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“Too much medicine”: Insights and explanations from economic theory and research

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  • Hensher, Martin
  • Tisdell, John
  • Zimitat, Craig

Abstract

Increasing attention has been paid in recent years to the problem of “too much medicine”, whereby patients receive unnecessary investigations and treatments providing them with little or no benefit, but which expose them to risks of harm. Despite this phenomenon potentially constituting an inefficient use of health care resources, it has received limited direct attention from health economists.

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  • Hensher, Martin & Tisdell, John & Zimitat, Craig, 2017. "“Too much medicine”: Insights and explanations from economic theory and research," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 176(C), pages 77-84.
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:socmed:v:176:y:2017:i:c:p:77-84
    DOI: 10.1016/j.socscimed.2017.01.020
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    1. Hensher, Martin & Canny, Ben & Zimitat, Craig & Campbell, Julie & Palmer, Andrew, 2020. "Health care, overconsumption and uneconomic growth: A conceptual framework," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 266(C).
    2. Stephen J. Robson & Martin Hensher & Jeffrey C. Looi, 2024. "Can we predict the effects of artificial intelligence and virtual care on the health labour market?," Australian Journal of Labour Economics (AJLE), Bankwest Curtin Economics Centre (BCEC), Curtin Business School, vol. 27(2), pages 143-160.
    3. Jeffrey C. L. Looi & Jasmine M. Davis & Martin Hensher & Stephen J. Robson, 2023. "Under‐ and Postgraduate Education in Health Economics for Australia's Medical Practitioners: Time for Change?," Australian Economic Review, The University of Melbourne, Melbourne Institute of Applied Economic and Social Research, vol. 56(3), pages 393-412, September.

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