The following interactive cases were developed to illustrate basic principles of high-value care in common clinical contexts. While our explanations are written with an audience of pre-clinical medical students in mind, the principles are applicable at every level of training.

Each case will provide you with relevant patient information, including presenting symptoms, medical history, and physical exam findings. You will then have the opportunity to act as this patient’s provider, inputting your assessment and plan. Once you’ve submitted your initial plan, we encourage you to enter “Expert Mode,” where you’ll receive personalized feedback on your plan and learn expert guidance on the value-conscious, evidence-based approach to your case. You’ll also have the option to print and save an itemized receipt detailing the costs of your own diagnostic approach!

Price data presented in each of these cases is derived from publicly available institutional data. To learn more about our methods, please visit our Methodology page.

The patients described in each of these cases are entirely fictional, though their stories are not uncommon.

Each case is independent from the others—please feel free to jump around!