Sound Off: Overregulation and Politicization of Medicine Limit Access to In-Office Uterine Evacuation

We received the following comment from Mitch Nudelman, MD, regarding the use of office-based uterine evacuation in early pregnancy failure. Seems there’s more to the issue than the lack of physician training highlighted in a recent study:

"20 years ago I joined a practice that has safely been performing in office uterine evacuation and other minor gynecologic procedures for over 30 years now. It is safe convenient and cost effective for patients and insurance companies. We use IV analgesia, sterile technique and proper case selection to safely offer this alternative. This year our state medical quality assurance commission has begun the process of intervening in the private medical environment in the name of safety. Instead this intervention is likely to increase the cost of care, potentially pricing us out of the market, forcing us to take our cases to the hospital environment, thus limiting the access of this type of cost effective care to our patients. It is yet another example of government over-regulation in the name of perceived patient safety. The politicizing of medicine will in my opinion ultimately be the demise of the private practice physician."

Mitch Nudelman, MD