Tackling the Problem of Health Care Overuse

Reining in health care spending is a primary goal for insurers, health care organizations, and governments. One area many experts say deserves greater attention is the overuse of medical tests, treatments, and procedures that are of little or no value to patients—and sometimes even cause harm. For our new Q&A, former Commonwealth Fund Harkness Fellow Adam Elshaug, a professor of health policy at the University of Sydney, talked to us about the scope of overuse, its causes, and what might be done to address a growing worldwide problem.