Do we know the costs of what we prescribe? A study on awareness of the cost of drugs and devices among ICU staff.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the level of cost awareness of drugs and devices among intensive care unit (ICU) doctors with variable levels of experience (senior intensivists, junior intensivists, residents).


METHODS
Interview-questionnaire.


METHODS
ICU of the University of Rome "La Sapienza".


METHODS
60 ICU doctors (40 specialists in anaesthesia and intensive care, 20 residents).


RESULTS
The estimated prices of drugs and devices were compared with the correct prices; responses within a range +/- 20% of the true price were arbitrarily considered correct; all the subgroups of doctors made inaccurate estimates of the prices, showing an absence of any impact of professional experience of cost awareness.


CONCLUSIONS
The doctors in the study showed a high level of inaccurate cost awareness of drugs and devices.
Conti
G
G
Institute of Anaesthesia and Intensive Care, University of Rome La Sapienza, Italy. contigio@uniroma1.it
Dell'Utri
D
D
Pelaia
P
P
Rosa
G
G
Cogliati
A A
AA
Gasparetto
A
A
D001364:Awareness; D016527:Drug Costs / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000191:economics*; D004521:Educational Measurement; D004864:Equipment and Supplies / Q000191:economics*; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D007362:Intensive Care Units; D008505:Medical Staff, Hospital / Q000193:education* / Q000523:psychology; D055656:Prescriptions / Q000191:economics*; D012384:Rome; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D000078329:Workforce