COOPER CITY, Fla. – Research suggests that over testing is leading to what experts refer to as ‘low value care’ and costing the U.S. Healthcare system an estimated $75 to $100 billion a year.
For example, gynecologist Dr. Emillio Juncosa says only women with dense breasts need to undergo an breast ultrasound, although many doctors routinely order these tests for all their patients.
“I believe patients need to be proactive and it’s quite alright to ask your physician ‘why are these specific tests being done? Is this test indicated at my age, are these blood tests indicated every year? and it’s okay to question, it’s okay to converse and not blindly take all the prescriptions your physician gives you and do all those tests,” he said.
Juncosa says unnecessary tests are not only costly, they don’t improve or prolong a patient’s life.
If you needed another reason to stay active, a recent study found that adding exercise to your schedule could help keep you from dying from the flu and pneumonia.
Over 500,000 participants were categorized into groups based on how well they met the recommended amount of exercise.
For adults that is 150 minutes of moderate aerobic physical activity and two or more days of moderate muscle strengthening activities a week.
During the nine year study, researchers found that meeting both recommendations cut the risk of death associated with flu or pneumonia by 40%.
Meeting just the aerobic activity target lowered the risk by 36%.
And leading heart health organizations, including the American Heart Association, say children as young as four can learn how to call 9-1-1 in a medical emergency and by age 10 to 12 they should be able to administer CPR.
In a statement doctors said young children might not be strong enough to perform correct chest compressions but they can still learn the basics on how to do it.
They also urge parents to teach their young kids what 9-1-1 is, how to call it and what their address is to direct emergency services to their home.