15 Medical Tests Every Man Should Have - Page 4 - MSN Health & Fitness - Men's Health

Medical science has truly come a very long way in its ability to accurately detect many maladies that afflict the human species. However I begin to wonder if many of these tests are "strongly recommended" by the medical community as a source of revenue more than as a means of detecting problems early. In the early days of medicine a skilled diagnostician did not have all of these nifty tests and fancy equipment. He or she made a diagnosis based upon a level of knowledge, skills, and experience.

Today's technology certainly improves upon that skill and aids those who perhaps have not practiced long enough to have acquired such skills. Such tests should be used with discretion when a given diagnosis is fairly obvious in my opinion simply because of their costs. Now days most physicians will order them simply to protect themselves from malpractice suits and, in many cases, to generate revenue on these labs and pieces of equipment in which they happen to be a major investor if not full owner.

I know that this sounds a bit cynical but I have seen such practices too often to not come to this conclusion. Then we wonder why our medical insurance costs are going through the roof. Too many very expensive tests and procedures which cost large sums of money are being ordered and carried out when they really aren't necessary. I just got out of the hospital a month ago after some thoracic surgery. I was puzzled as to why they had to draw blood for lab work up at every shift change. Was it changing that fast? I think not. It was just a nice little money maker charged to Medicare in my opinion. They wouldn't answer me when I asked why. LOL