PRO recommends the following to be used to provide high-value care to our patients in all encounters.
The Choosing Wisely Campaign: An initiative of the ABIM that encouraged specialty societies to generate top-5-lists to promote high-value care.
Costs Of Care: a 501c3 nonprofit that is transforming American healthcare delivery by empowering patients and their caregivers to deflate medical bills.
The Do No Harm Project
An initiative begun at the University of Colorado
Goal: to use clinical vignettes written by trainees to improve recognition of the harms that may result from medical overuse.
Teachable Moments – an initiative at JAMA Internal Medicine to invite case reports in which overuse led to patient harm.
The Lown Institute is an active organization dedicated to protecting patients from overuse, underuse and misuse of medical tests and treatments. A wealth of information is present here. They also have a Right Care Declaration that can be signed.
Right Rad: A local resource from the Johns Hopkins Hospital Radiology Department, for decision support about which radiology test to order for various conditions.
The Prudent Prescriber is a monthly newsletter produced and distributed by Dr. Phil Mohler, at Rocky Mountain Health Plan in Grand Junction. To subscribe, email prudent.prescriber@rmhp.org.
Health Care Blue Book: is a guide to look up the cost of medical tests, procedures, and other healthcare services in the area. It is also available as an app for your mobile device.
Delfini is an open source project dedicated to promoting appropriate critical appraisal of science literature.
Their 1-page worksheet on evaluating evidence is a helpful primer for clinicians and learners. Their Best-of-Delfini handout provides a great overview of their website.
“The American College of Radiology Appropriateness Criteria ® are evidence-based guidelines to assist referring physicians and other providers in making the most appropriate imaging or treatment decision for a specific clinical condition. By employing these guidelines, providers enhance quality of care and contribute to the most efficacious use of radiology.” Find guidelines on their website for specific tests, and check back for updates!
Resources to find test and treatment characteristics, when evaluating the utility of a diagnostic tool or treatment:
- TheNNT.com
- A database of Likelihood Ratios (also available as the iOS app DxLogic)
- Centre for Evidence Based Medicine, Toronto
Resources For Consumers and Providers:
Low Monthly Cost Programs – $4 List
Consumer Reports: Best Buy Drugs – compares drugs by class (Click “Compare Drugs” Tab). They indicate the generic, “best buy” (recommended) and those available at a low monthly cost through programs at large chain stores ($ – dollars).
Resources to find the price of medications:
- Lowest Med, Prescription Saver, GoodRX, OCT Plus