One of the five cornerstones of the province’s health authority’s financial sustainability plan deals with reducing the amount of unnecessary diagnostic testing.

NL Health Services says this province has the highest rate of unnecessary testing in the country, and that is unfair to those who should be higher in the queue and financially costly to the system.

Cassie Chisholm, VP responsible for the provincial hospital system, says it boils down to doing things which are supported by science and not doing tests when there is no scientific rationale for them.

That could be things like blood work, medical imaging – there’s a whole swath of areas that they could focus on, she says.

“As a patient, I am sure anyone could imagine if you’re waiting for something, and the person who is getting it ahead of you may not need it at all – or certainly may not need it as much as you do, that gives a person pause,” says Chisholm.