Constructing within and between hospital physician social networks for modeling physician research participation

Abstract

Abstract Background Physician participation in clinical trials is essential for the progress of modern medicine. However, the demand for physician research partners is outpacing physicians’ interest in participating in scientific studies. Understanding the factors that influence physician participation in research is crucial to addressing this gap. Methods In this study, we used a physician’s social network, as constructed from patient billing data, to study if the research choices of a physician’s immediate peers influence their likelihood to participate in scientific research. We analyzed data from 348 physicians across 40 hospitals. We used logistic regression models to examine the relationship between a physician’s participation in clinical trials and the participation of their social network peers, adjusting for age, years of employment, and influences from other hospital facilities. Results We found that the likelihood of a physician participating in clinical trials increased dramatically with the proportion of their social network-defined colleagues at their primary hospital who were participating ($$OR=1.05$$ O R = 1.05 for a 1% increase in the proportion of participating peers, $$p=1.05\times 10^{-7}$$ p = 1.05 × 10 - 7 ). Additionally, physicians who work regularly at multiple facilities were more likely to participate ($$OR=7.28$$ O R = 7.28 , $$p=0.03$$ p = 0.03 ) and increasingly so as the extent to which they have social network ties to colleagues at hospitals other than their primary hospital increases ($$OR=1.12$$ O R = 1.12 , $$p=0.05$$ p = 0.05 ). These findings suggest an inter-hospital peer participation process. Conclusion Our study provides evidence that the social structure of a physician’s work-life is associated with their decision to participate in scientific research. The results suggest that interventions aimed at increasing physician participation in clinical trials could leverage the social networks of physicians to encourage participation. By identifying factors that influence physician participation in research, we can work towards closing the gap between the demand for physician research partners and the number of physicians willing to participate in scientific studies.