Fact Based List:

American Academy of Family Physicians: Five Things Physicians and Patients Should Question

  1. Don’t do imaging for low back pain within the first six weeks, unless red flags are present.
  2. Don’t routinely prescribe antibiotics for acute mild-to-moderate sinusitis unless symptoms last for seven or more days, or symptoms worsen after initial clinical improvement.
  3. Don’t use dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) screening for osteoporosis in women younger than 65 or men younger than 70 with no risk factors.
  4. Don’t order annual electrocardiograms (EKGs) or any other cardiac screening for low-risk patients without symptoms.
  5. Don’t perform Pap smears on women younger than 21 or who have had a hysterectomy for non-cancer disease.

Source: Choosing Wisely, ABIM Foundation
Source URL: http://www.choosingwisely.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/Cho...