So much to talk about. 4 Corners Documentary - Medical testing

This week, there have been a few remarkable stories in the media which relate to our health, wellbeing and fitness.  Firstly I saw the documentary on Monday night, 4 Corners about the waste in medical tests, scans etc.  Doctors are keen to find answers, we the public demand to know what is going on and everyone is frightened of being sued.  So the number of MRI's have increased.  Turns out that having an MRI does not make a sore back better.  Similarly,  minor keyhole operations on the knee may not be beneficial.  A personal note -  My own daughter had an extremely painful knee whose pain was eased with an op.

It had been suggested, last year, that having an MRI for a bad back may in fact cause the patient to feel worse, when presented with the evidence - to feel a victim of the terrible condition.  However, most of us have some back issues and a majority of people's MRI would not look so good.  The question is then how do those who are in terrible chronic pain manage their condition.

It turns out that many medical items arrived on our health schedules from the '60's and '70's without the evidence that current items require.

An MRI costs a lot of money and now GP's can order them.

One of the GP's in the documentary said that we are uncomfortable living with uncertainty.  ...

Turns out that certainty is very costly indeed.  These unnecessary tests run into the billions of dollars, which is money which could be spent better.  The program gave the example of suicide prevention suggesting 1000 lives could be saved, if some of this wasted money went to suicide prevention.  I think money spent on exercise older adults would reduce falls.

In fitness class, discussion which arose from this show, class members said that it is better to know everything we can about our condition.    I say, too, that information is power. Find out whatever you can about your medical condition.  Class members also gave examples of people who had neglected their medical conditions with terrible or even fatal consequences.

The TV program suggested that we, the patients, could refuse a medical test. However, I think this situation is something for the medical fraternity to tackle.
The government is proposing a line by line review of medical item numbers.
Bring it on. While health shouldn't be about money, as our population ages, and the health budget blows out, it will really start to hurt,,,,,,,,the bottom line.