[tptacek]

"Elective" medicine is simply medicine that can be scheduled in advance. The opposite of "elective" is "emergency". Plenty of elective procedures are not in any meaningful sense optional.

[s1artibartfast]

I feel we are quibbling about terminology instead of the central point. Feel free to substitute discretionary procedures if that is clearer, although nearly all medicine is discretionary (elective or emergency).

[tptacek]

Right, I was just clarifying that the term "elective" isn't going to be useful for the conversation we're having.

[s1artibartfast]

fair. I was thinking of elective procedures, but that is a poor juxtaposition with screening, which is also elective.