An empirical study of the factors affecting moral hazard for doctors based on fraud theory

Abstract

Doctor moral hazard behavior is a topical and sensitive issue in medicine. Recognition of the factors that influence doctor moral hazard behavior is fundamental to controlling or preventing it. Researchers have identified the factors that influence doctor moral hazard behavior based on models of fraud risk. In this present study, these factors were categorized into five dimensions: motivation, opportunity, rationalization, exposure, and punishment. A literature review and in-depth interviews with experts led to the development of a scale of the factors that affect doctor moral hazard. The scale has good reliability and validity. Data were obtained by interviewing medical staff. By using IBM SPSS 20.0 and AMOS 20.0, nine factors with strong explanatory power were extracted: economic pressure, pressure to undertake scientific research, decision-making autonomy, patient participation, treatment uncertainty, systemic deficiencies, probability of exposure, threat of hospital punishment, and threat of social punishment. The development of the scale and the extraction of the key influencing factors clarified the scope and the nature of factors that influence doctor moral hazard behavior. The analysis also provides a basis for governments and hospitals to govern doctor moral hazard behavior.