The majority of the nation's medical schools have begun to integrate discussions of cost, value and effectiveness into their curricula, according to NPR.
A recent survey by the Washington, D.C.-based Association of American Medical Colleges found 129 of 140 responding medical schools offered a required course on the cost of healthcare during the 2013-2014 school year. Almost 40 percent of the schools said they also discuss the issue in elective courses.
Reasons behind the change include the Affordable Care Act, the move toward value-based care and the increase in high-deductible health plans.
Several schools in southern California have found new ways to integrate cost and value into curricula. For example, the University of California, Los Angeles started weaving the topics into daily lessons.
It's "a dramatic change," said Janis Orlowski, MD, CMO with the AAMC.