<\/p>\n
\nPhysicians\u2019 views about health care costs are germane to pending policy reforms.<\/p>\n
Objective<\/strong> To assess physicians\u2019 attitudes toward and perceived role in addressing health care costs.<\/p>\n
\u2026<\/p>\n
Results<\/strong> A total of 2556 physicians responded (response rate = 65%). Most believed that trial lawyers (60%), health insurance companies (59%), hospitals and health systems (56%), pharmaceutical and device manufacturers (56%), and patients (52%) have a \u201cmajor responsibility\u201d for reducing health care costs, whereas only 36% reported that practicing physicians have \u201cmajor responsibility.\u201d<\/strong> Most were \u201cvery enthusiastic\u201d for \u201cpromoting continuity of care\u201d (75%), \u201cexpanding access to quality and safety data\u201d (51%), and \u201climiting access to expensive treatments with little net benefit\u201d (51%) as a means of reducing health care costs. Few expressed enthusiasm for \u201celiminating fee-for-service payment models\u201d (7%). Most physicians reported being \u201caware of the costs of the tests\/treatments [they] recommend\u201d (76%), agreed they should adhere to clinical guidelines that discourage the use of marginally beneficial care (79%), and agreed that they \u201cshould be solely devoted to individual patients\u2019 best interests, even if that is expensive\u201d (78%) and that \u201cdoctors need to take a more prominent role in limiting use of unnecessary tests\u201d (89%). Most (85%) disagreed that they \u201cshould sometimes deny beneficial but costly services to certain patients because resources should go to other patients that need them more.\u201d \u2026<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n