Increasing physician participation as subjects in scientific and quality improvement research
Abstract Background The twenty-first century has witnessed an exponential increase in healthcare quality research. As such activities become more prevalent, physicians are increasingly needed to participate as subjects in research and quality improvement (QI) projects. This raises an important ethic...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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BMC
2022-08-01
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| Series: | BMC Medical Ethics |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12910-022-00817-5 |
| _version_ | 1811215838778228736 |
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| author | Sylvia J. Hysong Amy L. McGuire |
| author_facet | Sylvia J. Hysong Amy L. McGuire |
| author_sort | Sylvia J. Hysong |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Background The twenty-first century has witnessed an exponential increase in healthcare quality research. As such activities become more prevalent, physicians are increasingly needed to participate as subjects in research and quality improvement (QI) projects. This raises an important ethical question: how should physicians be remunerated for participating as research and/or QI subjects? Financial versus non-monetary incentives for participation Research suggests participation in research and QI is often driven by conditional altruism, the idea that although initial interest in enrolling in research is altruistic or prosocial, decisions to actually perform study tasks are cost–benefit driven. Thus, the three models commonly employed to appropriately compensate participants (in-kind compensation such as travel reimbursement, paying market rates for the subject’s time, and paying market rates for the activity asked of the participant) are a poor fit when the participant is a clinician, largely due to the asymmetry between cost and benefit or value to the participant. Non-monetary alternatives such as protected time for participation, continuing education or maintenance of certification credit, or professional development materials, can provide viable avenues for reducing this asymmetry. Conclusion Research and QI are integral to the betterment of medicine and healthcare. To increase physician participation in these activities as the subject of study, new models are needed that clarify the physician’s role in research and QI as a subject. Non-monetary approaches are recommended to successfully and ethically encourage research and QI participation, and thus incorporate these activities as a normal part of the ethical clinician’s and successful learning healthcare system’s world view. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-12T06:30:16Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-772f2bce43f6418c929e5a4dc611939d |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 1472-6939 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-12T06:30:16Z |
| publishDate | 2022-08-01 |
| publisher | BMC |
| record_format | Article |
| series | BMC Medical Ethics |
| spelling | doaj.art-772f2bce43f6418c929e5a4dc611939d2022-12-22T03:44:02ZengBMCBMC Medical Ethics1472-69392022-08-012311410.1186/s12910-022-00817-5Increasing physician participation as subjects in scientific and quality improvement researchSylvia J. Hysong0Amy L. McGuire1Baylor College of MedicineBaylor College of MedicineAbstract Background The twenty-first century has witnessed an exponential increase in healthcare quality research. As such activities become more prevalent, physicians are increasingly needed to participate as subjects in research and quality improvement (QI) projects. This raises an important ethical question: how should physicians be remunerated for participating as research and/or QI subjects? Financial versus non-monetary incentives for participation Research suggests participation in research and QI is often driven by conditional altruism, the idea that although initial interest in enrolling in research is altruistic or prosocial, decisions to actually perform study tasks are cost–benefit driven. Thus, the three models commonly employed to appropriately compensate participants (in-kind compensation such as travel reimbursement, paying market rates for the subject’s time, and paying market rates for the activity asked of the participant) are a poor fit when the participant is a clinician, largely due to the asymmetry between cost and benefit or value to the participant. Non-monetary alternatives such as protected time for participation, continuing education or maintenance of certification credit, or professional development materials, can provide viable avenues for reducing this asymmetry. Conclusion Research and QI are integral to the betterment of medicine and healthcare. To increase physician participation in these activities as the subject of study, new models are needed that clarify the physician’s role in research and QI as a subject. Non-monetary approaches are recommended to successfully and ethically encourage research and QI participation, and thus incorporate these activities as a normal part of the ethical clinician’s and successful learning healthcare system’s world view.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12910-022-00817-5PhysiciansResearch subjectsIncentivesQuality improvement |
| spellingShingle | Sylvia J. Hysong Amy L. McGuire Increasing physician participation as subjects in scientific and quality improvement research BMC Medical Ethics Physicians Research subjects Incentives Quality improvement |
| title | Increasing physician participation as subjects in scientific and quality improvement research |
| title_full | Increasing physician participation as subjects in scientific and quality improvement research |
| title_fullStr | Increasing physician participation as subjects in scientific and quality improvement research |
| title_full_unstemmed | Increasing physician participation as subjects in scientific and quality improvement research |
| title_short | Increasing physician participation as subjects in scientific and quality improvement research |
| title_sort | increasing physician participation as subjects in scientific and quality improvement research |
| topic | Physicians Research subjects Incentives Quality improvement |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1186/s12910-022-00817-5 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT sylviajhysong increasingphysicianparticipationassubjectsinscientificandqualityimprovementresearch AT amylmcguire increasingphysicianparticipationassubjectsinscientificandqualityimprovementresearch |