Conservative and aggressive care
The data you'll see here, from The Dartmouth Atlas of Health Care, shows that not every hospital practices conservative care. Many patients with these long-term serious illnesses are repeatedly hospitalized and seen by many different physicians. The Dartmouth research has shown that aggressive care does not necessarily improve patient outcomes and can sometimes shorten life. That's because it exposes people to a greater risk of hospital-acquired infections and the medical errors that can occur when too many doctors test and treat patients in an uncoordinated way.
It's important to understand that the distinction between aggressive and conservative care does not apply to medical emergencies such as a heart attack, stroke, broken hip, or inflamed appendix. All hospitals everywhere address these conditions immediately and with the full arsenal of treatments at their command.
- What is "conservative" care?
- Fewer days spent in the hospital
- Fewer days spent in the intensive care unit
- Fewer doctor visits overall, usually with an emphasis on primary care.
- What is "aggressive" care?
- More days in the hospital
- More days in intensive care units
- More doctor visits overall, usually with an emphasis on specialty care.
- Check hospitals in your area to see how they handle the types of life-threatening chronic diseases outlined above.
- Keep in mind that more aggressive care does not necessarily improve patient outcomes for serious chronic illness.
- If you're scheduled for treatment in a hospital that's aggressive, see our tips for ensuring that you are not overtreated.
Go back to the full article Too Much Treatment.
