Physician awareness of economic factors in clinical decision-making.
Physicians' awareness of economic factors in clinical decision-making at one large urban university medical center was studied by a 50-item questionnaire. Their dollar estimates were considered correct if within +/- 20 per cent of the true October 1976 figure. Eighty-one per cent of the house staff and all of the attendings correctly estimated the daily semi-private room rate, but only 15 per cent of each group correctly estimated the charge for a serum potassium. Roughly half of the questions concerning various third-party benefit plans were answered correctly. These results are consistent with those of the few previous studies. If the findings are generally applicable, they may suggest that a directed teaching program in simple economic facts and principles may be useful at all levels of physician training.
D001291:Attitude of Health Personnel; D001364:Awareness; D019411:Clinical Laboratory Techniques / Q000191:economics; D003657:Decision Making; D004363:Drug Utilization / Q000191:economics; D004469:Economics, Hospital; D004501:Education, Medical; D005249:Fees and Charges; D006785:Hospitals, University / Q000191:economics; D006801:Humans; D007342:Insurance Benefits; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital; D010820:Physicians; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D014481:United States