Michelle Guppy, MB Tracy, Rachelle Buchbinder
BACKGROUND: Overdiagnosis and overtesting are recognised as prevalent in medical practice and can cause harm to patients. OBJECTIVE: This article seeks to define these terms, highlight some common examples and provide an approach to navigating clinical encounters where patients present for healthcare. DISCUSSION: A patient-centred and shared decision- making approach is the best way to balance risks and harms for individual patients when considering screening or diagnostic tests. There are useful resources available that are designed specifically for general practitioners and their patients to support making the best decision with an individual.