Overuse of tests and treatments in Canada

Key links

Report: Overuse of Tests and Treatments in Canada — Progress Report (PDF)

Data tables: Overuse of Tests and Treatments in Canada — Data Tables (XLSX)

Methodology notes: Overuse of Tests and Treatments in Canada — Methodology Notes (PDF)

Contact CIHI:

November 10, 2022 — CIHI and Choosing Wisely Canada have been working together since 2015 to report on the overuse of tests, treatments and procedures in Canada. This follow-up report to 2017’s Unnecessary Care in Canada examines 12 measures across community care, emergency care and hospital care. It shows how much progress Canada’s health care systems have made in reducing low-value care by looking at trends and variations in use over time and across the country. This report also provides information and ideas that may inform clinicians, decision-makers and policy-makers about further reducing overused tests and treatments.

Key findings

Use of 8 of the 12 selected tests and treatments declined by 10% or more between 2014–2015 and 2019–2020.
Overuse remains an issue, and further reductions in low-value care are both possible and necessary.
To achieve widespread change, we need system-level changes in addition to continued efforts from front-line clinicians and patients.

Featured material

Progress report

Take a look at the trends in overuse of 12 tests and treatments across community, emergency and hospital care settings in Canada, along with variations across provinces and territories.

View the report(PDF)

Data tables

Explore trends in overuse of 12 tests and treatments at national and provincial/territorial levels, as well as overuse rates by patient characteristics, clinical characteristics and hospital peer groups.

Download data tables (XLSX)

Methodology notes

Learn more about the methodologies used to analyze overuse of 12 tests and treatments across community, emergency and hospital care settings in Canada.

Download methodology notes (PDF)