Table 1.
Physician attitudes about cost-containment*
| Do you agree or disagree with the following? (n = 512) | Agree strongly | Agree somewhat | Disagree somewhat | Disagree strongly |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| There is a legitimate need for cost containment in today's health care environment | 288 (56) | 186 (36) | 28 (5) | 9 (2) |
| As individual clinicians, physicians should play a role in helping to control health care costs | 313 (61) | 174 (34) | 18 (4) | 7 (1) |
| It is inappropriate for anyone other than the treating physician and patient to decide if a treatment is “worth the cost” | 215 (42) | 156 (30) | 116 (23) | 25 (5) |
| If a medical intervention has any chance (no matter how small) of helping the patient, it is the physician's duty to offer it regardless of cost | 118 (23) | 153 (30) | 149 (29) | 88 (17) |
| The only time the cost of a medical intervention should be considered is when the patient must pay all or most of the cost | 25 (5) | 48 (9) | 155 (30) | 281 (55) |
| It is appropriate that clinical practice guidelines include cost-effectiveness as a criterion | 150 (29) | 274 (54) | 50 (10) | 35 (7) |
| It is appropriate that physicians consider cost-effectiveness when weighing different medical interventions for their patients | 208 (41) | 239 (47) | 47 (9) | 16 (3) |
*
Data are given as the number of physicians responding, with percentage in parentheses.