Choosing Wisely
Choosing Wisely® aims to promote conversations between providers and patients by helping patients choose care that is:
- Supported by evidence
- Not duplicative of other tests or procedures already received
- Free from harm
- Truly necessary
The Campaign
Choosing Wisely® is an initiative of the ABIM Foundation to help providers and patients engage in conversations about the overuse of tests and procedures and support efforts to help patients make smart and effective care choices. Recognizing the importance of providers and patients working together, leading health care provider organizations, along with Consumer Reports, have joined Choosing Wisely to help improve the quality and safety of health care in America.
As part of Choosing Wisely, each participating provider organization has created lists of Things to Question that provide specific, evidence-based recommendations providers and patients should discuss to help make wise decisions about the most appropriate care based on their individual situation.
The resulting lists are helping stimulate discussion about the need — or lack thereof — for many frequently ordered tests or treatments. Participating organizations and the ABIM Foundation are using these lists to support providers in making wise choices and developing tools to help them have these kinds of conversations with patients.
This concept was originally piloted by the National Physicians Alliance, which through an ABIM Foundation Putting the Charter into Practice grant created a set of three lists of specific steps physicians in internal medicine, family practice and pediatrics could take in their practices to promote the more effective use of health care resources. Consumer Reports, the nation’s leading independent, non-profit consumer organization, has also joined the campaign to provide resources for consumers and physicians to engage in these important conversations. They are coordinating consumer-oriented organizations to help disseminate information and educate patients on making wise decisions.
