Choosing Wisely - Five Things Physicians and Patients Should Question

The American Board of Internal Medicine and nine medical specialty boards have joined together for the “Choosing Wisely” initiative.  By April, the partners will identify Five Things to Question — tests or procedures commonly used in their field whose necessity should be questioned and discussed. Consumer Reports is also working with the campaign to develop and disseminate materials to patients to help them engage their physicians in these conversations and ask questions about these test and procedures.   

The objective of the “Choosing Wisely” initiative is to get physicians, patients and other health care stakeholders thinking and talking about the overuse or misuse of medical tests and procedures that provide little benefit, and in some instances harm.