Journal article
Are rates of pathology test ordering higher in general practices co-located with pathology collection centres?
DM Studdert, HC Britt, Y Pan, S Fahridin, CF Bayram, LC Gurrin
Medical Journal of Australia | AUSTRALASIAN MED PUBL CO LTD | Published : 2010
Abstract
Objective: To determine whether rates of pathology test ordering by general practitioners in general practices co-located with pathology collection centres (PCCs) are higher than those of GPs in practices located apart from PCCs. Design, setting and participants: We identified all practices in the Melbourne and Sydney metropolitan areas that were co-located with PCCs (same or immediately adjacent suite) and the date co-location was established. This information was merged with the Bettering the Evaluation and Care of Health database to identify samples of GP-patient encounters in co-located practices (n = 31 700) and practices located apart from the nearest PCC (n = 289 700) over the period ..
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Funding Acknowledgements
David Studdert was supported by an Australian Research Council Federation Fellowship. Lyle Gurrin was supported by a National Health and Medical Research Council Career Development Award.During the data collection years used for this study, contributions to funding the BEACH program were made by: the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing, the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, the National Prescribing Service, the Australian Government Department of Veterans' Affairs, the Office of the Australian Safety and Compensation Council (Department of Employment and Workplace Relations), AstraZeneca, Roche, Janssen-Cilag, Merck Sharp and Dohme, Pfizer, sanofi-aventis, Abbott and Wyeth.