Do we know the costs of what we prescribe? A study on awareness of the cost of drugs and devices among ICU staff.

OBJECTIVE

To evaluate the level of cost awareness of drugs and devices among intensive care unit (ICU) doctors with variable levels of experience (senior intensivists, junior intensivists, residents).

DESIGN

Interview-questionnaire.

SETTING

ICU of the University of Rome "La Sapienza".

PARTICIPANTS

60 ICU doctors (40 specialists in anaesthesia and intensive care, 20 residents).

MEASUREMENTS AND RESULTS

The estimated prices of drugs and devices were compared with the correct prices; responses within a range +/- 20% of the true price were arbitrarily considered correct; all the subgroups of doctors made inaccurate estimates of the prices, showing an absence of any impact of professional experience of cost awareness.

CONCLUSION

The doctors in the study showed a high level of inaccurate cost awareness of drugs and devices.