Choosing Wisely: health resources and information
At Sharp Rees-Stealy, we arm you with the health information you need and give you access to health topic–specific resources.
Together, we'll make the best choices for your health care
The right care at the right time — that's what we all want and deserve. At Sharp Rees-Stealy, we want to help you by giving you the information you need to choose your care wisely. As the only medical group in Southern California to partner with the Integrated Healthcare Association in the Choosing Wisely® initiative, you can say goodbye to unneeded tests and treatments.
Choosing Wisely is an initiative of the ABIM Foundation to help patients and doctors talk about the overuse of tests and procedures and support doctors in their efforts to help patients make smart and effective care choices.
Your questions answered
We help you know, not guess, the best choices for your health. Do you really need antibiotics for adult bronchitis? Is imaging necessary for common headaches? Can repetitive blood testing be avoided? And most importantly, how do you know? We give you access to topic-specific resources, collected from Consumer Reports and more than 70 national medical specialty societies. Because working together, we can achieve great health — you just need to know how to get there.
View and download important health information
The following PDFs are available for download:
Antibiotics for Urinary Tract Infections in Older People: When You Need Them — and When You Don't
Care at the End of Life for Advanced Cancer Patients: When to Stop Cancer Treatment
Cholesterol Drugs for People 75 and Older: When You Need Them — and When You Don't
Feeding Tubes for People With Alzheimer's Disease: When You Need Them — and When You Don't
Home Oxygen After a Hospital Stay: When It's Okay to Stop Using It
Implanted Heart Devices at the End of Life: When You Need Them — and When You Don't
Insomnia and Anxiety in Older People: Sleeping Pills Are Usually Not the Best Solution
Testing for Alzheimer's Disease: When You Need a Brain Scan — and When You Don't
Antibiotics for a Sore Throat, Cough or Runny Nose: When Children Need Them — and When They Don't
Antibiotics for Urinary Tract Infections in Older People: When You Need Them — and When You Don't
Antibiotics for Your Skin: When You Need Them — and When You Don't
Oral Antibiotics for Ear Infections: When You Need Them — and When You Don't
Brain Scans for Head Injuries: When You Need Them — and When You Don't
CT Scans for Children With Head Injuries: When They Need Them — and When They Don't
Imaging Tests for Headaches: When You Need a CT Scan or MRI — and When You Don't
Screening Tests for Brain Aneurysms: When You Need Them — and When You Don't
Testing for Alzheimer's Disease: When You Need a Brain Scan — and When You Don't
Treating Frequent Headaches With Pain Relievers: When You Need Them — and When You Don't
Treating Migraine Headaches: Some Drugs Should Rarely Be Used
Breast Cancer Treatment: A Better Way to Check the Lymph Nodes
Care at the End of Life for Advanced Cancer Patients: When to Stop Cancer Treatment
CT Scans to Find Lung Cancer in Smokers: When You Need Them — and When You Don't
Dietary Supplements to Prevent Heart Disease or Cancer: They Don't Help — and Some Can Be Harmful
Imaging and Tumor Marker Tests for Breast Cancer: When You Need Them — and When You Don't
Hard Decisions About Cancer: 5 Tests and Treatments to Question
Imaging Tests for Early Prostate Cancer: When You Need Them — and When You Don't
PET Scans After Cancer Treatment: When You Need Them — and When You Don't
Screening Tests for Ovarian Cancer: When You Need Them — and When You Don't
The PSA Blood Test for Prostate Cancer: When Men Need It — and When They Don't
Antibiotics for Pinkeye: When You Need Them — and When You Don't
Chest X-Rays Before Surgery: When You Need One and When You Don't
Dental Fillings That Contain Mercury: Removing Them Is a Bad Idea
IgG Replacement Therapy: When You Need It — and When You Don't
Lab Tests Before Surgery: When You Need Them — and When You Don't
Medical Tests Before Eye Surgery: When You Need Them — and When You Don't
Medical Tests Before Surgery: When You Need Them — and When You Don't
Palliative Care: Support at Any Time During a Serious Illness
Preventing Infections in the Hospital: Watch Out for These Two Practices
Stress Tests for Chest Pain: When You Need an Imaging Test — and When You Don't
Tests for Lyme Disease: When You Need Them — and When You Don't
Treating Heartburn and GERD: Using Nexium, Prilosec and Other PPIs Carefully
Treatment for Erection Problems: When You Need Testosterone Treatment — and When You Don't
Carotid Artery Surgery: When You Need It — and When You Don't
Cholesterol Drugs for People 75 and Older: When You Need Them — and When You Don't
CMR Tests for Chest Pain and Cardiac Screening: When You Need This Imaging Test — and When You Don't
Dietary Supplements to Prevent Heart Disease or Cancer; They Don't Help — and Some Can Be Harmful
Echocardiography After Surgery to Replace a Heart Valve: When You Need It — and When You Don't
Echocardiography for Heart Valve Disease: When You Need the Test — and When You Don't
Echocardiogram Before Surgery: When You Need It — and When You Don't
EKGs and Exercise Stress Tests: When You Need Them — and When You Don't
Heart Imaging Tests Before Surgery: When You Need Them — and When You Don't
Heart Stress Tests Before Surgery: When You Need a Test — and When You Don't
Imaging Stress Tests: When You Need Them for Your Heart — and When You Don't
Imaging Tests After a Heart Procedure: When You Need Them — and When You Don't
Imaging Tests for Heart Disease: When You Need Them — and When You Don't
Implanted Heart Devices at the End of Life: When You Need Them — and When You Don't
Preventing Seizures After an Ischemic Stroke: When You Need Medicine — and When You Don't
Testing After Heart Procedures: When You Need a Nuclear Stress Test — and When You Don't
Tests Before Heart Surgery: When You Need Them — and When You Don't
Treating Acute Blood Clots: When You Need a Special Device Implanted — and When You Don't
Treating Blocked Leg Arteries: When You Need a Procedure — and When You Don't
A blend of medical, physical and behavioral rehabilitation, our pain management services offer a unique model of treatment focused on improving your quality of life when you've been impacted by chronic pain. For more information, call 858-939-3070.
Blood Tests to Show Your Risk for Miscarriage: When They Can Help — and When They Don't
Breast Cancer Treatment: A Better Way to Check the Lymph Nodes
Delivering Your Baby: Why Scheduling Early Delivery Is Not a Good Idea
Imaging and Tumor Marker Tests for Breast Cancer: When You Need Them — and When You Don't
Imaging Tests for Ovarian Cysts: When You Need an Ultrasound — and When You Don't
Mammograms Before Elective Breast Surgery: When You Need the Tests — and When You Don't
Screening Tests for Ovarian Cancer: When You Need Them — and When You Don't