Table 4

Effects of factors of major cost components

Factor

Parameter estimates of continous data^a

Consultation related cost

Referral related cost

Total cost for medication

Total costs

Experience of physician in years

-0.26

-0.31

1.69*

1.24

Proportion of consultations for female patients

-4.18*

0.31

-5.88*

-9.71*

Average age of patients

6.48*

1.86*

12.72*

21.24*

Proportion of home visits

-793.01*

178.68*

546.16*

-16.45

Proportion of accident consultations

-2718.22*

13.15

-581.06

-3165.41*

Overall F-tests of categorical variables^b

p-value

p-value

p-value

p-value

Physicians group

<.001

0.011

<.001

0.483

Canton

0.020

0.001

<.001

<.001

Practice location

0.286

0.006

0.354

0.057

Type of practice

0.025

0.881

0.492

0.065

Gender of physician

0.467

0.706

0.004

0.009

^a interpreted as change of cost per change for each unit of the respective factor (years and percentages).

^b interpreted as differences of least square means of the respective factors.

* Significant association (p < 0.05)

Busato et al. BMC Health Services Research 2006 6:132   doi:10.1186/1472-6963-6-132