New survey – overtreatment

A new survey is being launched on Monday, June 14, 2010 for patients to share their experience of overtreatment, an emerging quality and patient safety issue in health care today.    
 
The survey was developed in collaboration with Consumer Union’s Safe Patient Project.  While not a scientific survey, it aims to elicit patient experiences of overtreatment to raise public awareness.  Patient experiences of overtreatment can be useful to health care leaders and policy makers as they establish priorities to reduce overuse. 
 
The survey can be found by going to: www.treatmenttrap.org.  Click on “Share Your Story” and you will be directed to the CU Safe Patient Project survey.
 
The “Share Your Story” survey asks two questions: “Have you had medical care you thought was unnecessary?” and “Have you declined medical care you thought was unnecessary and obtained a medically appropriate alternative?”
 
The survey prompts respondents to share experiences of overuse including those identified as overused by the National Quality Forum’s National Priorities Partnership.  These procedures include: spine surgery, heart bypass surgery, hysterectomy and prostatectomy. 
 
For further information, contact Rosemary Gibson at rosemarygibson100@gmail.com