ArticleBMJ (Clinical research ed.)1996
A prescribing incentive scheme for non-fundholding general practices: an observational study.
Article in BMJ (Clinical research ed.), 1996. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. Cited by 13 papers, 1 of them a synthesis that pooled it.
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Who cites it
13 citing papers in PubMed, 1 synthesis or guideline pooled it.
- Pharmaceutical policies: effects of financial incentives for prescribers.The Cochrane database of systematic reviews · 2015Pooled it
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- Good prescribing: better systems and prescribers needed.CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association journal = journal de l'Association medicale canadienne · 2010Article
- Physician compensation from salary and quality of diabetes care.Journal of general internal medicine · 2007Article
- Are physician reimbursement strategies associated with processes of care and patient satisfaction for patients with diabetes in managed care?Health services research · 2006Article
- Do GPs working in practice with high or low prescribing costs have different views on prescribing cost issues?The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners · 2000Article
- Funding Canada's health care system: a tax-based alternative to privatization.CMAJ : Canadian Medical Association journal = journal de l'Association medicale canadienne · 1998Review
- Drug rationing in the UK National Health Service. Current status and future prospects.PharmacoEconomics · 1997Review
- Strategies to improve the cost effectiveness of general practitioner prescribing. An international perspective.PharmacoEconomics · 1997Review
- Poles apart? The views of general practitioners and family health services authority advisers on prescribing cost issues.The British journal of general practice : the journal of the Royal College of General Practitioners · 1997Article
- Prescribing incentive scheme for non-fundholding general practices. Tailoring a scheme to individual practices is more effective.BMJ (Clinical research ed.) · 1996Article
- Prescribing incentive scheme for non-fundholding general practices. Reduction in prescribing cannot confidently be attributed to scheme.BMJ (Clinical research ed.) · 1996Article
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Authors and funding
5 authors.
Funding
No grant is acknowledged in the PubMed record.
Abstract
objectiveTo examine the effects of a financial incentive scheme on prescribing in non-fundholding general practices.
designObservational study.
settingNon-fundholding general practices in former Northern region in 1993-4.
interventionTarget savings were set for each group of practices; those that achieved them were paid a portion of the savings.
main outcome measuresFinancial performance; prescribing patterns in major therapeutic groups and some specific therapeutic areas; rates of generic prescribing; and performance against a measure of prescribing quality. SUBJECTS: 459 non-fundholding general practices, grouped into three bands according to the ratio of their indicative prescribing amount to the local average (band A > or = 10% above average, B between average and 10% above, C below average).
results102 (23%) of 442 practices achieved their target savings (18%, 19%, and 27% of bands A, B, and C respectively). Band C practices that achieved their target had a lower per capita prescribing frequency for gastrointestinal drugs, inhaled steroids, antidepressants, and hormone replacement therapy. There were no other significant differences in prescribing frequency, and no reduction in the quality of prescribing in achieving practices. Total savings of pounds 1.54 m on indicative prescribing amounts were achieved. Payments from the incentive scheme and discretionary quality awards resulted in pounds 463,000 being returned to practices for investment in primary care.
conclusionsThe prescribing behaviour of non-fundholding general practitioners responded to financial incentives in a similar way to that of fundholding practitioners. The incentive scheme did not seem to reduce the quality of prescribing.
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