The role of doctors in Kuwait’s healthcare costs

Abdulsalam, Yousef (2019) The role of doctors in Kuwait’s healthcare costs. LSE Middle East Centre Paper Series (29). LSE Middle East Centre, London, UK.

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Abstract

In healthcare supply management, the physician’s role in supply selection, driven largely by their clinical expertise, directly impacts hospital cost performance. Previous research suggests physicians have limited regard to the cost implications of supplies they use or prescribe, even when it does not adversely impact clinical quality. The purpose of this study is to assess the perceived importance and attention that physicians give to the costs of medical supplies in a public healthcare system and compares between physician cost perceptions of pharmaceutical products and medical devices. Physicians working in Kuwait’s public health sector were asked to estimate the cost of 18 common pharmaceutical products and medical devices. Estimates within 25 percent of the actual cost were considered accurate. One-hundred and four responses were gathered from physicians working in Kuwait’s public health sector. On average, physicians accurately estimated only 22 percent of pharmaceutical products and 14 percent of medical devices. Physicians indicated cost should be an important supply selection criterion but generally indicated limited accessibility to cost information. Hospital administrators should consider increasing accessibility to cost information and involving physician leaders in procurement and supply rationalization initiatives. Education about supply management and cost containment may hold value for both physicians and the healthcare system.

Item Type:	Monograph (Working Paper)
Official URL:	http://www.lse.ac.uk/middle-east-centre/publicatio...
Additional Information:	© 2019 The Author
Divisions:	Middle East Centre
Subjects:	R Medicine > RA Public aspects of medicine
Date Deposited:	06 Jan 2020 11:57
Last Modified:	11 Dec 2024 19:32
URI:	http://eprints.lse.ac.uk/id/eprint/102995

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