P S Gill1, A Roalfe. 1. Department of Primary Care and General Practice, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK. p.s.gill@bham.ac.uk
Abstract
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the contribution of patient and doctor characteristics in explaining observed variations in prescribing costs between individual doctors. METHOD: Secondary analysis of data collected from general practitioners, Family Health Services Authorities, 1991 Census data set and the Prescription Pricing Authority. RESULTS: A multiple regression model with four variables (social class, training status, generic prescribing and length of time in general practice) explained only 16.5% of the variation in costs/ASTRO-PU. CONCLUSION: This study highlights that very little of the variation in prescribing costs can readily be explained. Further research is needed to document contributing factors.
OBJECTIVE: To investigate the contribution of patient and doctor characteristics in explaining observed variations in prescribing costs between individual doctors. METHOD: Secondary analysis of data collected from general practitioners, Family Health Services Authorities, 1991 Census data set and the Prescription Pricing Authority. RESULTS: A multiple regression model with four variables (social class, training status, generic prescribing and length of time in general practice) explained only 16.5% of the variation in costs/ASTRO-PU. CONCLUSION: This study highlights that very little of the variation in prescribing costs can readily be explained. Further research is needed to document contributing factors.