The American Society of Hematology introduced its Choosing Wisely list during its annual meeting in New Orleans, highlighting five hematologic tests and treatments that physician should question.
The list was published earlier this month in the Blood journal.
“The initiative is about encouraging hematologists to stop for a moment, take a step back, and reconsider some of the tests and procedures we order, and see if they are necessary,” said Dr. Lisa Hicks, chair of the ASH Choosing Wisely Task Force. It’s also about starting conversations about cost, quality and value, said Dr. Hicks.
In a video interview, Dr. Hicks reviews the list and discusses the implications.
The real challenge, the authors wrote in the Blood journal, is determining whether the Choosing Wisely campaigns contributed to positive change in patient care. Dr. Hicks and colleagues said that the society is working on developing toolkits and metrics to measure the impact.
Choosing Wisely is a campaign led by the ABIM Foundation in collaboration with leading medical societies. Several societies have released their lists during the past two years.
You can download ASH’s list here.