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Does performance disclosure influence physicians’ medical decisions? An experimental study

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  • Godager, Geir

    (Department of Health Management and Health Economics)

  • Hennig-Schmidt, Heike

    (Department of Health Management and Health Economics)

  • Iversen, Tor

    (Department of Health Management and Health Economics)

Abstract

Quality improvements in markets for medical care are key objectives in any Health reform. An important question is whether disclosing physicians’ performance can contribute to achieving these goals. Due to the asymmetric information inherent in medical markets, one may argue that changes in the information structure are likely to influence the environment in which health care providers operate. In a Laboratory experiment with medical students that mimics a physician decision-making environment we analyze the effect of disclosing performance information to peers. We find that making performance transparent has a positive impact in that significantly higher total patient benefits are generated than under a regime where physician performance is private information. Also, significantly more patients receive benefit-maximizing treatment. We discuss policy implications of our findings

Suggested Citation

  • Godager, Geir & Hennig-Schmidt, Heike & Iversen, Tor, 2014. "Does performance disclosure influence physicians’ medical decisions? An experimental study," HERO Online Working Paper Series 2014:4, University of Oslo, Health Economics Research Programme.
  • Handle: RePEc:hhs:oslohe:2014_004
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    Cited by:

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    3. Ben Greiner & Le Zhang & Chengxiang Tang, 2017. "Separation of prescription and treatment in health care markets: A laboratory experiment," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 26(S3), pages 21-35, December.
    4. Aars, Ole Kristian & Godager, Geir & Kaarboe, Oddvar & Moger, Tron Anders, 2022. "Sending emails to reduce medical costs? The effect of feedback on general practitioners’ claiming of fees," HERO Online Working Paper Series 2022:1, University of Oslo, Health Economics Research Programme.
    5. Galina Besstremyannaya & Sergei Golovan, 2019. "Physician’s altruism in incentive contracts: Medicare’s quality race," CINCH Working Paper Series 1903, Universitaet Duisburg-Essen, Competent in Competition and Health.
    6. Jared Rubin & Anya Samek & Roman M. Sheremeta, 2018. "Loss aversion and the quantity–quality tradeoff," Experimental Economics, Springer;Economic Science Association, vol. 21(2), pages 292-315, June.
    7. Brosig-Koch, Jeannette & Hennig-Schmidt, Heike & Kairies-Schwarz, Nadja & Wiesen, Daniel, 2016. "Physician performance pay: Evidence from a laboratory experiment," Ruhr Economic Papers 658, RWI - Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Ruhr-University Bochum, TU Dortmund University, University of Duisburg-Essen.
    8. Godager, Geir & Hennig-Schmidt, Heike & Li, Jing Jing & Wang, Jian & Yang, Fan, 2021. "Does gender affect medical decisions? Results from a behavioral experiment with physicians and medical students," HERO Online Working Paper Series 2021:1, University of Oslo, Health Economics Research Programme.
    9. Anell, Anders & Dietrichson, Jens & Ellegård, Lina Maria & Kjellsson, Gustav, 2022. "Well-Informed Choices? Effects of Information Interventions in Primary Care on Care Quality," Working Papers 2022:2, Lund University, Department of Economics.
    10. Oxholm, Anne Sophie & Di Guida, Sibilla & Gyrd-Hansen, Dorte, 2021. "Allocation of health care under pay for performance: Winners and losers," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 278(C).
    11. Jens Dietrichson & Lina Maria Ellegård & Gustav Kjellsson, 2020. "Patient choice, entry, and the quality of primary care: Evidence from Swedish reforms," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 29(6), pages 716-730, June.
    12. Cheo, Roland & Ge, Ge & Godager, Geir & Liu, Rugang & Wang, Qiqi & Wang, Jian, 2018. "The effect of a mystery shopper scheme on prescriptions in primary care," HERO Online Working Paper Series 2018:1, University of Oslo, Health Economics Research Programme.
    13. Atehortua, S & Rodríguez-Valencia, A, 2021. "Physician s Allocation Preferences under Scarcity and Uncertainty," Documentos de Trabajo 19665, Universidad del Rosario.
    14. Brosig-Koch, Jeannette & Groß, Mona & Hennig-Schmidt, Heike & Kairies-Schwarz, Nadja & Wiesen, Daniel, 2021. "Physicians' incentives, patients' characteristics, and quality of care: A systematic experimental comparison of fee-for-service, capitation, and pay for performance," Ruhr Economic Papers 923, RWI - Leibniz-Institut für Wirtschaftsforschung, Ruhr-University Bochum, TU Dortmund University, University of Duisburg-Essen.
    15. March, Raymond J. & Geloso, Vincent, 2020. "Gordon Tullock meets Phineas Gage: The political economy of lobotomies in the United States," Research Policy, Elsevier, vol. 49(1).
    16. Godager, Geir & Hennig-Schmidt, Heike & Iversen, Tor, 2016. "Does performance disclosure influence physicians’ medical decisions? An experimental study," Journal of Economic Behavior & Organization, Elsevier, vol. 131(PB), pages 36-46.
    17. Attema, Arthur E. & Galizzi, Matteo M. & Groß, Mona & Hennig-Schmidt, Heike & Karay, Yassin & L’Haridon, Olivier & Wiesen, Daniel, 2023. "The formation of physician altruism," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 87(C).
    18. Waibel, Christian & Wiesen, Daniel, 2021. "An experiment on referrals in health care," European Economic Review, Elsevier, vol. 131(C).
    19. Brosig-Koch, Jeannette & Hennig-Schmidt, Heike & Kairies-Schwarz, Nadja & Kokot, Johanna & Wiesen, Daniel, 2020. "Physician performance pay: Experimental evidence," HERO Online Working Paper Series 2020:3, University of Oslo, Health Economics Research Programme.
    20. Roland Cheo & Ge Ge & Geir Godager & Rugang Liu & Jian Wang & Qiqi Wang, 2020. "The effect of a mystery shopper scheme on prescribing behavior in primary care: Results from a field experiment," Health Economics Review, Springer, vol. 10(1), pages 1-19, December.
    21. Christian Volmar Skovsgaard & Troels Kristensen & Ryan Pulleyblank & Kim Rose Olsen, 2023. "Increasing capitation in mixed remuneration schemes: Effects on service provision and process quality of care," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 32(11), pages 2477-2498, November.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Physician payment system; laboratory experiment; incentives; transparency; fee-for-service; information and product quality;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C91 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Design of Experiments - - - Laboratory, Individual Behavior
    • H40 - Public Economics - - Publicly Provided Goods - - - General
    • I11 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Analysis of Health Care Markets
    • J33 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Wages, Compensation, and Labor Costs - - - Compensation Packages; Payment Methods
    • L15 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Information and Product Quality

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