Feeling a little guilty

What would you do if every time your doctor ordered a test it would cost you 3 to 5 days wages? It would certainly make you concerned when your doctor suggested a test be done. This is the situation for most of our patients. I don’t order many tests in our clinic and when I do, I feel a certain amount of guilt about doing so. I know that each test ordered will impose a hardship for the family involved. For some it may even mean choosing between eating and getting the test done. You can imagine the look of disappointment and pain on each face when I mention the need for a test. From an American perspective, the tests are a bargain. A Complete Blood Count is about $4 (compared to $80 in the US). A Chest Xray is $5 (compared to $30 or so in the US). However, when our patients make only $1 - $4 per day these can be a burden. I pray for wisdom and discernment when choosing to do any tests. Wouldn’t it be nice if physicians in America had the freedom to use wisdom and discernment when choosing tests rather than choosing them to defend against legal suit?