Do malpractice concerns, payment mechanisms, and attitudes influence test-ordering decisions?

Greater understanding is needed of nonclinical factors that determine neurologists' decisions to order tests. The authors surveyed 595 US neurologists and utilized demographic information, attitude scales, and clinical scenarios to evaluate the influence of nonclinical factors on test-ordering...

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Bibliographic Details
Published inNeurology Vol. 62; no. 1; p. 119
Main Authors Birbeck, G L, Gifford, D R, Song, J, Belin, T R, Mittman, B S, Vickrey, B G
Format Journal Article
LanguageEnglish
Published United States 13.01.2004
Subjects
Age Factors
Attitude of Health Personnel
Defensive Medicine
Diagnostic Tests, Routine - economics
Diagnostic Tests, Routine - statistics & numerical data
Female
Health Care Costs
Health Care Surveys
Humans
Male
Malpractice
Middle Aged
Motivation
Nervous System Diseases - diagnosis
Neurology - statistics & numerical data
Odds Ratio
Practice Patterns, Physicians' - economics
Practice Patterns, Physicians' - statistics & numerical data
Reimbursement Mechanisms
United States
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Summary:Greater understanding is needed of nonclinical factors that determine neurologists' decisions to order tests. The authors surveyed 595 US neurologists and utilized demographic information, attitude scales, and clinical scenarios to evaluate the influence of nonclinical factors on test-ordering decisions. Greater test reliance, higher malpractice concerns, and receiving reimbursement for testing were all associated with a higher likelihood of test ordering. These findings have implications for training needs and suggest malpractice worries may inflate health care costs.
ISSN:1526-632X
DOI:10.1212/01.WNL.0000101709.87316.0C