Health PEI campaign aims to cut down on unnecessary diagnostic tests

Health PEI officials are hoping to reduce the number of unnecessary diagnostic tests by taking part in a national campaign called Choosing Wisely.

Gailyne MacPherson, acting provincial director of diagnostic imaging for Health PEI, said the campaign aims to help health care providers and patients make informed decisions about diagnostic tests such as X-rays, CT scans and MRI scans.

Brochures have been sent to doctors' offices and hospital waiting rooms across the province to help patients realize diagnostic tests aren't always required and can even have negative effects.

"So we don't want exposure to unnecessary radiation because that has side effects as well. And the second part of that is unnecessary tests impact the number of patients who are in the queue waiting for exams," said MacPherson.

"We're fairly focused on trying to reduce our wait times, and trying to make sure that the spots that we do have are available for people who really need it."

• P.E.I. doctors encouraged to cut back on testing

MacPherson said there is always new information about diagnostic testing coming to light and the campaign makes sure doctors know when it's best to use these tests.

The Canadian Association of Radiologists said as many as 30 per cent of CT scans and other imaging procedures conducted across Canada are considered inappropriate or offer no useful information.

MacPherson points out there is a cost associated with these tests as the rate of diagnostic imaging testing continues to rise.