Abstract
BackgroundInappropriate prescriptions can lead to adverse consequences for patients. It also imposes excessive cost on the patients, payers and health systems. The current study aimed at estimating the rate of inappropriate brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) prescriptions and their financial burden in Iran.MethodsUsing systematic stratified sampling method, this cross-sectional study recruited 385 participants from three public teaching hospitals in Shiraz, Iran. Demographic information, questions related to brain MRI prescription and its indications checklist were collected using study-specific data collection tools. The completed indications checklist was compared to the appropriateness status table of indications and scenarios to detect the percent of the appropriateness of prescriptions.ResultsAbout 21 percentage of total brain MRI prescriptions are inappropriate. Previous treatment, number of referrals to physician, having other diagnostic tests and the applicant of MRI (P < 0.01) had significant relationships with prescription appropriateness. The estimated financial burden of inappropriate brain MRIs in Shiraz teaching hospitals was 99,988 US dollar in 2017.ConclusionsMore than one-fifth of brains MRIs were inappropriate (i.e. prescriptions without medical indications). It caused 99,988 United States Dollar (USD) financial burden which is 17 times that of Iran's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) per capita. To better allocate resources for the provision of MRI services to health system, rationing policies for controlling moral hazard and reducing provider induced demand can be helpful.
Highlights
Inappropriate prescriptions can lead to adverse consequences for patients
Results demonstrated that previous treatment, number of times of visit, having other diagnostic tests and the applicant of Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) (P < 0.01), type of treatment and the specialty of the physician (P < 0.1), had significant relationships with prescriptions appropriateness
Inappropriate prescriptions for MRI services can lead to an adverse outcome for patients and imposes an excessive cost on the patients and health systems
Summary
Inappropriate prescriptions can lead to adverse consequences for patients. It imposes excessive cost on the patients, payers and health systems. Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) prescriptions and their financial burden in Iran. And precise diagnosis of brain and neurological disorders and damages will assist in the better. Imaging (MRI) have important roles in diagnosing these illnesses [2]. In addition to assisting in the early diagnosis of illness, imaging prevents more aggressive measures for treatment [3]. In this respect, one application of MRI is diagnosis of brain and neurological illnesses [4]
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