Using Health Care Resources Wisely During and Following the COVID-19 Pandemic

In the pandemic era, the Choosing Wisely Canada campaign has taken on new meanings and urgency. There are drops in utilization for necessary health care services and procedures during the pandemic; however, there is growing literature suggesting that some decreases in utilization have been driven by declines in low-value tests and treatments. As resources have shifted to pandemic priorities and essential care needs, these unnecessary tests and treatments have also declined. Choosing Wisely Canada and CADTH are proactively working to highlight key recommendations from evidence-based lists of recommendations to inform priorities for rebuilding, which include avoiding low-value care. Rebuilding the health care system in the post-pandemic era needs to take into account a diversity of perspectives on how to prioritize high-value care for those who need it most, including clinician, patient, and policy expert perspectives.