Use of discrete choice experiments to elicit preferences

Area of Science:

• Health Services Research
• Health Economics
• Patient Preference Research

Background:

• Discrete choice experiments (DCEs) are increasingly used to understand patient preferences in healthcare.
• A systematic review confirmed DCEs' broad application and methodological advancements in health care.

Purpose of the Study:

• To apply DCEs to elicit patient preferences for rheumatology outpatient clinics.
• To assess the importance of various clinic attributes and patient trade-offs.

Main Methods:

• A systematic review of DCE applications in health care was conducted.
• A case study involving 200 patients in rheumatology clinics was performed.
• Patients rated the importance of attributes like staff, waiting time, continuity, advice services, consultation length, and pain reduction.

Main Results:

• The case study confirmed the rationality and theoretical validity of patient responses in DCEs.
• Relative importance of different attributes was established, revealing how patients trade between them.
• Benefit scores for various clinic configurations were calculated, with attribute values monetized using public transport waiting times.

Conclusions:

• Discrete choice experiments are a valuable tool for eliciting patient preferences in healthcare delivery.
• Future research should focus on experimental design, data collection/analysis, and economic axiom satisfaction.
• Interdisciplinary collaboration with psychologists and qualitative researchers is recommended for advancing DCE methodology.