Is it worthwhile for doctors to screen all the patients who come through the door about their use of opioids? Usually not, but direct connections to treatment can change the equation.
The creators of the risk assessment score say they want to help primary care physicians better identify patients who need extra counseling and follow-up.
There's no evidence that screening adolescents with electrocardiograms prevents deaths, yet the heart tests have become widespread despite the false alarms they often cause.
A Maryland physician teamed up with an environmental scientist to develop a visual approach for helping patients better understand the risks and benefits of medical tests and treatments.
Although a CDC study released today found that 80 percent of cases develop outside the hospital or at a nursing home, many people still don't know about this lethal medical condition.
Guidelines say that patients with high blood sugar levels be referred to nutrition and exercise counseling. Under the health law, the services would be covered by insurance without cost sharing.
Doctors, it turns out, often don't follow evidence-based guidelines. One result? Unnecessary tests. Scientists who study this contrariness think they know why.
Medicare now pays for some long-term smokers to get an annual test. These scans could save thousands of lives each year, but some doctors still worry risks outweigh benefits.
