What are the financial incentives that might influence physicians to recommend certain procedures or drugs therapies?
Strong incentives created by the payment system encourage overutilization. Additionally, a small number of physicians might have financial relationships with the manufacturers of devices or drugs that might represent apparent conflicts that ought to be disclosed to patients. At a higher level, those responsible for the payment system, the manufacturers of devices and drugs, and physicians making clinical decisions must commit to supporting guideline-based interventions. Any and all conflicts of interest must be revealed to patients in the process of informed consent before any invasive or noninvasive procedure.