Although the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act is the most talked about vehicle of health care reform, physicians across medical disciplines are taking extra steps to increase patient satisfaction and the value of patient care by joining the Choosing Wisely campaign.

“Emergency physicians, particularly academics today, need to be more involved in the future of medicine, which is controlling costs, looking at being more efficient, providing value. The Choosing Wisely campaign is part of that,” said David C. Seaberg, MD, CPE, FACEP, Past President and former Chairman of the Board for ACEP.

An initiative of the ABIM Foundation, Choosing Wisely aims to encourage physicians to think about the necessity of tests and quality improvement in patient care by creating and following lists of evidence-based care recommendations. ACEP and other specialty societies have created lists of five tests and procedures that may not be cost-effective in some situations and should prompt discussion with patients in order to both educate them and gain their agreement regarding avoidance of such tests and procedures.

In his Rapid Fire session, “Wisely Chosen Care: How the Choosing Wisely Campaign Could Change Medicine,” Dr. Seaberg will describe his role in ACEP’s decision to join the campaign and “why that will pay dividends in the future.” He believes that the campaign could change the future of health care in terms of procedures, test ordering, costs, and even malpractice.

Rapid Fire: Wisely Chosen Care
How the Choosing Wisely
Campaign Could Change Medicine
Tuesday, Oct. 28
1:30–1:55 p.m.
Skyline Ballroom, Room W375C

The emergency medicine community was initially reluctant to join Choosing Wisely. In fact, Dr. Seaberg was President-Elect of ACEP when the organization decided three times not to take part in the campaign. As President, he had a change of heart.

“I wasn’t necessarily a staunch supporter initially,” Dr. Seaberg said. “I still think there are certain issues with the Choosing Wisely campaign. But again, it’s a launching pad. I hope it can be a launching pad to look at ways that we can reduce waste and unnecessary testing in medicine and even possibly lead to other reforms around that.”

Francesca Baratta is a freelance writer based in New Jersey.