Physician advertising revisited

This article examines the determinants of physician advertising using a nationally representative sample of 2,573 self-employed physicians. In contrast to a previous study by Folland, this article identifies a number of physician characteristics that are strongly related to the advertising decision. In particular, female physicians and foreign medical graduates (FMGs) are significantly less likely to advertise than are males and non-FMGs, respectively. Board certified physicians are less likely to advertise than are uncertified physicians. Also in contrast to previous results, primary care physicians are not necessarily more likely to advertise than nonprimary care physicians. For example, advertising propensity is strongest among plastic surgeons, whereas the propensity to advertise in such primary care specialties as internal medicine and pediatrics are quite close to advertising propensities for general surgeons. Furthermore, the relationship between practice size and advertising propensity is shown to be much stronger than previous research in this area has indicated. Finally, the results suggest that a number of physician characteristics associated with advertising through written media (newspapers or magazines) are also associated with advertising through audiovisual media (television or radio).