Understanding the Spectrum of Low-Value Care and Economic Implications

In a recent study, researchers compared over one thousand low-value care recommendations from five US healthcare organizations (USPSTF, ACP, ACC/AHA, ASCO, and the Choosing Wisely Initiative). They sought to assess the clinical benefits and economic value of these recommendations, noting a large number of cases with little to no clinical benefits. The authors suggest modifying the definition of low-value care, incorporating cost-effectiveness data, and creating a widely accepted framework.

The authors note, “Low-value care, typically defined as health services that provide little or no benefit, has potential to cause harm, incur unnecessary costs, and waste limited resources. Although evidence-based guidelines identifying low-value care have increased, the guidelines differ in the type of evidence they cite to support recommendations against its routine use.” Read more here.

(Source: Kim et al., Jouranl of General Internal Medicine, 2/23/21)