Scat Cat

The New York Times is doing a series of articles exploring medical treatments that are in wide use even though there is little evidence that these treatments actually do any good. I found today's article on CT scans extremely interesting. It suggests that the devices are so expensive, doctors will insist patients be tested by them, at a cost of $500 to $1,500 per treatment, just to pay for them even though the tests are not needed and less expensive methods could be employed. Here is one telling part of the article:

"Increasing use of the scans, formally known as CT angiograms, is part of a much larger trend in American medicine. A faith in innovation, often driven by financial incentives, encourages American doctors and hospitals to adopt new technologies even without proof that they work better than older techniques."

It's a rather lenghthy story but worth the read, especially if you are seeing a doctor who is recommending a CT scan for you.