Too Many Surgeries

13 Dec 2010 - Nobody likes to go to the doctor and a recent study in The Netherlands has confirmed my sentiment that more regulation in the health sector is urgently needed. A study by the Dutch Department of Health has shown that almost one billion euros is wasted annually on operations that are medically unnecessary. Also, it turns out that patients in some hospital have a 400% higher chance to end up on the operation table compared to other hospitals. It is always the medical team, often the surgeon, who decide to operate, but there are enormous differences in diagnosis and response from doctor to doctor, and from hospital to hospital. Medical care is expensive and of course there are always risks involved. The Department of Health concludes that guidelines when to operate are urgently needed. It says that doctors who operate against the guidelines - sometimes for financial reasons - should receive a financial penalty. However, all cases are different and would it truely be possible to defines guidelines covering all cases and situations? Difficult dilemma.