Result Summary for Survey:Healthcare politics, economics and other topics

What Doct
ors Think

Survey Results

Healthcare politics, economics and other topics

1. What type of medicine do you practice?
		Response Percent	Response Count
Primary care		32.4%	60
Other non-surgical specialty		25.9%	48
Surgical specialty or subspecialty		42.2%	78
Other (please specify)			30
	answered question		185
	skipped question		12

2. Which presidential candidate has the best healthcare plan for the USA?
		Response Percent	Response Count
McCain		34.6%	64
Obama		36.8%	68
I am not sure what their healthcare plans are		29.7%	55
Other (please specify)			10
	answered question		185
	skipped question		12

3. Which presidential candidate has a healthcare plan that will be most favorable to physicians?
		Response Percent	Response Count
McCain		40.1%	73
Obama		28.6%	52
I am not sure what their healthcare plans are		31.9%	58
Other (please specify)			17
	answered question		182
	skipped question		15

4. Can a healthcare plan that benefits physicians also benefit the general public and vice versa?
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		96.9%	190
No		3.6%	7
Other (please specify)			3
	answered question		196
	skipped question		1

5. The presidential candidates have been narrowed down to Obama and McCain. Who will you vote for in the presidential election?
		Response Percent	Response Count
McCain		43.7%	80
Obama		42.6%	78
Independent		8.2%	15
I will not be voting since I don't like any of the candidates		6.0%	11
Other (please specify)			14
	answered question		183
	skipped question		14

6. Medicare is proposing a 10.6% across the board reduction in fees for physicians as of July 2008. How will this affect your medical practice?
		Response Percent	Response Count
It will have no effect on my practice		29.9%	50
It will force me to reduce the number of services I provide to Medicare patients		20.4%	34
It will force me to reduce the number of Medicare patients I am seeing		32.3%	54
It will force me to opt out of Medicare and not see Medicare patients any more		18.0%	30
It will force me to increase my fees to non-Medicare patients		19.2%	32
It will force me to close down my medical practice		4.8%	8
Other (please specify)			37
	answered question		167
	skipped question		30

7. A shortage of primary care physicians has been forecast because of increasingly higher medical school tuitions and relatively low earning potential for primary care doctors when compared to other medical and surgical specialties. Congress is considering shifting Medicare fee payments from surgical specialties to primary care. What is your view?
		Response Percent	Response Count
Primary care doctors should receive increased payments, but not at the expense of surgeons		59.9%	109
Primary care physicians should receive increased payments at the expense of surgeons		17.6%	32
Primary care physicians receive adequate compensation relative to surgeons		25.3%	46
Other (please specify)			13
	answered question		182
	skipped question		15

8. Recent Congressional investigations have revealed that some university based physicians who receive research grants from the government (NIH) have not reported to the university or the government that they received pharmaceutical company payments as well. There is an implication that the pharmaceutical company payments may influence their research. What is your reaction to this?
		Response Percent	Response Count
University based physicians doing government sponsored research should not have to report income from pharmaceutical companies.		13.0%	25
University based physicians doing government sponsored research MUST report income from pharmaceutical companies to the government, the university, and in publications they author and lectures they give.		75.6%	146
Pharmaceutical and other medical companies should report on a public, searchable web site all payments they make to physicians.		36.3%	70
Other (please specify)			5
	answered question		193
	skipped question		4

9. In May 2008 the American Medical Association's (AMA) Council on Ethical and Judicial Affairs issued a report recommending that physicians and institutions of medicine SHOULD NOT accept commercial support for CME (Continuing Medical Education). The AMA House of Delegates will be voting on this at its annual meeting in mid June. What is your opinion on this?
		Response Percent	Response Count
Physicians and medical institutions SHOULD NOT receive commercial support for CME.		27.5%	52
Physicians and medical institutions SHOULD receive commercial support for CME.		73.0%	138
Other (please specify)			23
	answered question		189
	skipped question		8

10. The AMERICAN MEDICAL STUDENT ASSOCIATION recently rated American medical schools conflict of interest policies with regard to their relationships with the medical industry and gave many schools a failing grade. AMSA says the following on their web site: "It is time to extricate marketing practices from medical education... There is substantial evidence that marketing shapes physician prescribing habits. By eliminating the gifts and the misleading information that pharma reps currently bring into our schools, hospitals and academic medical centers, physicians will be able to better practice evidence-based medicine. And that translates into better care for our patients." What is your opinion on this?
		Response Percent	Response Count
I AGREE with the AMSA findings and policy recommendations		42.0%	81
I DISAGREE with the AMSA findings and policy recommendations		35.8%	69
Medical students DO NOT have sufficient knowledge and experience to formulate these types of policy decisions		40.4%	78
Medical students DO have sufficient knowledge and experience to formulate these types of policy decisions		9.3%	18
Other (please specify)			16
	answered question		193
	skipped question		4

11. The Association of American Medical Colleges recently recommended that medical schools and teaching hospitals should ban gifts from pharmaceutical and medical device companies including free food, travel and ghostwriting services. The AAMC said the following, "Over recent decades, medical schools and teaching hospitals have become increasingly dependent on industry support of their core educational missions. This reliance raises concerns because such support, including gifts, can influence the objectivity and integrity of academic teaching, learning, and practice, thereby calling into question the commitment of academia and industry together to promote the public s interest by fostering the most cost-effective, evidence-based medical care possible." What is your opinion on the AAMC recommendation?
		Response Percent	Response Count
I AGREE with the AAMC recommendations.		38.3%	74
I DISAGREE with the AAMC recommendations.		28.5%	55
Medical schools should accept funding from the medical industry, but the details of the financial relationships should be publicly posted on the medical company web site and/or the medical school/hospital web site.		48.2%	93
Other (please specify)			10
	answered question		193
	skipped question		4

12. According to a 2005 NPR study, http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=4696316, American medical schools receive up to 16% of their funding from pharmaceutical companies. Should medical schools give up this funding?
		Response Percent	Response Count
Medical schools SHOULD refuse funding from the medical industry		14.7%	28
Medical schools SHOULD NOT refuse funding from the medical industry		36.6%	70
Medical schools should accept funding from the medical industry, but the details of all financial relationships should be posted on the medical company's web site and/or the web site of the medical school receiving the funding.		60.7%	116
Other (please specify)			13
	answered question		191
	skipped question		6

13. According to the Accreditation Council for CME (ACCME), total medical industry support for Continuing Medical Education (CME) rose 8% from 2004 to 2007, to nearly $1.2 billion, http://www.mmm-online.com/Pharma-pursued-safe-haven-for-its-CME-spend-last-year/article/24565/.Should the medical industry stop funding continuing medical education?
		Response Percent	Response Count
The medical industry SHOULD STOP funding CME		14.5%	28
The medical industry SHOULD NOT STOP funding CME		34.7%	67
The medical industry SHOULD fund CME, but the details of all financial relationships should be publicly posted on the medical company's web site and/or the web site of the entity which is receiving the funding.		63.7%	123
Other (please specify)			8
	answered question		193
	skipped question		4

14. According to a 2007 AMA study, "60% of [medical school or hospital] department chairs had some form of personal relationship with [the medical] industry, including serving as a consultant (27%), a member of a scientific advisory board (27%), a paid speaker (14%), an officer (7%), a founder (9%), or a member of the board of directors (11%). 67% of departments as administrative units had relationships with industry," http://jama.ama-assn.org/cgi/content/full/298/15/1779. Should department heads give up their financial relationships with the medical industry?
		Response Percent	Response Count
Department heads SHOULD give up their financial relationships with the medical industry.		25.4%	49
Department heads SHOULD NOT give up their financial relationships with the medical industry.		21.8%	42
Department heads can have financial relationships with the medical industry as long as the details of those relationships are publicly posted on the department's web site and/or the medical company's web site		62.7%	121
	answered question		193
	skipped question		4

15. Some states are trying to pass laws that would ban all gifts to physicians from the medical industry, including free meals for doctors and their staff, pens, pads, and other inexpensive items. Some medical centers have banned all visits from medical company reps on their campuses and do not allow their staff physicians to receive any gifts from the companies. What is your opinion on this?
		Response Percent	Response Count
Physicians SHOULD be able to accept gifts from medical companies		34.6%	66
Physicians SHOULD NOT receive any gifts from medical companies		26.7%	51
Physicians SHOULD be able to receive gifts from medical companies as long as the company's publicly post, in a searchable way, the details of all gifts on their company's web site.		44.5%	85
Other (please specify)			16
	answered question		191
	skipped question		6

16. Some companies pay physicians to give lectures about their products to other doctors. Should physicians accept payment for giving talks on behalf of medical companies?
		Response Percent	Response Count
Physicians SHOULD NOT accept payment from pharmaceutical companies to give talks about their products		17.1%	33
Physicians SHOULD accept payment from pharmaceutical companies to give talks about their products		25.4%	49
Physicians can accept payment from pharmaceutical companies to give talks about their products, but all financial relationships between doctors and medical companies should be publicly posted, in a searchable way, on the company's web site.		64.2%	124
Other (please specify)			4
	answered question		193
	skipped question		4

17. How would you rate communications between physicians and pharmaceutical companies?
		Response Percent	Response Count
Very good		8.0%	15
Good		46.0%	86
Adequate		34.8%	65
Poor		11.8%	22
Other (please specify)			10
	answered question		187
	skipped question		10

18. How do you communicate with medical companies regarding problems you've encountered with drugs or medical devices?
		Response Percent	Response Count
I don't		12.3%	23
Company rep		63.6%	119
Email		11.2%	21
Phone, fax or US mail		13.4%	25
I report problems to the FDA		23.5%	44
I wish there was a way to do it neatly		12.3%	23
Other (please specify)			10
	answered question		187
	skipped question		10

19. Do you think that medical companies are tapping into the clinical expertise of physicians who treat patients and manage diseases?
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		60.6%	114
No		13.3%	25
Not sure		26.1%	49
Other (please specify)			8
	answered question		188
	skipped question		9

20. Do you think that medical companies rely too much on a few key opinion leader doctors, or academic physicians who may not have as much patient care experience as the vast majority of actively practicing physicians?
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		65.1%	112
No		35.5%	61
Other (please specify)			21
	answered question		172
	skipped question		25

21. When you encounter an adverse effect to a drug or medical device what do you do?
		Response Percent	Response Count
Report it to the FDA		49.4%	83
Report it to the medical company		60.1%	101
Publish it in a medical journal		7.7%	13
Don't do anything		5.4%	9
Don't use the drug or medical device again		23.8%	40
Other (please specify)			23
	answered question		168
	skipped question		29

22. A recent survey shows that 2-5% of patients have had an urge to kill their doctor, http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn13954-urge-to-kill-doctors-increased-by-pain.html.What is your experience with this finding?
		Response Percent	Response Count
I have never been physically attacked by a patient or their family		59.4%	114
I have been verbally abused by a patient or their family		49.5%	95
I have been physically attacked by a patient or their family		7.8%	15
A patient or their family has tried to kill me		0.0%	0
Other (please specify)			10
	answered question		192
	skipped question		5

23. Do you use electronic medical records (EMR) in your practice?
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		55.7%	103
No		44.3%	82
Other (please specify)			11
	answered question		185
	skipped question		12

24. Do you feel that your EMR system is of benefit to your practice efficiency and was it worth the cost of purchase and maintenance?
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		61.1%	88
No		39.6%	57
Other (please specify)			32
	answered question		144
	skipped question		53

25. Does your EMR system improve on the care that you provide for your patients?
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		57.7%	79
No		43.1%	59
Other (please specify)			29
	answered question		137
	skipped question		60

26. Does your EMR system benefit your patients when they see other doctors or go to hospitals that can't access your EMR system?
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		46.7%	63
No		53.3%	72
Other (please specify)			34
	answered question		135
	skipped question		62

27. Assuming that security and privacy can be guaranteed, are you in favor of a universal online EMR system that is accessible by patients and by all doctors and hospitals that patients give access to?
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		72.5%	129
No		27.5%	49
Other (please specify)			18
	answered question		178
	skipped question		19

28. Are patients asking you for a copy of their medical records so that they can upload them into their own personal PHR system, or one of the online PHR systems such as Microsoft's HealthVault, or Google Health?
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		13.0%	24
No		87.0%	160
Other (please specify)			11
	answered question		184
	skipped question		13

29. Do you use electronic or e-prescribing in your medical practice?
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		33.9%	64
No		67.2%	127
Other (please specify)			8
	answered question		189
	skipped question		8

30. Do you use e-prescribing because it benefits patients, or it makes your practice more efficient?
		Response Percent	Response Count
It benefits my patients		18.2%	14
It makes my practice more efficient		26.0%	20
It benefits my patients and improves my practice efficiency		63.6%	49
Other (please specify)			61
	answered question		77
	skipped question		120

31. Congress is considering giving physicians a 1-2% bonus in Medicare payments in 2009-2010 if they do e-prescribing, and a 1% penalty if they don't switch to e-prescribing by 2011. What is your opinion on this?
		Response Percent	Response Count
I agree with Congress's plan		28.3%	51
I disagree with Congress's plan		34.4%	62
I agree with the bonus, but disagree with the penalty		37.8%	68
Other (please specify)			21
	answered question		180
	skipped question		17

32. The Congressional Budget Office recently concluded that healthcare savings through EMR and e-prescribing may be overstated and are not proven. What is your opinion?
		Response Percent	Response Count
EMR and e-prescribing will save on healthcare expenditures.		34.8%	57
EMR and e-prescribing will NOT save on healthcare expenditures.		65.2%	107
Other (please specify)			31
	answered question		164
	skipped question		33

33. If you prescribe Chantix to help patients stop smoking cigarettes, have you seen any adverse reactions from this drug that are definitely related to the drug and definitely not related to cigarette smoking or cigarette withdrawal?
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		30.2%	26
No		70.9%	61
Other (please specify)			65
	answered question		86
	skipped question		111

34. If you prescribe Chantix, have you REDUCED your prescriptions because of the recent bad publicity about this drug?
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		32.9%	27
No		67.1%	55
Other (please specify)			56
	answered question		82
	skipped question		115

35. If you prescribe Chantix, has Pfizer adequately communicated with you regarding the recent bad publicity about this drug?
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		38.6%	32
No		61.4%	51
Other (please specify)			54
	answered question		83
	skipped question		114

36. Cigarettes and smoking kill over 440,000 Americans every year from cancer, heart disease and emphysema, and account for nearly $100 billion in healthcare expenses annually. What should the government do about this?
		Response Percent	Response Count
Ban the manufacturing and sales of all tobacco products		14.9%	27
Ban the advertising and marketing of all tobacco products		19.9%	36
Put tobacco and cigarettes under the control of the FDA		12.2%	22
Raise taxes significantly on tobacco products		43.6%	79
Stay out of the tobacco issue completely		9.4%	17
Other (please specify)			18
	answered question		181
	skipped question		16

37. In view of tobacco's tremendous effect on healthcare and the economy, have the presidential candidates adequately addressed the tobacco issue?
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		11.1%	21
No		89.4%	169
	answered question		189
	skipped question		8

38. Do you like participating in online surveys about various healthcare issues?
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		77.2%	132
No		24.0%	41
Other (please specify)			15
	answered question		171
	skipped question		26

39. Are you interested in participating in other WhatDoctorsThink.com online surveys about healthcare issues?
		Response Percent	Response Count
Yes		78.9%	135
No		21.1%	36
Other (please specify)			16
	answered question		171
	skipped question		26

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