Docs with their eyes on the clock? The effect of time pressures on primary care productivity

Seth Freedman, Ezra Golberstein, Tsan-Yao Huang, David J. Satin and Laura Barrie Smith

Journal of Health Economics, 2021, vol. 77, issue C

Abstract: This paper examines how time pressure, an important constraint faced by medical care providers, affects productivity in primary care. We generate empirical predictions by incorporating time pressure into a model of physician behavior by Tai-Seale and McGuire (2012). We use data from the electronic health records of a large integrated delivery system and leverage unexpected schedule changes as variation in time pressure. We find that greater time pressure reduces the number of diagnoses recorded during a visit and increases both scheduled and unscheduled follow-up care. We also find some evidence of increased low-value care, decreased preventive care, and decreased opioid prescribing.

Keywords: Provider decision making; Primary care; Health care productivity (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (7)

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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:eee:jhecon:v:77:y:2021:i:c:s0167629621000278

DOI: 10.1016/j.jhealeco.2021.102442

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