Some will consider the announcement a turning point – a watershed event – in health care. Nine medical societies representing nearly 375,000 physicians joined forces to challenge the widely held perception that more health care is automatically better.

The medical groups that participated are: American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology, American Academy of Family Physicians, American College of Cardiology, American College of Physicians, American College of Radiology, American Gastroenterological Association, American Society of Clinical Oncology, American Society of Nephrology and American Society of Nuclear Cardiology.

Last Wednesday they released lists of tests and treatments their members should no longer order automatically. Key to the recommendations is that word “automatically.”

The 45 items listed – five from each of the organizations – included most repeat colonoscopies within 10 years of a first such test, early imaging for most back pain, brain scans for patients who fainted but didn’t have seizures and antibiotics for mild-to-moderate sinus distress.

Also on the list: Heart imaging stress tests for patients without coronary symptoms. A particularly sobering recommendation calls for cancer doctors to stop treating tumors in end-stage patients who have not responded to multiple therapies and are ineligible for experimental treatments.

Dr. Christine Cassel, president of the American Board of Internal Medicine, told the Associated Press the goal is to reduce wasteful spending without harming patients. She suggested some patients might actually benefit from the recommendations by avoiding known risks associated with medical tests, such as exposure to radiation.

“We all know there is overuse and waste in the system, so let’s have the doctors take responsibility for that and look at the things that are overused,” said Cassel. “We’re doing this because we think we don’t need to ration health care if we get rid of waste.” Her group sets standards and oversees board certification for many medical specialties.

Dr. James Fasules of the American College of Cardiology said the goal is to begin changing attitudes among patients and doctors.

“We kind of have a general feeling that if you don’t get a test, you haven’t been cared for well,” said Fasules. “That has permeated American culture now.”

The new advice isn’t meant to override a doctor’s judgment, Fasules added, but to inform and support decisions.

Eight other medical societies are developing additional recommendations.

The medical societies don’t have any power of enforcement, and fear of malpractice lawsuits – as much a part of the American culture as the notion that testing is the benchmark of good medical care – may well prompt many doctors to keep ordering as many tests as ever.

Unfortunately, that fear of malpractice may negate the positive efforts of the various medical societies.

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Six local dialysis patients will no longer have to travel to London for life-saving kidney treatment.

Woodstock Hospital announced last week that they have expanded dialysis care by three stations.

The additional capacity will increase the Woodstock dialysis unit to nine stations, increasing care from 30 to 36 patients.

“The ability to increase the number of dialysis treatments that we can provide is a real blessing to our community,” said Randy Hicks, director of critical care and dialysis. “Our patients’ experience long days when undergoing dialysis and being able to receive care, close to home reduces stress and allows patients to lead a fuller life.”

A satellite of London Health Sciences Centre, the unit provides hemodialysis treatment for people with chronic kidney disease.

Many of the unit’s patients are waiting for kidney transplants, with others may require dialysis for the rest of their life.

The unit operates six days a week, administering 4,430 treatments year.

Dialysis treatment can take up to five hours, three times per week.

Carol Rhiger, regional director of the Ontario Renal Network for the Southwest Local Health Integration Network, said additional dialysis capacity was needed to address current and future chronic kidney disease in the region.

“This funding will help area patients with chronic kidney disease by easing time, travel, cost and inconvenience of receiving care outside their community,” she said.

Woodstock Hospital, located on Juliana Drive, opened on Nov. 20, 2011 with six-dialysis chairs, but with the capacity to grow to up to 12 chairs.

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