Physicians can help reduce the large number of patients who do not take their prescription drugs due to the high cost by proactively discussing the topic of drug costs during the clinical encounter and developing a plan for assistance.
A journal article's findings confirm that patients in Kentucky with private health insurance have better clinical outcomes than patients with other types of insurance.
Research findings indicate that an endocrinologist's treatment of patients hospitalized with diabetic ketoacidosis is more cost-effective than general physicians' treatment of those patients due to greater experience in specialized treatment.
Physicians need to understand when it may be appropriate to let patients get involved in medical decision-making and when it may be necessary to provide their personal medical judgment.