AI Recommends 3.2x Costlier Care; Models Add Tests in 2/3 of Visits Physicians Ordered None
dvir_a · x · 2026-10-16
Breaking down where the extra testing comes from in the NEJM AI study: in about two-thirds of visits the physician ordered no tests, yet AI models often added a familiar panel anyway. In physician review of 1,000 plans across five systems, 18% included guideline-concordant workup absent from the physician's plan. The author cautions that costlier doesn't automatically mean unnecessary — physician decisions aren't a perfect gold standard either, and the field must distinguish value-adding extra care from waste. The chart shows models adding diagnostic tests in 45%-79% of follow-up visits where physicians ordered $0, led by Qwen 3 at 79%.
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