Factors influencing the prescribing behaviour in medical fraternity: A review of existent literature and theoretical model(s) to set the agenda for future research
- Neelima Ruparel, B.K. School of Business Management
Abstract:
The practice of prescribing medicine or pharmaceutical products by consultant doctors or physicians is influenced by various factors. The significance of these factors is an important consideration to many including NGOs and government regulatory agencies, health insurance companies, pharmaceutical business houses, physician and health-care service providers’ associations, social science researchers, patients or consumers, and other stakeholders in health care. Better understanding the factors that influence or motivate physician’s prescription behaviour can bring about more efficient use of health care resources through the improved dissemination of information and more informed decision making.
This paper attempts to provide a sound and inclusive review of the influences upon physician prescribing patterns in the existing literature.
This review identifies several factors as being highly dominant upon physician’s prescribing habit like peer influence, financial considerations, overall healthcare expenses, dispositions by pharmaceutical representatives, continuous medical education offered by the companies, medical camps organized by the regional representatives of marketing department of the drug companies, scientific orientation in briefing by brand managers, reputation of the drug company etc.
To date, several key areas have not been well researched; these include the perceived price of a drug, the role of new technology, and the impact of physician’s experience of the brand / drug.
Based upon the literature review, a theoretical model of individual physician prescribing in the outpatient setting is proposed. Further research might be directed toward determining the influence of each factor upon physician prescribing and testing the overall model and interactions among its individual components.