Dataset Information

Can Appealing to Patient Altruism Reduce Overuse of Health Care Services? An Experimental Survey.

ABSTRACT:

Background

A challenge to reducing overuse of health services is communicating recommendations against unnecessary health services to patients. The predominant approach has been to highlight the limited benefit and potential harm of such services for that patient, but the prudent use of health resources can also benefit others. Whether appealing to patient altruism can reduce overuse is unknown.

Objective

To determine whether altruistic appeals reduce hypothetical requests for overused services and affect physician ratings.

Design

Experimental survey using hypothetical vignettes describing three overused health services (antibiotics for acute sinusitis, imaging for acute low back pain, and annual exams for healthy adults).