Overdiagnosis is a danger to our patients and the health system

Over-screening and over-testing fuel patient anxiety and divert resources from those who need it most, writes GP Mike Thompson 

Unnecessary testing can use up vital resources and clinician time and — despite sometimes being partly driven by patient expectations — can cause that patient undue anxiety. Stock picture

General practice is one of the cornerstones of healthcare, providing continuity of care, managing undifferentiated presentations, offering large-scale population screening, and long-term management of chronic disease and preventative services. So far so good.

The spectre of underdiagnosis is obvious to all but, in recent years, the concept of overdiagnosis has gained increasing attention in clinical care.