CT scans at alarming level
The Medicare watchdog, the Professional Services Review (PSR), has expressed alarm over the often unnecessary ordering of high-radiation CT scans after a near trebling in the number of doctors and other health workers being referred for investigation.
The PSR’s latest report showed that there were 136 such referrals in 2008-09 compared with 50 the previous year. The PSR decided there were 28 cases of inappropriate practice involving doctors compared to just seven in 2007-08.
PSR director, Tony Webber, said he was “disappointed” at the increase in referrals, which included incorrect charging, cavalier ordering of antibiotics, addictive drugs, and poor record-keeping.
One doctor was found to have ordered a CT scan for a patient who complained of back pain starting just the night before, despite there being no signs of it being a serious problem.
Dr Webber told The Australian newspaper that doctors were “ordering these things willy-nilly” and CT scans should not be ordered for patients with back pain unless other “red flags” were present such as recent significant injury, fever, or unexplained weight loss.
“Patients sometimes bear a bit of responsibility. They will sometimes request a CT, thinking it’s the best thing since sliced bread. They need to be educated that these things have a place not without due consideration,” he said.
