Controlling Pharmaceutical Costs: A Study to Identify Physician Prescribing Patterns.
Abstract
The cost of health care in the United States is increasing every year and now consumes more than 12% of the Gross National Product, which roughly equates to $733 billion (Castro, 1991). Numerous studies and initiatives have been undertaken by a variety of private and governmental organizations to control health care expenditures. Several have involved the control of pharmaceutical costs. The purpose of this study was to determine those personal characteristics (variables) associated with physician providers that indicate if a given provider routinely writes outpatient prescriptions which are more costly than those written by his/her peers. A multiple linear regression analysis approach was utilized to determine which, if any, variables are significant. A sample group of 129 physicians, comprising 17 different specialties, was studied. Three operant (dependent) variables were used as measures of high-cost outpatient prescribing behavior. Additionally, 52 predictor (independent) variables were used. The results yielded 11 significant predictors of high-cost prescribing behavior at the .05 level.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jun 01, 1992
- Accession Number
- ADA260952
Entities
People
- David R. Heier
Organizations
- Academy of Health Sciences