In the changing health care environment, important decisions previously made by patients and their physicians are now strongly influenced by third parties such as health plans and insurers whose intrusion has led many patients to question whether their physicians are truly acting in their best interest. Physicians report that they are challenged in knowing how to communicate effectively with patients about third-party restrictions while simultaneously building trust and maintaining patient satisfaction. This study proposes to answer this question by eliciting patient opinions on how and when they should be informed about third-party policies, particularly referral-restrictions and conflicts of interest. Through a national survey based on a representative sample of the US population, respondents will be exposed to different communication strategies used by physicians to disclose referral restrictions and financial conflicts of interest. These statements will reflect the highest standards of professional conduct and will be based on the assumption that physicians act within ethical parameters. The specific objectives of this research proposal are as follows: (1) develop communication strategies for disclosure of third-party restrictions by physicians and evaluate their authenticity and acceptability; (2) pilot test a survey instrument (containing audiotaped statements of disclosure of third-party restrictions) among patients from high and low penetration managed care markets; (3) experimentally evaluate public preferences on how information regarding third-party restrictions should be implemented through the nationally representative General Social Survey (GSS) administered by the National Opinion Research Center (NORC); (4) Evaluate how disclosure of third-party restrictions affects outcomes of patient trust, satisfaction, and intent to disenroll from health plan; and (5) evaluate how disclosure outcomes vary based on patients' experience with third-party restrictions, health status, and other demographic characteristics. The results will provide the basis for policy decisions for both legislative bodies and health care organizations responsible for disclosure to patients and the public at large. The study will form the basis of broadly disseminated educational interventions for physicians helping them to disclose information about third-party restrictions in manner that reinforces the therapeutic patient-physician relationship.
