ASH has been an active participant in Choosing Wisely, a quality improvement initiative led by the American Board of Internal Medicine.
In 2019, ASH and the American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology (ASPHO) formed a joint task force to solicit, evaluate, and select items for a pediatric-focused Choosing Wisely list. By using an iterative process and an evidence-based method, the ASH-ASPHO Task Force identified five hematologic tests and treatments that health care providers and patients should question because they are not supported by evidence, or they involve risks of medical and financial costs with low likelihood of benefit.
The effort was led by ASH Councillor Sarah O’Brien, MD, of Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, and colleagues. The authors encourage all health care providers to consider the ASH-ASPHO Choosing Wisely guidelines when treating pediatric patients, educating trainees, and considering future quality improvement and research efforts.
The recommendations were published in volume 6, issue 2 of Blood Advances, and are available at bloodadvances.org.
