Do you think that doctors order to many tests?

I have noticed that, too. Unless I know that what I am feeling can not be really be diagnosed without the help of the tests as told by my doctor, then I opt not to take any further. Once, I went to the ER complaining for a difficulty in breathing. I described i something like a grain of rice was stuck on mu throat thus resulting to the dryness of my throat. I had to drink water each time and swallowing my saliva was very consciously made. This nurse insisted of taking an ECG. I mean, what the heck wad it for? I was complaining of something stuck on my throat and he gets me a cardiologist! I did not commit to that. I then insisted on seeing an EENT so that he could check my throat. There was nothing stuck inside my throat but it was inflammed and the doctor told me that I might be having an allergy or was about to develop a cough. So what he prescribed was an antihistamine. He insisted on me in getting the particular brand but I told him I already have a similar medicine at home. He was shocked on how well I know about these things.... FRUSTRATED DOCTOR IN THE HOUSE!

In a way I do think they order too many. For example November I had a colonsocopy, January I had a colonoscopy the first one I can see but the second. He said just to double check.

I think some doctors order many tests to filter out false positive results. It is never easy to provide diagnostic on a patient base on a single test to treat sickness, or provide accurate assessment on a person's overall health condition. To be able to assess as accurately as possible, a doctor may have to do several tests in order to come out with the right prognosis for a sickness or correct medical conclusion base on individual expertise. An inexperience doctor may have to do many more tests on his patient to come to a right conclusion on a illness, let alone the overall health condition of his patient, it is better be safe than sorry later. After all, in the history of combating diseases and illness, a good health care has never come cheap except always in skyrocketing costs.

It's better be safe than sorry. I don't mind too many tests, because the devil could lie in the littlest details, and there could be something in the seemingly least relevant test that could make a better diagnosis.

It depends. If I trust the doctor, then I am willing to take all the tests necessary to cover all possible bases. But if the doctor is giving me reasons to doubt his specialty, then I would take a second opinion first before I subject myself to numerous and costly tests.

Doctors now-a-days often advise some unnecessary tests which have no relation with the diagnosis of the disease. It may be due to earn some commission from the diagnostic centre and also to some extent due to lack of clinical acumen.

i think they do order too many tests, especially in private hospitals. these hospitals earn from the laobratory tests and they have a corresponding fees too for each that are given to the doctors as commissions. I think when you of course tell your doctor what you are feeling, often their lack of experience would tell you that its this and that, most even would not diagnose the sickness properly.

Here the health care fee has been rising crazily as time goes by. And sometimes the doctors' part of earnings come from the prescription, tests and so on. This is why for some bad doctors, they will give you unnecessary tests. This is why I don't like it at all because they are not necessary, and it costs you a lot of money.

hi bjc I come from a medical field so I do think doctors are helping us with these tests. By the tests I have had I found out I had diabetes, and needed thyroid medication, that I had arthritis and now that I have diverticulitis which can flare up; and cause cramping and make you ill or go for years not causing any problem provided I do not eat nuts, seeds, and popcorn,nO I think people who have no medical degrees still blat on about how they do too many tests should stop and think that they are not doctors and have no medical expertise at all.?So how the hell do they know that the tests are not necessary?I get really tired of people who do mot even have college educations still blatting on about too many tests when they have no idea what the tests were for.For one thing when I go to my doctor and he ordered tests he t old me what they were all for and when they came back he went over them with me.

This is one of the reasons that I take my time to find the right family doctor. Because there are doctors out there that are insurance hounds that ride the rates and benefits of a person's coverage. Would have that test been ordered if it weren't covered?? Sometimes I wonder. It takes a process to find a good family doctor that you can trust, will listen to you and have your best interests when it comes to testing you for everything under the sun. I think it's sad that a person is supposed to have a moralist job which is supposed to care over the general population and they take advantage of it all for the sake of a dollar.

I do think sometimes that I spent lot of money, especially when I wear braces for my teeth. Lot of money for the brace, but I know it will be pay off when I finish with my brace. Sometimes we think its waste of money when we realize that we have spent lot of money and only have little money left, but if we think about it clearly it is not wasting money at all, its like we investing money for our health.

Hi, I don't think that it is a waste of time to do many tests. If we are suffering from simple disease there is no need to do various tests. but for some complicated diseases the tests are must. And doctor come to know the exact problem and he will give us proper treatment.

Hi there ! The doctors knows best ! They won't order you for anything for the sake of ordering but there is a significance always in those doctors order. Those doctor's order are the basis where the doctor would draw their diagnosis and it will be the basis of what medicine they will be giving to the patients. It would be so hard for the doctor to cure patients if no laboratory results else they will just guess and this defeats their purpose being a doctor and this is also against medical ethics. Therefore if doctor gave us an order for series of laboratories procedure , we should not murmur but think this is for our good and not for doctor's good.

Really depends on the situation.If you really trust your doctor's recommendations for those unlimited tests you have to undergo, then take. Otherwise, if you feel you're doctor is taking advantage of your condition and your financial capability, then seek a second opinion first. It is true that it is better safe than sorry but it is also true that some doctors are just plain greedy and opportunists. Good Luck!