Do we know the costs of what we prescribe? A study on awareness of the cost of drugs and devices among ICU staff

Objective: To evaluate the level of cost awareness of drugs and devices among intensive care unit (ICU) doctors with Variable levels of experience (senior intensivists, junior intensivists, residents). Design: Interview-questionnaire. Setting: ICU of the University of Rome "La Sapienza" Participants: 60 ICU doctors (40 specialists in anaesthesia and intensive care, 20 residents). Measurements and results: The estimated prices of drugs and devices were compared with the correct prices; responses within a range +/- 20 % of the true price were arbitrarily considered correct; all the subgroups of doctors made inaccurate estimates of the prices, showing an absence of any impact of professional experience of cost awareness. Conclusion: The doctors in the study showed a high level of inacurrate cost awareness of drugs and devices.