Fortunately, an increase in the overall quality of medical care should decrease legal liability, right? Perhaps not. Rather than inspiring confidence that use of its recommendations will save costs, improve quality, and decrease harm, Choosing Wisely acknowledges the opposite by trying to impose added liability for using its recommendations on the very people whose decision making it seeks to change. "The use of this report is at your own risk ... the ABIM Foundation ... [is] not liable for any loss, injury, or other damage related to your use of this report."
The Choosing Wisely site has many thoughtful recommendations, but don’t be misled: Many Choosing Wisely guidelines are more concerned with cost reduction than they are with quality improvement, regardless of the definition of "quality" we choose to use.
Dr. William Sullivan is an emergency physician, a past president of the Illinois College of Emergency Physicians, and has a private law practice in Frankfort, Ill.