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From: [log in to unmask] on behalf of Ahmad Risk
Sent: Saturday, March 07, 1998 06:39
To: gp-uk
Subject: Re: Shotgun marriage
On 03/07/98 04:08:38, "Paul Attwood" <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
>As for chronic disease I would be surprised. From PACT data my average cost
>is higher but I prescribe less. Maybe targetting is better? What say you
>Ahmad?
We are low prescribers too. About 20% below average. And nearly 70% generics.
I think this is due to three factors
- historic meanness by our predecessors, so patients well trained
- low social deprivation, and nice, stable population
- small practice (2 of us)
We get issued with "Prescribing Performance Indicators" from our HA. I view
these with some cynicism, but we come out well on most of them.
>>Whilst there are GP's like yourself for the Health Authority to quote as
>being good and careful prescribers, there isn't a hope for the rest of us to
ge>>t a fair drug budget:-(
>So now the sh*t is being laid at the doorstep at those who have low costs at
>least in prescribing? Might it be that those who prescribe less refer more?
>When marked against four colleagues in a FH group I certainly was in the
>upper 50%. Might it even out?
One thing that PCG groups will uncover, is the different referral patterns,
and admission patterns between practices. Have no idea where we stand compared
to the average.
Despite being low cost prescribers, we spend some time looking at our PACT
data, and at our high cost drugs in particular, and looking for cheaper
alternatives.
For example, there IS an alternative to Losec. Lansoprazole (Zoton) and
pantoprazole (Protium) are cheaper at full strength doses. And I assume the
high spenders have made some effort to switch their patients on maintenance
doses to half strength?
--
Ruth
http://www.stamford.co.uk/littlesurgery
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