Can physician education lower the cost of prescription drugs?

Article Abstract:

Many diseases and medical problems that once required a hospital stay may now be treated on an outpatient basis. Ironically, this may have adverse financial consequences for some patients. Prescription drugs, which may have been covered if used in the hospital, are often not covered for use at home. Medicare pays for very little outpatient medication, and many insurance companies place limits on reimbursement for outpatient drugs. During the same time that the number of conditions treated on an outpatient basis has grown, the cost of drugs has risen significantly as well. A study was conducted to determine if the education of physicians on the cost of drugs would help them to write cheaper prescriptions for their patients. Thirty-one medical interns were given booklets comparing drug prices and outlining prescribing advice. Twenty interns were enrolled in a program discussing the management of cholesterol, but were not given the material on drug costs. Over the next eight months, the prescription-writing patterns of the interns were analyzed. The analysis of 3,012 prescriptions revealed that the physicians who received the information on drug cost wrote cheaper prescriptions for their patients. When choosing one drug from a class of similar drugs, these physicians tended to prescribed the less expensive compounds when compared with the control interns. The results of the study show that a relatively simple education program for physicians can have a significant impact on lowering the costs of prescription drugs. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)

Health aspects, Economic aspects, Education, Physicians, Medical professions, Prescription writing, Prescription pricing

---

Methods for comparison of cost data

Article Abstract:

A statistical method called the Z-score method may be more appropriate than conventional methods for performing cost analyses on skewed data frequently encountered in health care cost distributions. A few patients frequently use a disproportionate amount of services resulting in skewed cost data. Eleven cost analysis research articles published between 1991 and 1996 were statistically reanalyzed using the Z-score method. Six re-analyses resulted in different conclusions than the original authors reported. Some comparisons became more significant and some became less significant.

---

Estimating causal effects from large data sets using propensity scores

Article Abstract:

A statistical score called a propensity score may be more appropriate than traditional statistical scoring methods when analyzing treatment effectiveness using information from large databases. A propensity score minimizes the effects of patient variables encountered when using observational data in databases. Statistical analyses using propensity scores may help clarify treatment trends or identify areas for more in-depth research but may not provide specific guidance for treatment interventions.

Information services, Medical research, Centralized databases

Similar abstracts:

• Abstracts: Academic physicians' participation in organized medicine. For our patients, not for profits: a call for action
• Abstracts: Patient consent for publication and the health of the public. Obtain informed consent before publishing information about patients
• Abstracts: Are older people satisfied with discharge information? Easing the discomfort of oxygen therapy
• Abstracts: Building the best team. Internal medicine in the current health care environment: a need for reaffirmation
• Abstracts: Feasibility and utility of adding disease-specific outcome measures to administrative databases to improve disease management

This website is not affiliated with document authors or copyright owners. This page is provided for informational purposes only. Unintentional errors are possible.