Public views on priority setting for High Cost Medications in public hospitals in Australia

OBJECTIVE: To gather information about views of members of the general public about access to High Cost Medications (HCMs) in public hospitals. METHODS: A structured questionnaire was administered to members of the general public. Individuals were approached in train stations, shopping centres and different venues in the Sydney metropolitan area. People were eligible to answer the survey if they were: over 18 years of age, Australian permanent residents and able to complete the questionnaire in English. RESULTS: Two hundred people completed the survey. Of these 56% were females, 47% were married, 84% spoke English at home, 88% were working either full-time or part-time, 61% had a university degree, 27% had a household annual income greater than 100,000 dollars and 68% had private health insurance. Participants considered factors such as treatment outcomes, quality of life and current health status when determining who should have access to HCMs. Participants wanted resources to be allocated to provide the 'greatest benefit to the greatest number of people'. Almost half the respondents did not want direct involvement in decision-making, however, 38% did. CONCLUSIONS: The results offered support for indirect involvement through the development of a process to involve community members in discussion on policy on the provision of treatment and services within health-care institutions and specifically, to seek the views of members of the public on the provision of HCMs and expensive services within public hospitals.