Overdiagnosis and overtreatment as a quality problem: insights from healthcare improvement research.

Armstrong N. BMJ Qual Saf. 2018 Mar 23; [Epub ahead of print].

Overdiagnosis and overtreatment can result in physical, financial, and emotional harm for patients. This commentary suggests applying quality improvement approaches to address overdiagnosis and overtreatment. Tactics discussed include clear articulation of the problem and contributing factors, use of theory-driven approaches for designing initiatives, and monitoring the impact of improvement efforts.

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