Technology adoption by primary care physicians

We study primary care physicians' prevention and monitoring technology adop-tion. Physicians' adoption decisions are based on benefits and costs, which de-pend on payment incentives, educational assistance, and market characteris-tics. The empirical study uses national Norwegian register and physician claims data between 2009 and 2014. In 2006, a new annual comprehensive checkup for Type 2 diabetic patients was introduced. A physician collects a fee for each checkup. In 2013, an education assistance program was introduced in two Nor-wegian counties. We estimate adoption decisions by fixed-effect regressions, and two-part and hazard models. We use a difference-in-difference model to estimate the education program impact. Fixed-effect estimations and separate analyses of physicians who have moved between municipalities support a peer effect. The education program has a strongly positive effect, which is positively associated with a physician's number of diabetic patients, and the fraction of physician-adopters in the same market.