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Can patient demand for pharmaceuticals be moderated?
1Mark@Mark-Thompson.com
Cost & Quality : CQ
|May 2, 2000
Summary
Most health plan members are open to switching to less expensive medications or treatments when recommended by their physician. Patient trust in their doctor and the quality of alternatives significantly influences willingness to switch.
Area of Science:
- Health economics
- Patient behavior
- Pharmaceutical adherence
Background:
- Rising healthcare costs necessitate exploring cost-effective treatment options.
- Patient willingness to consider alternatives impacts medication adherence and overall healthcare expenditure.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess health plan members' openness to switching to less costly medications or treatments.
- To identify factors influencing patient acceptance of physician-recommended alternatives.
Main Methods:
- A telephone survey was conducted with 265 Kaiser Permanente members in Northern California.
- Participants responded to age- and gender-tailored vignettes exploring hypothetical treatment choices.
Main Results:
- A majority of young adults (77%), older women (60%), and older men (68%) expressed openness to switching to less expensive alternatives.
- Key factors for acceptance included physician trust, choice, and equivalent efficacy/convenience.
- Approximately one-third of participants were hesitant or refused substitution, often linked to lower satisfaction and poorer health.
Conclusions:
- Physicians can effectively moderate pharmaceutical demand by initiating conversations about cost-effective alternatives.
- Skilled physician communication and patient trust are crucial for successful medication or treatment substitution.