JAMA Internal Medicine published a study finding physicians often overestimate common treatments' benefits as well as harms, according to Medscape.
Baltimore-based University of Maryland Medical Center researchers surveyed 177 internal medicine residents and attending physicians at two academic medical centers.
Here are four points:
1. Physicians overestimate treatments' benefits nearly 79 percent of the time.
2. Respondents overestimated treatments' harms 66 percent of the time.
3. Nearly 44.8 percent of responding physicians had not heard of the "Choosing Wisely Campaign." The campaign focuses on providing high-value care.
4. The study authors concluded the results show physicians need improved training in numeracy and communication skills.
"More attention to numeracy and shared decision-making communication skills will complement system interventions like deployment of effective [electronic medical record]-based decision support tools at the point of care. Physicians at all levels of training must take on the additional professional obligation of communicating risk and benefits clearly to achieve care that is both high-value and in line with patients' goals," the researchers noted.
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