One list of five things physicians and patients should question

A collaboration of United States specialty societies representing more than 500,000 physicians developed lists of Five Things Physicians and Patients Should Question, specific to each specialty, in recognition of the importance of physician and patient conversations to improve care and eliminate unnecessary tests and procedures.

The American College of Medical Toxicology and The American Academy of Clinical Toxicology developed this list of Five Things Physicians and Patients Should Question

(click to embiggen)

The list:

1. Don’t use homeopathic medications, non-vitamin dietary supplements or herbal supplements as treatments for disease or preventive health measures.
2. Don’t administer a chelating agent prior to testing urine for metals, a practice referred to as “provoked” urine testing.
3. Don’t order heavy metal screening tests to assess non-specific symptoms in the absence of excessive exposure to metals.
4. Don’t recommend chelation except for documented metal intoxicationwhich has been diagnosed using validated tests in appropriate biological samples.
5. Don’t remove mercury-containing dental amalgams

You can download your own copy:  Download ACMT-AACT-5things-List_september2013.

You can see lists of five things from other specialties at http://www.choosingwisely.org/doctor-patient-lists/