Choosing Wisely: AAN Cites Five Things to Question
In 2012, the AAN joined the Choosing Wisely campaign, a project initiated by the American Board of Internal Medicine (ABIM) Foundation to promote appropriate medical decision-making and the stewardship of health care resources. The campaign is designed to help consumers and physicians engage in conversations about the overuse of particular tests, procedures, and treatments and to help patients make smart and effective care choices.
In February 2013, the AAN participated in a news conference with the ABIM Foundation and Consumer Reports, where medical specialties announced their lists of the top five questionable tests and procedures each selected for patients and physicians to consider.
Read AAN's Five Things Physicians and Patients Should Question
The AAN's complete recommendations were published online ahead of print in the February 21, 2013, issue of Neurology®.
How Neurology Tests and Procedures Were identified
The AAN established a Choosing Wisely Working Group to develop its list of recommendations. Members of this group were selected to broadly represent varying practice settings and neurological subspecialties. Neurologists with expertise in evidence-based medicine and a broad range of subspecialty disciplines were also included. The working group solicited recommendations from AAN members, which were then rated based upon their judgments of harm and benefit that would result based upon compliance with the recommendation. Based on committee voting and a literature review, candidate recommendations were sent to relevant AAN sections, committees, specialty societies and patient advocacy groups for review and comment. The working group reviewed this feedback and voted on the final top five recommendations, which were approved by the AAN Practice Committee and Board of Directors.