The Summerland Advocate-Messenger - Reliable, Trustworthy Reporting, Capturing The Heartbeat Of Our Community

As a physician with 45 years of practice, I've seen my share of diseases. I have usually been on the physician side of the diagnosis- treatment paradigm. However, knowing the rationale for diagnostic screening tests, I fortunately did not shirk my own.

Testing too much or too frequently leads to insignificant findings that may have no long-term consequences, yet create worry and further testing. Too often, this can lead to surgery that does not save lives but carries pain, disability, unnecessary expense and sometimes, post-op infection that occasionally is fatal. Knowing what and when to t...