Quality Health Care Isn’t One Size Fits All - WSJ.com

It’s widely estimated that 30% of U.S. health-care spending—some $700 billion a year—is spent on tests, treatments and procedures that provide no value. But one man’s waste may be another’s life-saving treatment. And there are hundreds of medical quandaries with no clear answers. When is angioplasty appropriate for patients with clogged arteries? How often should patients with gastroesophageal reflux disease have upper endoscopies? Which of eight expensive drugs for rheumatoid arthritis work best and are worth the potentially harsh side effects? What works best to treat low back pain or prevent obesity, hypertension and diabetes? Is weight-bearing exercise better than bisphosphonates in preventing hip and spinal fractures in older women? Read More