Drug Attribute Importance and Impact of Patient Out-of-Pocket Expense on Prescription Drug Selection: Survey of Midwestern Physicians

Choice-based conjoint analysis was used to construct and analyze multiple panels of drug products from which a sample of Midwestern physicians were asked to choose. The panels were varied on the drug attributes of brand name, efficacy, frequency of administration, side effects, and patient out-of-pocket expense based on prescription benefit program reimbursement. An acute medication (antibiotic in the treatment of community-acquired pneumonia) and a chronic medication (antidepressant) were simulated for physicians. For both types of agents, patient out-of-pocket expense was the most important attribute, followed by slightly different arrangements of frequency of administration, effectiveness, and side effects, which were statistically significant.