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Technology adoption by primary care physicians
Author(s) -
Iversen Tor,
Ma Chingto Albert
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
health economics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.55
H-Index - 109
eISSN - 1099-1050
pISSN - 1057-9230
DOI - 10.1002/hec.4447
Subject(s) - norwegian , payment , incentive , difference in differences , family medicine , primary care , actuarial science , business , medicine , finance , economics , econometrics , philosophy , linguistics , microeconomics
We study primary care physicians' prevention and monitoring technology adoption. Physicians' adoption decisions are based on benefits and costs, which depend on payment incentives, educational assistance, and market characteristics. The empirical study uses national Norwegian register and physician claims data between 2009 and 2014. In 2006, a new annual comprehensive checkup for Type 2 diabetic patients was introduced. A physician collects a fee for each checkup. In 2013, an education assistance program was introduced in two Norwegian counties. We estimate adoption decisions by fixed‐effect regressions, and two‐part and hazard models. We use a difference‐in‐difference model to estimate the education program impact. Fixed‐effect estimations and separate analyses of physicians who have moved between municipalities support a peer effect. The education program has a strongly positive effect, which is positively associated with a physician's number of diabetic patients, and the fraction of physician‐adopters in the same market.