A systematic review of the use of simulated client method in examining medicine price

Purpose: This study was aimed to systematically identify and review studies conducted using simulated client/patients that examine medicine selling prices in healthcare settings, including pharmacies, clinics, and hospitals. The quoted drug pricing information, including the dispensing fees and healthcare financing system of the countries involved, were also compared.Design/methodology/approach: We searched Pubmed, OVID, Scopus, Ebsco (Medline) and ProQuest for papers reporting on simulated patient studies in various medical settings, specifying drug or pharmaceutical pricings. Randomized controlled trials, non-randomized controlled trials, longitudinal studies, cohort or case–control studies, and descriptive studies were included. The quality of included studies was checked using a validated tool.Findings: A total of 19 papers from 13 countries from all regions of the world were included in this systematic review. Various ,edical conditions that were presented by the simulated patients, such as cancer, back pain, insomnia and diarrhoea. Information on certain prescription and non-prescription drugs such as buprenorphine, methadone and antibiotics were reported in four studies. Most healthcare facilities adhere to prescribed selling prices, according to the medicine selling price trend examined in this study. Only around half of the research found that medicine prices were higher than the typical selling price. Some countries that practise price control policies were found to have higher drug selling prices than those that do not.Originality/value: This review, for the first time, revealed that simulated patient method is a practical solution to obtain pharmaceutical price information from healthcare provider and most healthcare facilities adhere to the recommended selling prices.