Attitudes toward cost-conscious care among U.S. physicians and medical students: analysis of national cross-sectional survey data by age and stage of training.

BACKGROUND: The success of initiatives intended to increase the value of health care depends, in part, on the degree to which cost-conscious care is endorsed by current and future physicians. This study aimed to first analyze attitudes of U.S. physicians by age and then compare the attitudes of physicians and medical students. METHODS: A paper survey was mailed in mid-2012 to 3897 practicing physicians randomly selected from the American Medical Association Masterfile. An electronic survey was sent in early 2015 to all 5,992 students at 10 U.S. medical schools. Survey items measured attitudes toward cost-conscious care and perceived responsibility for reducing healthcare costs. Physician responses were first compared across age groups (30-40 years, 41-50 years, 51-60 years, and > 60 years) and then compared to student responses using Chi square tests and logistic regression analyses (controlling for sex). RESULTS: A total of 2,556 physicians (65%) and 3395 students (57%) responded. Physician attitudes generally did not differ by age, but differed significantly from those of students. Specifically, students were more likely than physicians to agree that cost to society should be important in treatment decisions (p < 0.001) and that physicians should sometimes deny beneficial but costly services (p < 0.001). Students were less likely to agree that it is unfair to ask physicians to be cost-conscious while prioritizing patient welfare (p < 0.001). Compared to physicians, students assigned more responsibility for reducing healthcare costs to hospitals and health systems (p < 0.001) and less responsibility to lawyers (p < 0.001) and patients (p < 0.001). Nearly all significant differences persisted after controlling for sex and when only the youngest physicians were compared to students. CONCLUSIONS: Physician attitudes toward cost-conscious care are similar across age groups. However, physician attitudes differ significantly from medical students, even among the youngest physicians most proximate to students in age. Medical student responses suggest they are more accepting of cost-conscious care than physicians and attribute more responsibility for reducing costs to organizations and systems rather than individuals. This may be due to the combined effects of generational differences, new medical school curricula, students' relative inexperience providing cost-conscious care within complex healthcare systems, and the rapidly evolving U.S. healthcare system.

Recurrent Parotid Adenocarcinoma Presenting as Diffuse Myocardial Metastatic Disease.

A 64-year-old man who had undergone treatment for left parotid adenocarcinoma presented with progressive exertional shortness of breath. Evaluation revealed metastatic invasion of the myocardium as a rare presentation of recurrent parotid adenocarcinoma. This case highlights the importance of using multimodal imaging methods in diagnostic evaluation and a collaborative multidisciplinary approach in managing patient care.

Role Modeling and Regional Health Care Intensity: U.S. Medical Student Attitudes Toward and Experiences With Cost-Conscious Care.

PURPOSE: To examine medical student attitudes toward cost-conscious care and whether regional health care intensity is associated with reported exposure to physician role-modeling behaviors related to cost-conscious care. METHOD: Students at 10 U.S. medical schools were surveyed in 2015. Thirty-five items assessed attitudes toward, perceived barriers to and consequences of, and observed physician role-modeling behaviors related to cost-conscious care (using scales for cost-conscious and potentially wasteful behaviors; Cronbach alphas of 0.82 and 0.81, respectively). Regional health care intensity was measured using Dartmouth Atlas End-of-Life Chronic Illness Care data: ratio of physician visits per decedent compared with the U.S. average, ratio of specialty to primary care physician visits per decedent, and hospital care intensity index. RESULTS: Of 5,992 students invited, 3,395 (57%) responded. Ninety percent (2,640/2,932) agreed physicians have a responsibility to contain costs. However, 48% (1,1416/2,960) thought ordering a test is easier than explaining why it is unnecessary, and 58% (1,685/2,928) agreed ordering fewer tests will increase the risk of malpractice litigation. In adjusted linear regression analyses, students in higher-health-care-intensity regions reported observing significantly fewer cost-conscious role-modeling behaviors: For each one-unit increase in the three health care intensity measures, scores on the 21-point cost-conscious role-modeling scale decreased by 4.4 (SE 0.7), 3.2 (0.6), and 3.9 (0.6) points, respectively (all P < .001). CONCLUSIONS: Medical students endorse barriers to cost-conscious care and encounter conflicting role-modeling behaviors, which are related to regional health care intensity. Enhancing role modeling in the learning environment may help prepare future physicians to address health care costs.

Novel doublets in extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer: a randomized phase II study of topotecan plus cisplatin or paclitaxel (CALGB 9430).

Chemotherapy for extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer (E-SCLC) produces high response rates and improved survival but few cures. We tested three new regimens for E-SCLC that might merit further investigation in a subsequent phase III trial. Cancer and Leukemia Group B 9430 was a randomized phase II study evaluating 4 treatment arms in 57 evaluable, previously untreated E-SCLC patients. Each arm consisted of the following: Arm 1: cisplatin plus topotecan; Arm 2: cisplatin plus paclitaxel; Arm 3: paclitaxel 230 mg/m2 plus topotecan; and Arm 4: paclitaxel 175 mg/m2 plus topotecan. Because of an accrual time difference, Arm 2 will not be discussed in this manuscript. Arm 1 (12 patients) produced 1 complete response (CR, 8%) and an overall response rate (ORR) of 42%. Toxicity was excessive, with 3 deaths (25%). Arm 3 (13 patients) produced no CRs, 7 partial responses (PRs, 54%), median survival of 13.8 months, and failure-free survival (FFS) of 7.41 months, with 3 toxic deaths (25%). Among 32 evaluable patients on Arm 4, there were 2 CRs (6%) and 20 PRs (63%) for an ORR of 69%, median survival of 9.9 months, FFS of 5.21 months, and 1-year survival of 40%. There was 1 possible treatment-related death (3%). Topotecan plus cisplatin, in the doses and schedule employed, produced excessive toxicity and modest efficacy in E-SCLC patients. Paclitaxel (230 mg/m2 on day 1) plus topotecan (1 mg/m2 on days 1-5) produced excessive toxicity that was ameliorated with an attenuated paclitaxel dose (175 mg/m2). With the latter regimen (Arm 4) in patients with a performance status of 0/1, CR rates, FFS, overall survival, and 1-year survival were similar to standard etoposide plus cisplatin chemotherapy. Further exploration of topoisomerase inhibitors and taxanes in SCLC patients is warranted.

Response of myasthenia gravis to rituximab in a patient with non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

Myasthenia gravis is a B-cell-mediated autoimmune neuromuscular disorder characterized by weakness and fatigability of skeletal muscles. The underlying defect is an autoantibody-mediated attack on the acetylcholine receptors (AchRs) at the neuromuscular junction. Rituximab is a genetically engineered chimeric murine/human monoclonal antibody indicated for treatment of patients with low-grade or follicular, CD20-positive, B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma. Based on its potential for elimination of auto-reactive B-cell clones, rituximab may have a role in the management of some autoimmune disorders. We report a patient with B-cell, follicular non-Hodgkin lymphoma and a long-standing history of myasthenia gravis and the favorable impact of rituximab on both disorders.