Cracking down on inefficient and clinically unnecessary practices like over-ordering diagnostic tests, prescribing inappropriate medications and using unproven or speculative treatments could save the health system more than $15 billion a year, a leading epidemiologist has said. In a provocative speech to the AMA National Conference in which he called for a transformation in the way in care is conceived and delivered, Associate Professor Ian Scott said up to 30 per cent of health spending was wasteful or went on procedures and treatments that were of little benefit or could actually be harmful.

https://ama.com.au/ausmed/nation-pays-high-price-unnecessary-tests-unproven-treatments