Determinants of prescribing costs amongst single-handed general practitioners.
OBJECTIVE
To investigate the contribution of patient and doctor characteristics in explaining observed variations in prescribing costs between individual doctors.


METHODS
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.


CONCLUSIONS
This study highlights that very little of the variation in prescribing costs can readily be explained. Further research is needed to document contributing factors.
Gill
P S
PS
Department of Primary Care and General Practice, University of Birmingham, Birmingham, UK. p.s.gill@bham.ac.uk
Roalfe
A
A
D000328:Adult; D016527:Drug Costs; D011307:Drug Prescriptions / Q000191:economics*; D016568:Drugs, Generic; D004522:Educational Status; D005194:Family Practice / Q000191:economics*; D005260:Female; D019538:Health Care Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D010819:Physician's Role; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians' / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012923:Social Class; D013997:Time Factors
D016568:Drugs, Generic