRUDDHA MALPANI
,------------------,t HERE IS A CHECKLIST, WHICH HIGHLIGHTS THE IMPORTANT FACTORS YOU NEED TO CONSIDER BEFORE IN FOR A MEDICAL TEST.
Medical Test checklist
Test name .;...........................Description ...........................
Purpose ......................... . . . . .To confirm diagnosis? .................Diagnosis .............................To exclude diagnosis? .................Diagnosis .............................Where will the test be done? Clinic? ...Independent lab? . . . . . . .. . . .. . . . . . . . . . .Hospital? .............................Cost of test in: Clinic ..................Independent lab ......................
. Hospital ..............................Are there risks associated with the test (i.e., is the test invasive)?If yes, whatrisks? ......................Are there less invasive tests that might give the same information?If the test result is abnormal what willbe done next? ........................If the rest result is normal what will be
done? ................................COMMENTS
-
You should fill out this checklist for every medical test
· · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · · ·.-.·
Today, outpatient testing has tripled in the last 10 years; in fact, laboratory tests, X-rays and scans now account for over 25 per cent of hospital .bills.
If you undergo enough tests, there is a mathematical certainty that they will show something wrong with you. Many cynics call these abnormalities 'incidentalomas', and these can often result in unnecessary surgery as well.
A problem with all medical tests, no matter how well they are performed, is that they may give rise to false positives and false negatives.· False positives are test results, which are abnormal ('positive'), even though the patient has no disease.
A false positive result causes needless anxiety, and will often lead to a situation in which the patient will have to undergo even more tests to prove or disprove the previous results.·
Conversely, test results which are normal ('negative'), even though the patient does have the disease are called 'false negatives'.
These results could also cause problems, because they may induce a false sense of security, thereby leading to a delayed or missed diagnosis.·
Most tests have a wide range of normality, and can only very rarely yield a simple 'yes' or 'no' answer as to whether a patient has a particular disease or not.The real irony is that today many patients demand that the doctor 'order' the latest 'whole body scan' to confirm that they are 'healthy' because they often have more faith in a computer-generated report than in a doctor's skills.Health check-up schemes which perform a 'comprehensive panel of tests' have also become very popular.
DR ANIRUDDHA MALPANI
,------------------,t HERE IS A CHECKLIST, WHICH HIGHLIGHTS THE IMPORTANT FACTORS YOU NEED TO CONSIDER BEFORE IN FOR A MEDICAL TEST.
Medical Test checklist
Test name .;...........................Description ...........................
Purpose ......................... . . . . .To confirm diagnosis? .................Diagnosis .............................To exclude diagnosis? .................Diagnosis .............................Where will the test be done? Clinic? ...Independent lab? . . . . . . .. . . .. . . . . . . . . . .Hospital? .............................Cost of test in: Clinic ..................Independent lab ......................
. Hospital ..............................Are there risks associated with the test (i.e., is the test invasive)?If yes, whatrisks? ......................Are there less invasive tests that might give the same information?If the test result is abnormal what willbe done next? ........................If the rest result is normal what will be
done? ................................COMMENTS
-
You should fill out this checklist for every medical test
Posts
1 comment:
taken from The Times of India
Saby
Post a Comment