Increasing numbers of physicians are learning of the Choosing Wisely initiative through their specialty societies, said Daniel Wolfson, executive vice president and chief operating officer of the ABIM Foundation. Awareness has also been boosted by journal articles on the program’s goal of reducing low-value care.
Increasing numbers of physicians are learning of the Choosing Wisely initiative through their specialty societies, said Daniel Wolfson, executive vice president and chief operating officer of the ABIM Foundation. Awareness has also been boosted by journal articles on the program’s goal of reducing low-value care.
Transcript (slightly modified)
What is being done to ensure that physicians are aware of Choosing Wisely and using the recommendations?
Well, we have lots of partners. We have over 75 specialty societies directly communicating with their members about the Choosing Wisely campaign. So that’s about 800,000 physicians are being communicated and touched by their specialty societies. The awareness of Choosing Wisely is about 50%, we think; it used to be around 40% and we think it’s increased since the studies that we did and Carrie Colla did in 2014. But we’re going to reassess that, actually in February, to see what that awareness is.
What’s interesting is what’s happened as far as journal articles, for instance. In the last year, between 2014 and 2015, journal articles on low-value care and Choosing Wisely have doubled. And that’s the kind of conversation we were trying to have with the American public and with physicians, about less is sometimes more, and about low-value care and what we consider Choosing Wisely.
And Choosing Wisely was about waste, and it was about protested procedures identified by the specialty societies, evidence-based, frequently done, that where the risk doesn’t outweigh the benefit. Now that’s what we call waste. And we framed this campaign around, not the notion of cost reduction, but around the notion of better healthcare, higher quality, better patient safety, and most importantly, doing no harm.
Overcoming Employment Barriers for Lasting Social Impact: Freedom House 2.0 and Pathways to Work
April 16th 2024To help celebrate and recognize National Minority Health Month, we are bringing you a special month-long podcast series with our Strategic Alliance Partner, UPMC Health Plan. Welcome to our second episode, in which we learn all about Freedom House 2.0 and the Pathways to Work program.
Listen
Dr Michael Farwell on FDG PET/CT Imaging to Predict Immunotherapy Response in Advanced Melanoma
April 15th 2024Michael Farwell, MD, associate professor of radiology at the Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania, provides insights into a study on the benefits of using 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET/CT imaging to detect metabolic tumor changes in skin cancer.
Read More
Making Giant Strides in Maternity Health Through Baby Steps
April 9th 2024To help celebrate and recognize National Minority Health Month, we are kicking off a special month-long podcast series with our strategic alliance partner, UPMC Health Plan. Welcome to our first episode, which is all about the Baby Steps Maternity Program and its mission to support women throughout every step of their pregnancy journey.
Listen
Increasing Lp(a) Awareness for Better Cardiovascular Health: Dr Mary McGowan
March 24th 2024For Lp(a) Awareness Day, Mary McGowan, MD, FNLA, chief medical officer of the Family Heart Foundation, highlights how most people with elevated Lp(a) are completely unaware that they have this increased risk and calls for increased testing.
Read More
Dr Al Benson on Reimbursement for Supportive Care When Treating Patients With Cancer
March 22nd 2024Al Benson, MD, FACP, FACCC, FASCO, medical oncologist at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and associate director of the Robert E. Tillery Comprehensive Cancer Center, discussed findings from a national survey assessing barriers to comprehensive cancer care delivery.
Read More