1300 187 187
This book provides a concise synthesis of leading edge research in the theory and practise of efficiency measurement in health and health care. Whilst much of the literature in this area is confusing and impregnable, Hollingsworth and Peacock show the logical links between the economic theory underlying efficiency, the methods used in analysis and practical application of measurement techniques including Data Envelopment Analysis and Stochastic Frontiers Analysis.
The book outlines which methods are most suitable in which setting, how to specify valid models, and how to undertake a study and effectively disseminate results. The current state of the art is assessed in terms of methods and published applications, and undertakes practical applications of advanced methods, including analysis of economies of scale and scope, variable weightings, specification testing, and estimation of the efficient production of health. Finally, the way forward in efficiency measurement in health is outlined, mapping out an agenda for future research and policy development.
| List of figures | p. vii |
| List of tables | p. ix |
| Foreword | p. x |
| Acknowledgements | p. xiii |
| Introduction | p. 1 |
| Why measure efficiency in the health sector? | p. 3 |
| Outline of the book | p. 4 |
| Health and efficiency concepts | p. 8 |
| Introduction | p. 8 |
| The economic theory of production | p. 8 |
| Production and efficiency in the single-output model | p. 9 |
| Production and efficiency in the multi-output model | p. 14 |
| The production of health and health care | p. 21 |
| Health outcomes and health-care outputs | p. 23 |
| Efficiency, health and health care | p. 25 |
| Efficiency measurement techniques | p. 28 |
| Introduction | p. 28 |
| Efficiency measurement and Farrell | p. 29 |
| Ordinary least squares (OLS) regression | p. 31 |
| Data envelopment analysis | p. 31 |
| Stochastic frontier analysis | p. 39 |
| Comparing frontier techniques | p. 41 |
| Measuring efficiency in health services | p. 43 |
| Introduction | p. 43 |
| Feedback to individual units | p. 60 |
| Feedback of results | p. 65 |
| Software review | p. 70 |
| Summary and conclusions | p. 75 |
| Appendix | p. 76 |
| Application of efficiency measurement in health services | p. 82 |
| Introduction | p. 82 |
| Background | p. 83 |
| Applications | p. 83 |
| Summary and conclusions | p. 101 |
| Appendix | p. 103 |
| Advanced applications and recent developments | p. 118 |
| Introduction | p. 118 |
| Comparison of the different methods of analysis and their policy implications | p. 119 |
| Economies of scale and scope | p. 125 |
| Weight restriction in DEA | p. 128 |
| The efficient production of health | p. 130 |
| Analysis of different health-care measures | p. 133 |
| Summary | p. 133 |
| Future directions | p. 135 |
| Notes | p. 139 |
| Bibliography | p. 140 |
| Index | p. 155 |
| Table of Contents provided by Ingram. All Rights Reserved. |
ISBN: 9780415271370
ISBN-10: 0415271371
Series: Routledge International Studies in Health Economics
Audience:
Tertiary; University or College
Format:
Hardcover
Language:
English
Number Of Pages: 176
Published: 7th February 2008
Dimensions (cm): 24.5 x 16.5
x 1.5
Weight (kg): 0.397
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