Prescribing in family practice: a method of data collection.

Data collected from prescriptions in family practice are useful for interpractice comparison because these data are more precise than morbidity data. Interpractice comparisons of prescribing are an attractive alternative for continuing medical education.Drug prescribing patterns are influenced by the characteristics of the practice population, physician factors and external factors. Any review of prescribing patterns must control as many of these variables as possible to be accurate and useful.This article describes methods of data collection and calculation of prescribing rates in a 32 physician teaching practice and discusses current problems of interpractice comparisons.