Cost awareness amongst irish ophthalmologists

Area of Science:

• Ophthalmology
• Health Economics
• Medical Education

Background:

• Healthcare systems face budget constraints, necessitating cost-consciousness among clinicians.
• Clinicians play a crucial role in resource allocation decisions.
• Understanding the cost of frequently used clinical items is vital for efficient healthcare delivery.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the cost awareness of commonly used clinical items among Irish ophthalmologists.
• To assess knowledge of both hospital acquisition costs and patient retail costs for medications and surgical supplies.

Main Methods:

• An anonymous survey was distributed to Irish ophthalmologists.
• Participants estimated the costs of surgical materials, medications, and anti-VEGF drugs.
• Hospital costs were obtained from pharmacy and ward receipts; retail costs were averaged from local pharmacies.
• Absolute and percentage errors were calculated to quantify estimation accuracy.

Main Results:

• Forty-seven ophthalmologists responded, with varying levels of seniority.
• Despite 70% acknowledging cost's importance, average estimates were 124% inaccurate.
• Fewer than 50% of estimates were within 50% of the actual cost.
• 73% reported limited or very limited self-perceived cost knowledge.

Conclusions:

• Significant and variable deficits in cost awareness exist among Irish ophthalmologists.
• Neither clinical seniority nor self-perceived knowledge correlated with improved cost estimation accuracy.
• Findings highlight a need for enhanced cost education in ophthalmology to support budget-conscious practice.