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Is more better? An analysis of hospital outcomes and efficiency with a DEA model of output congestion

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Abstract

This paper applies a new methodology to the study of hospital efficiency and quality of care. Using a data set of hospitals from several states, we jointly evaluate desirable hospital patient care output (e.g., patient stays) and the simultaneous undesirable output (e.g., risk-adjusted patient mortality) that occurs. With a DEA based approach under two different sets of assumptions, we are able to include multiple quality indicators as outputs. The results show that lower technical efficiency is associated with poorer risk-adjusted quality outcomes in the study hospitals. They are consistent with other studies linking poor quality outcomes to higher cost.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Health Administration, Virginia Commonwealth University, P.O. Box 980203, Richmond, VA, 23298-0203, USA

    Jan P. Clement & Gloria J. Bazzoli

  2. Health Policy Program, University of the Health Sciences in Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA, 19104, USA

    Vivian G. Valdmanis

  3. Health Administration Programs, College of Health, University of North Florida, 4567 St. Johns Bluff Road, South, Jacksonville, FL, 32224-2673, USA

    Mei Zhao

  4. Family Medicine and Rural Health, College of Medicine, Florida State University, 1115 West Call Street, Room 3200-C, Tallahassee, FL, 32306-4300, USA

    Askar Chukmaitov

Authors
  1. Jan P. Clement
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  2. Vivian G. Valdmanis
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  3. Gloria J. Bazzoli
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  4. Mei Zhao
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  5. Askar Chukmaitov
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Correspondence to Jan P. Clement.

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Clement, J.P., Valdmanis, V.G., Bazzoli, G.J. et al. Is more better? An analysis of hospital outcomes and efficiency with a DEA model of output congestion. Health Care Manage Sci 11, 67–77 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10729-007-9025-8

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10729-007-9025-8

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