Harrison Jeffrey P, Meyer Sean
Author Affiliations: Department of Public Health (Dr Harrison), and Health Administration Program (Mr Meyer), University of North Florida, Jacksonville Florida.
Health Care Manag (Frederick). 2014 Apr-Jun;33(2):117-27. doi: 10.1097/HCM.0000000000000005.
This study evaluates the efficiency of federal hospitals, specifically those hospitals administered by the US Department of Veterans Affairs and the US Department of Defense. Hospital executives, health care policymakers, taxpayers, and federal hospital beneficiaries benefit from studies that improve hospital efficiency. This study uses data envelopment analysis to evaluate a panel of 165 federal hospitals in 2007 and 157 of the same hospitals again in 2011. Results indicate that overall efficiency in federal hospitals improved from 81% in 2007 to 86% in 2011. The number of federal hospitals operating on the efficiency frontier decreased slightly from 25 in 2007 to 21 in 2011. The higher efficiency score clearly documents that federal hospitals are becoming more efficient in the management of resources. From a policy perspective, this study highlights the economic importance of encouraging increased efficiency throughout the health care industry. This research examines benchmarking strategies to improve the efficiency of hospital services to federal beneficiaries. Through the use of strategies such as integrated information systems, consolidation of services, transaction-cost economics, and focusing on preventative health care, these organizations have been able to provide quality service while maintaining fiscal responsibility. In addition, the research documented the characteristics of those federal hospitals that were found to be on the Efficiency Frontier. These hospitals serve as benchmarks for less efficient federal hospitals as they develop strategies for improvement.
本研究评估了联邦医院的效率，特别是那些由美国退伍军人事务部和美国国防部管理的医院。医院管理人员、医疗保健政策制定者、纳税人以及联邦医院的受益者都能从提高医院效率的研究中受益。本研究使用数据包络分析来评估2007年的165家联邦医院组成的样本，并于2011年再次评估了其中157家相同的医院。结果表明，联邦医院的整体效率从2007年的81%提高到了2011年的86%。处于效率前沿的联邦医院数量从2007年的25家略有下降至2011年的21家。更高的效率得分清楚地表明，联邦医院在资源管理方面正变得更加高效。从政策角度来看，本研究突出了鼓励整个医疗行业提高效率的经济重要性。本研究考察了提高为联邦受益者提供医院服务效率的标杆管理策略。通过使用诸如综合信息系统、服务整合、交易成本经济学以及关注预防性医疗保健等策略，这些机构能够在保持财政责任的同时提供优质服务。此外，该研究记录了那些被发现处于效率前沿的联邦医院的特征。这些医院在制定改进策略时，可作为效率较低的联邦医院的标杆。
