Scandinavian Working Papers in Economics

HERO Online Working Paper Series,
University of Oslo, Health Economics Research Programme

No 2022:1: Sending emails to reduce medical costs? The effect of feedback on general practitioners’ claiming of fees

Ole Kristian Aars (), Geir Godager (), Oddvar Kaarboe () and Tron Anders Moger ()
Additional contact information
Ole Kristian Aars: Department of Health Management and Health Economics, Postal: HERO / Department of Health Management and Health Economics, P.O. Box 1089 Blindern, NO-0317 Oslo, Norway
Geir Godager: Health Services Research Unit, Akershus University Hospital, Oslo, Norway, Postal: HERO / Department of Health Management and Health Economics, P.O. Box 1089 Blindern, NO-0317 Oslo, Norway
Oddvar Kaarboe: Department of Global Public Health and Primary Care and Department of Economics, University of Bergen, Norway
Tron Anders Moger: Department of Health Management and Health Economics, Postal: HERO / Department of Health Management and Health Economics, P.O. Box 1089 Blindern, NO-0317 Oslo, Norway

Abstract: Audit and feedback is used as a strategy to guide practices of health care professionals towards certain targets. The outcome of interest can be quality improvements, but also ensuring that health care workers adhere to relevant regulations. We conducted a nationwide field experiment in the Norwegian primary care sector to study the behavioral responses from giving general practitioners feedback (GPs) on their claiming of fees. The email-based feedback intervention targeted GPs who most frequently claimed fees for double consultations and provided them with a reminder of the formal regulations for double consultations. The intervention caused a 2-5 percentage point reduction in the use of the double-consultation fee, reducing the yearly health care spending of the Norwegian government by approximately 000 (or 1 270 per GP).

Keywords: Physician payment system; Field experiment; Performance disclosure; Fee-for service; Information and product quality

JEL-codes: C93; H40; I11; J33; L15

Language: English

15 pages, May 26, 2022

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