Which option is NOT described as a wasteful outcome in the material?

Which option is NOT described as a wasteful outcome in the material?

• A. Increasing hospital admissions to manage chronic disease
• B. Intensive non-palliative end-of-life care
• C. Expensive diagnostic tests that do not affect treatment
• D. Recommending costly procedures when cheaper alternatives exist

Answer: (A)

Value in health care comes from interventions that meaningfully improve health outcomes relative to their costs and risks. Increasing hospital admissions to manage chronic disease is not inherently wasteful because hospitalizations can be necessary to stabilize patients, address acute decompensation, prevent complications, and coordinate complex treatment when outpatient care isn’t enough. The wasteful scenarios described involve using resources without changing management or outcomes: intensive non-palliative end-of-life care that may not align with patient goals, expensive diagnostic tests that don’t affect treatment decisions, and costly procedures when cheaper, effective alternatives exist. Those illustrate low-value care by adding cost and risk without improving health. So the admission-focused option is not described as wasteful.

Value in health care comes from interventions that meaningfully improve health outcomes relative to their costs and risks. Increasing hospital admissions to manage chronic disease is not inherently wasteful because hospitalizations can be necessary to stabilize patients, address acute decompensation, prevent complications, and coordinate complex treatment when outpatient care isn’t enough. The wasteful scenarios described involve using resources without changing management or outcomes: intensive non-palliative end-of-life care that may not align with patient goals, expensive diagnostic tests that don’t affect treatment decisions, and costly procedures when cheaper, effective alternatives exist. Those illustrate low-value care by adding cost and risk without improving health. So the admission-focused option is not described as wasteful.