A programme in France aimed at educating GPs about the value of thyroid tests could see a 50% reduction in the number of tests prescribed. The Ile-de-France regional union of insurance funds (Urcam) is taking action, having made a comparison between recommendations from the French national agency for healthcare accreditation and evaluation (ANAES) and its survey of actual prescribing habits in Paris and the surrounding area. It found that nearly half of all such prescriptions did not conform with the ANAES good practice recommendations and that over 40% were pointless. The Ile de France Urcam estimate that some E297,000 ($371,000) is wasted a month in prescriptions for unnecessary combined tests for thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) and T4 tests, and a further E282,000 for unnecessary combined TSH, T3 and T4 tests. Representatives of the Urcam have now issued CD-Roms to some 13,000 healthcare professionals and are making targeted visits to high prescribers.
Cutting French waste on thyroid tests:
A programme in France aimed at educating GPs about the value of thyroid tests could see a 50% reduction in the number of tests prescribed. The Ile-de-France regional union of insurance funds (Urcam) is taking action, having made a comparison between recommendations from the French national agency for healthcare accreditation and evaluation (ANAES) and its survey of actual prescribing habits in Paris and the surrounding area. It found that nearly half of all such prescriptions did not conform with the ANAES good practice recommendations and that over 40% were pointless. The Ile de France Urcam estimate that some E297,000 ($371,000) is wasted a month in prescriptions for unnecessary combined tests for thyroid stimulating hormone (TSH) and T4 tests, and a further E282,000 for unnecessary combined TSH, T3 and T4 tests. Representatives of the Urcam have now issued CD-Roms to some 13,000 healthcare professionals and are making targeted visits to high prescribers.