---
title: "Overtreatment in Healthcare: a Harmful and Prevalent Problem"
description: Overtreatment is a cause of preventable harm and waste; in the US healthcare system, it can be categorized as administrative, operational, or clinical.
image: https://www.mlsgroupllc.com/hubfs/mls%20overtreatment%20blog.jpg
---

## [Reviewer Login](https://client.mlsgroupllc.com)

## [Client Login](https://reviewer.mlsgroupllc.com)

[** ](https://www.linkedin.com/company/mls-national/) [** ](https://twitter.com/MLS_IME) [** ](https://www.facebook.com/MLSGroupofCompanies/)

Featured Healthcare Industry News

# Overtreatment in Healthcare: a Harmful and Prevalent Problem

November 15, 2022

![Overtreatment in Healthcare: a Harmful and Prevalent Problem](https://www.mlsgroupllc.com/hubfs/mls%20overtreatment%20blog.jpg)

Quality care is the primary goal of healthcare providers. Multiple regulations, measures, and reimbursement models are utilized to promote a high level of patient care and improve outcomes.

Sometimes, though, medical treatment is given, even though it’s not necessary. This results in overtreatment, which is a [cause of preventable harm and waste](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5587107/). Waste in the United States healthcare system can be [categorized](https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/19120983/) as administrative, operational or clinical.

The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) [defines overtreatment](https://www.aafp.org/afp/2015/0301/p289.html) as treatment initiated when there is little or no reliable evidence of a clinically meaningful net benefit, where net benefit equals benefit minus harm. A previous study of more than 2,000 physicians found that almost two-thirds of doctors believe that at least [15–30% of medical care](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5587107/) is unnecessary. According to the study, the most common reasons for overtreatment are fear of malpractice, patient demands and difficulty accessing prior medical records.

## Common Causes of Overtreatment

Why do some physicians over-treat? There are likely multiple reasons. One is that research shows that doctors [often overestimate](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14634611) how much care their patients really want. Another is that there is an[ incentive for the health industry to boost revenue](https://khn.org/news/article/pandemic-leads-doctors-to-rethink-unnecessary-treatment/), sometimes to help pay for expensive testing equipment.

An article in the Journal for Healthcare Quality [theorized](https://journals.lww.com/jhqonline/FullText/2018/07000/Highlighting_a_Common_Quality_of_Care_Delivery.4.aspx) that patients who do not understand procedures are unlikely to question a physician's recommendation, whereas doctors are also unlikely to question specialists' recommendations. The article also discusses the term “medical overuse,” which it describes as unwarranted or unnecessary delivery of care unlikely to improve outcomes or services an average patient would opt to forgo given choices.

It’s estimated that unnecessary or unneeded tests and procedures cost the U.S. healthcare system [$282 million annually](https://www.fiercehealthcare.com/practices/doctors-unnecessary-tests-washington-health-alliiance). Using the Institute of Medicine’s (IOM’s) estimate of excess costs arising from overtreatment, a [50% reduction in unnecessary services](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5587107/) would result in $105 billion in savings each year.

## Low-Value Healthcare Services

One component of overtreatment is low-value healthcare services (LVHS), which are procedures that provide little or no clinical benefit. The overuse of LVHS is [common](https://journals.lww.com/jhqonline/FullText/2018/07000/Highlighting_a_Common_Quality_of_Care_Delivery.4.aspx) in the U.S., leading to waste and suboptimal patient outcomes. [Examples of low-value care](https://guidewaycare.com/low-value-care-3-strategies-to-reduce/) include:

- Running lab tests for low-risk patients before a low-risk procedure
- Ordering head CT scans for simple dizziness or an EEG for a headache
- Using costly branded drugs instead of identical generics
- Performing surgery when physical therapy would be equally effective
- Inappropriately prescribing antibiotics

Another facet of overtreatment is [overdiagnosis](https://www.jfmpc.com/article.asp?issn=2249-4863;year=2020;volume=9;issue=8;spage=3815;epage=3819;aulast=Gupta), which occurs when an actual abnormality is discovered, but the detection of it and its treatment does not benefit the patient. [Typical instances of overdiagnosis](https://www.oecd.org/els/health-systems/Tackling-Wasteful-Spending-on-Health-Highlights-revised.pdf) include:

- Imaging for low back pain or headaches
- Antibiotics for upper respiratory tract infection
- Dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (used to measure bone mineral density)
- Preoperative testing (electrocardiography, stress electrocardiography, chest radiography) in low-risk patients
- Antipsychotics in older patients
- Artificial nutrition in patients with advanced dementia or advanced cancer
- Proton pump inhibitors in gastroesophageal reflux disease
- Urinary catheter placement
- Cardiac imaging in low-risk patients
- Some cancer screening (cervical smear test, CA125 antigen for ovarian cancer, prostate-specific antigen screening, mammography)
- Use of cesarean section without medical indication

## Consequences of Overtreatment

There are consequences to overtreatment beyond cost and waste. It can result in [physical, financial and emotional harm ](https://psnet.ahrq.gov/issue/overkill-avalanche-unnecessary-medical-care-harming-patients-physically-and-financially-what)for patients and also [lead to](https://journals.lww.com/jhqonline/FullText/2018/07000/Highlighting_a_Common_Quality_of_Care_Delivery.4.aspx) false positives, unnecessary follow-ups, increased patient anxiety, along with decreased satisfaction and poor outcomes.

Overtreatment also is directly associated with patient harm, as [evidenced](https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5587107/) by studies of antibiotic overuse leading to resistance and Clostridium difficile infection, overuse of diagnostic testing and the inherent postoperative complications from unnecessary surgical procedures. Other potential consequences of both overdiagnosis and overtreatment are unnecessary treatment negatively affecting quality of life and psychological and behavioral effects of disease labeling.

The [Choosing Wisely initiative](https://www.choosingwisely.org/getting-started/lists/) offers lists for physicians and patients of more than 300 of the most commonly overused and expensive medical procedures.

Learn [about the services](https://www.mlsgroupllc.com/about/) MLS Group of Companies provides and why we’re recognized for our experience and commitment to providing exceptional client support, objective medical assessments, and the protections associated with cutting-edge information technology.

Overtreatment in Healthcare: a Harmful and Prevalent Problem

## Sign up for Updates:

Privacy Details

 By submitting this form, you are consenting to receive marketing emails from: MLS Group of Companies, LLC. You can revoke your consent to receive emails at any time by using the Unsubscribe link, found at the bottom of every email.

---