Public meeting to encourage conversations about unnecessary tests and treatments

Members of the public and health-care providers are invited to join Dr. Constance LeBlanc and Dr. Sam Campbell as they discuss how to talk about unnecessary tests and treatments. The event is taking place on Tuesday, April 9, 2019 from 6:30–8:30 p.m. at the Paul O’Regan Hall, Halifax Central Library, 5440 Spring Garden Road, Halifax.

“Conversations that lead to a reduction of unnecessary tests and treatment have the potential to improve access to services for Nova Scotians by reducing wait times,” said Dr. LeBlanc. “The benefit is improved access for those patients who really need it and reduced stress for patients who experience a false positive result, which can lead to further unnecessary tests and treatment.”

While there are benefits to necessary tests and treatment, when interventions are unnecessary, patients face risks and the burden on the system increases. Providers bear some of the responsibility for ordering unneeded tests and treatment, but there is evidence suggesting that patients also play an important role in driving unnecessary care. In a survey of Canadians conducted by Ipsos Reid for Choosing Wisely Canada, 67% of respondents said that, “patient demands are responsible for more unnecessary use of health services than are decisions by physicians.”

Physicians, patients and other health-care providers are invited to attend the event to learn more about Choosing Wisely Nova Scotia and to engage in conversation about reducing unnecessary tests and treatments.

Review hundreds of evidence-based recommendations from physicians about unnecessary tests and treatments at choosingwiselycanada.org/recommendations/