Medical specialists cut ineffective treatments in "Less is More" initiative

Medical specialists are set to make significant cuts in treatments and examinations that are currently standard but have proven to be barely or not at all effective. For example, patients with a simple case of appendicitis will no longer automatically undergo surgery. In many cases, antibiotics and pain relief are sufficient.

A total of 13 medical professional organizations will make concrete adjustments to their guidelines, the umbrella organization Federation of Medical Specialists (FMS) confirmed following a report in de Volkskrant. The goal is to stop medical procedures that lack scientific evidence of their usefulness. This approach is intended to reduce healthcare costs and ensure that limited healthcare capacity is used more effectively.

Eliminating ineffective procedures is also less burdensome for patients. This is the main reason patient organizations are supportive of the project, which has been named Less is More.

"If there is a suspicion that certain care is not or is less effective, it often isn’t discontinued until this has been definitively proven," an FMS spokeswoman explained. But that process can take many years. The approach is now being reversed: "We will responsibly stop providing care that appears to be less effective and then evaluate whether this was a good decision."

Focusing only on necessary care could also mean that patients are discharged earlier. For instance, babies who have passed meconium before birth but show no problems after delivery may soon be allowed to go home after four hours. At present, the minimum observation period is eight hours.

The list also includes several checkups that doctors believe add little value. For example, cardiologists will stop performing yearly heart ultrasounds for five years in a row in patients who have received a biological heart valve. In most cases, such scans are also unnecessary for people who have had a stroke or mini-stroke (TIA), since the other tests done beforehand already provide enough information.

The guidelines will likely be closely followed, as they are “the standard for every medical professional in the Netherlands,” the FMS explained. The organization confirmed that cutting back on treatments could save the medical sector around 70 million euros a year. That is “a conservative estimate.” And it leaves doctors with more time for care that has been proven effective.