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Cost awareness among anesthesia practitioners at one institution
1Department of Anesthesiology - Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York, NY 10029, USA. david.wax@mssm.edu
Journal of Clinical Anesthesia
|February 4, 2010
Summary
Many clinicians lack accurate knowledge of anesthesia drug and equipment costs, even experienced practitioners in academic settings. This study highlights a gap in understanding acquisition costs for common medical supplies.
Area of Science:
- Anesthesiology
- Healthcare Economics
Background:
- Accurate knowledge of drug and equipment costs is crucial for efficient healthcare delivery.
- Previous studies have not extensively characterized clinician cost awareness in academic medical centers.
Purpose of the Study:
- To assess the accuracy of clinician knowledge regarding anesthesia drug and equipment acquisition costs.
- To identify potential differences in cost awareness among various practitioner groups.
Main Methods:
- An anonymous survey was administered to 130 departmental practitioners (residents, CRNAs, attendings) at a large academic medical center.
- Respondents estimated costs for common drugs and equipment using predefined price ranges.
- Accuracy was measured by the difference between estimated and actual cost ranges, with statistical analysis performed on mean accuracy and variance.
Main Results:
- 103 (79%) surveys were completed, revealing widespread over- or underestimation of item costs.
- No significant differences in mean accuracy were found across practitioner groups.
- CA1 residents showed significantly greater variance in price estimation compared to attendings, CRNAs, and CA3 residents.
Conclusions:
- A significant portion of experienced clinicians in academic settings possess inaccurate knowledge of common anesthesia drug and supply costs.
- This lack of cost awareness may impact resource allocation and financial stewardship within healthcare institutions.
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