The Ethical Challenge in the Provision of Health Services: Unnecessary Services

Abstract

Most health systems in developing countries are confronted with the major challenge of providing unnecessary healthcare services. Unnecessary healthcare services can be defined as a spectrum of overused, low-value, or inappropriate interventions that lack a clear clinical indication, provide minimal or no benefit to the patient, and may cause harm. This issue not only depletes limited resources across the broader health system—including hospitals, insurers, and out-of-pocket payers—but also directly jeopardizes patient safety through adverse effects, preventable complications, and misdiagnoses. Patient safety is a core value of all hospitals and stands as one of the most critical indicators of healthcare service quality. The available evidence points to the severity of this problem and underscores the urgent need for systematic interventions (1).