Influencing factors and mechanism of physicians' strategic behavior under the DRG payment system.

Objective: Reforming medical insurance payment methods is a key part of deepening the healthcare system reform. Understanding the influencing factors and underlying mechanisms of physicians' strategic behaviors under the diagnosis-related groups (DRG) payment system is crucial for reducing medical resource waste and improving the efficiency of health insurance fund utilization.

Methods: Based on the Theory of Planned Behavior, this study used grounded theory to construct a questionnaire encompassing belief, behavioral attitude, subjective norm, perceived behavioral control, behavioral intention, and behavior measurement items. Structural equation modeling was then used for empirical analysis.

Results: Physicians' behavioral intention had the most significant impact on their strategic behavior (β=0.606, P<0.001). Physician's attitude toward strategic behavior (β=-0.159, P<0.01), subjective norm (β=-0.093, P<0.05), and perceived behavioral control (β=-0.120, P<0.05) were major influencing factors of behavioral intention. Physicians' behavioral beliefs, normative beliefs, and control beliefs were significantly correlated with behavioral attitude (β=0.554, P<0.001), subjective norm (β=0.383, P<0.001), and perceived behavioral control (β=0.274, P<0.001), respectively.

Conclusions: Behavioral intention is the primary predictor driving physicians to engage in strategic behavior. Attitudes toward the behavior, subjective norms, and perceived behavioral control all significantly affect physicians' behavioral intentions.