2008 Faculty Researchers

Katherine Downey, MD & Gregory M. Worsowicz, MD, MBA

Healthcare Providers’ Understanding of Healthcare Costs

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Department

Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation

Office Location

315 Business Loop 70 West

Phone #:

Office: (573) 884-7418
Fax: (573) 884-4540

Summary

The cost of health care in the United States has continued to grow as a percentage of the United States’ gross domestic product over the past ten years. These costs are, and will continue to be, a topic of great concern for government officials, politicians, employers, patients and taxpayers. Although well trained in the treatment and care of patients, many health care providers are often unaware of the expense incurred to provide the treatment and care that they order for their patients. This project will explore Rusk Rehabilitation Center’s care providers’ knowledge of the actual expense incurred to provide treatment and care to the Center’s patients.

Rusk Rehabilitation Center is a 60-bed free standing rehabilitation unit at the University of Missouri-Columbia. With the assistance of the physician mentors and the facility’s Chief Executive Officer, a survey will be developed to evaluate the Center’s care providers’ knowledge of their frequency of ordering, and the expense of, specific laboratory tests, radiographic studies, therapy services (physical, occupational and speech therapy) and medication prescriptions. This survey will be distributed to attendings, residents, medical students, nurses, and therapists at Rusk Rehabilitation Center.

Statistical analysis comparing respondent versus actual changes will be preformed. The results will be provided to survey participants and a poster for local, regional, or national presentation will be developed. Based on the results of the project and further interest of the participants, follow-up information and further educational strategies will be pursued. During this project, the summer fellow will team with physicians, administrators, nurses, therapists, and biostatisticians to complete this research.

Upon completion of this project:

1. the faculty sponsors should be able to define the survey process and critical analysis of the survey data;
2. the project’s participants should be able to understand University policies for research such as the Institutional Review Board process;
3. the summer fellow should develop a guide to assist University students, residents, and physicians on the basics of business in health care;
4. the faculty sponsors should evaluate the need for further education of physicians, and physicians in training, in the above areas;
5. develop and submit a poster summarizing the project’s results, and present the results to a local and national conference.