Screening Pelvic Examination in Adult Women
Authors: Samuel Metz, Debra Gussman
Journal: Annals of Internal Medicine (2014)

Letters16 December 2014Screening Pelvic Examination in Adult WomenSamuel Metz, MD and Debra Gussman, MDSamuel Metz, MDFrom Portland, Oregon, and Meridian Health, Neptune, New Jersey.Search for more papers by this author and Debra Gussman, MDFrom Portland, Oregon, and Meridian Health, Neptune, New Jersey.Search for more papers by this authorAuthor, Article, and Disclosure Informationhttps://doi.org/10.7326/L14-5035 SectionsAboutFull TextPDF ToolsAdd to favoritesDownload CitationsTrack CitationsPermissions ShareFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditEmail TO THE EDITOR:Both the American College of Physicians (1) and American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (2) agree that annual pelvic examinations for asymptomatic women offer little intrinsic value. However, both organizations would acknowledge that annual encounters to discuss safe sex, sexually transmitted and urinary tract infections, birth control, and prepregnancy counseling offer high value. Unfortunately, insurance companies disagree. Most will readily pay for annual examinations that lack clinical value but withhold payment for discussions providing high value. As a consequence, women seeking counsel from their gynecologists to discuss safe sex and other issues must endure an unwanted, unindicated, ...References1. Qaseem A, Humphrey LL, Harris R, Starkey M, Denberg TD; Clinical Guidelines Committee of the American College of Physicians.. Screening pelvic examination in adult women: a clinical practice guideline from the American College of Physicians. Ann Intern Med. 2014;161:67-72. [PMID: 24979451] doi:10.7326/M14-0701 LinkGoogle Scholar2. American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. ACOG Practice Advisory on Annual Pelvic Examination Recommendations. 30 June 2014. Accessed at www.acog.org/About-ACOG/News-Room/Statements-and-Advisories/2014/ACOG-Practice-Advisory-on-Annual-Pelvic-Examination-Recommendations on 10 November 2014. Google Scholar Author, Article, and Disclosure InformationAuthors: Samuel Metz, MD; Debra Gussman, MDAffiliations: From Portland, Oregon, and Meridian Health, Neptune, New Jersey.Disclosures: Authors have disclosed no conflicts of interest. Forms can be viewed at www.acponline.org/authors/icmje/ConflictOfInterestForms.do?msNum=L14-0519. PreviousarticleNextarticle Advertisement FiguresReferencesRelatedDetailsSee AlsoScreening Pelvic Examination in Adult Women: A Clinical Practice Guideline From the American College of Physicians Amir Qaseem , Linda L. Humphrey , Russell Harris , Melissa Starkey , and Thomas D. Denberg , for the Clinical Guidelines Committee of the American College of Physicians* Screening Pelvic Examination in Adult Women Carol Bates and Jennifer Potter Screening Pelvic Examination in Adult Women Thomas D. Denberg , Russell Harris , Linda L. Humphrey , and Amir Qaseem Metrics 16 December 2014Volume 161, Issue 12 Page: 925 Keywords Conflicts of interest Disclosure Female contraception ePublished: 16 December 2014 Issue Published: 16 December 2014 Copyright & PermissionsCopyright © 2014 by American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.PDF downloadLoading ...