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

Abstract

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). Interview-questionnaire. ICU of the University of Rome "La Sapienza". 60 ICU doctors (40 specialists in anaesthesia and intensive care, 20 residents). 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. The doctors in the study showed a high level of inaccurate cost awareness of drugs and devices.