Changes in payment policies: impact on physicians' office testing.
Recent changes in payment policies include powerful pecuniary incentives to move care from expensive hospital settings to cheaper outpatient sites. Physicians face competition from a growing number of alternative providers in the diagnostic testing marketplace. Given that a concurrent trend involves aggressive utilization review with stiff penalties for noncompliance, physicians are challenged to practice appropriate restraint in ordering and performing tests.
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D019411:Clinical Laboratory Techniques / Q000191:economics* / Q000639:trends; D003365:Costs and Cost Analysis; D006268:Health Facilities / Q000191:economics*; D006291:Health Policy / Q000191:economics / Q000639:trends; D007349:Insurance, Health, Reimbursement / Q000191:economics* / Q000639:trends; D006278:Medicare / Q000191:economics; D010824:Physicians' Offices / Q000191:economics* / Q000639:trends; D011243:Preferred Provider Organizations / Q000191:economics / Q000639:trends; D011445:Prospective Payment System / Q000191:economics / Q000639:trends; D014481:United States