Key points are not available for this paper at this time.
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.
Gill et al. (Sat,) studied this question.