Pharmaceuticals companies' medication assistance programs: potentially useful but too burdensome to use?
Pharmaceuticals companies' medication assistance programs: potentially useful but too burdensome to use?
复制标题
制药公司的药物援助计划：可能有用但使用起来太麻烦？
DOI：
10.1097/smj.0b013e31818bbe5e
复制
发表时间：
2009
影响因子：
1.1
通讯作者：
Kiefe,CatarinaI
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Pisu,Maria;Richman,Joshua;Allison,JeroanJ;Williams,ODale;Kiefe,CatarinaI
Objectives This study examined how physicians perceive pharmaceutical companies’ medication assistance programs (MAPs). Methods The study was conducted using a survey of 373 primary care physicians from four southern states; they were surveyed within the formative evaluation phase of a larger study (MI-Plus). Respondents were queried about use and usefulness of MAPs for patients who cannot afford drugs, and barriers to using them. Bivariate associations between physician-level variables (patients without drug coverage) and usefulness and barriers to using MAPs were assessed using Chi square tests. Independence of associations was assessed using multiple logistic regressions. Results Of the 364 (97.6%) respondents who used MAPs, 70% used them regularly, the rest occasionally; 63% found MAPs very useful in caring for patients who cannot afford drugs. About 89% reported one or more barriers to using MAPs; 47% saw “inability of patients to apply directly;” and 57% saw “enrollment process being time-consuming for staff” as barriers. Compared to physicians with fewer elderly patients without drug coverage, those with more of these patients were less likely to find MAPs very useful; less likely to report no barriers to using MAPs; and more likely to see “low income thresholds” and “inability of patients to apply directly” as barriers. Conclusion While MAPs are considered useful in caring for patients in need of assistance, there are many barriers to their use. Pharmaceutical companies should address these barriers. Limitations include a low response rate (about 10%).
