Physician Sensitivity to the Price of Diagnostic Tests

A questionnaire containing 11 patient management problems was completed by 495 physicians and medical students at an American and a Canadian medical school. Respondents indicated whether they would order a particular diagnostic test in each case, given five different prices for the test. Approximately 25 per cent of attending staff and a higher proportion of residents, interns and clerks responded that they would order the test depending on its price. Approximately 50 per cent of attending staff and smaller proportions of residents, interns and clerks indicated that they would not order the test even if there were no price. Respondents in Montreal were more likely than those in Philadelphia to select a price-sensitive response, the reverse of the expected tendency. Since some tests may be ordered on the basis of price, education of physicians regarding the price of diagnostic test may alter their use of these services, but a large proportion of tests are ordered because of clinically absolute reasons, which may be insensitive to price

Diagnostic test · Economics · Family medicine · Order (exchange) · Test (biology) · Finance · Healthcare cost, quality, practices · Healthcare Policy and Management · Medicine · Radiology practices and education · Pediatrics

• Influencing Behavior of Physicians Ordering Laboratory Tests

  Petra Axt-Adam, Johannes C van der Wouden et al.•Medical Care•1993

  Incluir item

• Teaching Cost-Effective Diagnostic Test Use to Medical Students

  Sharon Vegh Williams, Sankey V Williams et al.•Medical Care•1984

  Incluir item

• A Review of Physician Cost-Containment Strategies for Laboratory Testing

  Randolph M Grossman•Medical Care•1983

  Incluir item

• Improving House Staff Ordering of Three Common Laboratory Tests

  Kurt Kroenke, James F Hanley et al.•Medical Care•1987

  Incluir item

• Practice Pattern Variation Between Two Medical Schools

  Kathleen N Gillespie, James C Romeis et al.•Medical Care•1989

  Incluir item

• Physician Utilization

  John M Eisenberg•Medical Care•2002

  Incluir item

• What are tests for? The implications of stuttering steps along the US patient pathway

  Open Access•Jonathan Q Tritter, Jonathan Tritter et al.•Social Science & Medicine•2014

  Incluir item

• Use of Diagnostic Services by Physicians in Community Practice

  John M Eisenberg, David Nicklin•Medical Care•1981

  Incluir item

• Physician Awareness of Economic Factors in Clinical Decision-Making

  John Tobias Nagurney, Robert L Braham et al.•Medical Care•1979

  Incluir item