Letter re: Neuroimaging overuse is more common in Medicare compared with the VA

We strongly encourage Drs. Burke and Callaghan to reread our comment, since it has nothing to do with the number of lawsuits filed, but the number of patients harmed (and claims made and settled before a suit is filed) due to substandard care by the intransigent adherence to outdated guidelines. The recommendation by Burke et al.1 to limit neuroimaging based on these flawed guidelines is contrary to an acceptable standard of care. There is no reason to fear incidental findings on neuroimaging since these often warrant further evaluation (e.g., stroke), continued monitoring (e.g., aneurysm), or treatment (e.g., arachnoid cyst). Failure to offer patients the option of neuroimaging disregards the ethical mandate of providing informed consent. We hope most neurologists recognize that following outdated flawed guidelines, whether for headache or any other condition, does not translate to "using the best evidence," and will not provide "the best patient outcomes."
Source: Neurology - Category: Neurology Authors: Tags: WRITECLICK & amp;reg; EDITOR ' S CHOICE Source Type: research