Choosing Wisely rethinks unnecessary testing and treatment

Choosing Wisely Canada launched its second phase and released 61 new physicians’ recommendations, including the Canadian cancer list. Choosing Wisely Canada is a campaign to help physicians and patients engage in healthy conversations about potentially unnecessary tests, treatments and procedures.

“We have a responsibility to provide our patients with high value cancer care; this can be challenging with the multiple types and complexities of modern-day cancer treatment. In bringing multiple, different specialty groups together, the Canadian cancer Choosing Wisely list takes a wider look at cancer care that is not limited to any single type of treatment. The overall goal is to provide the highest quality care to our patients – this means we must avoid tests and treatments that have no proven benefit or are harmful as these consume resources that could be better used elsewhere,” said Dr. Geoff Porter, Senior Scientific Lead, Diagnosis and Clinical Care, Canadian Partnership Against Cancer.

Choosing Wisely’s Canadian cancer list, “Ten Things Physicians and Patients Should Question” includes patient-centred recommendations that favour improving quality of life, symptom relief, and palliative care considerations for people who are unlikely to benefit from to repetitive testing or treatment.