Andrews Antony, Emvalomatis Grigorios
College of Business Administration, Ajman University, Al Jurf 1, Ajman, UAE.
Department of Economics, University of Crete, Rethymno, Greece.
Health Care Manag Sci. 2024 Jun;27(2):268-283. doi: 10.1007/s10729-024-09668-5. Epub 2024 Mar 11.
Efficiency analysis is crucial in healthcare to optimise resource allocation and enhance patient outcomes. However, the prompt adaptation of inputs can be hindered by adjustment costs, which impact Long-Run Technical Efficiency (LRTE). To bridge this gap in healthcare literature, this research employs a Bayesian Dynamic Stochastic Frontier Model to estimate parameters and explore healthcare efficiency dynamics over time. The study reveals the LRTE for New Zealand District Health Boards (DHBs) as 0.76, indicating around 32% more input utilisation due to adjustment costs. Most DHBs exhibit consistent short-run operational efficiency, with the national Short-Run Technical Efficiency (SRTE) very close to the LRTE. Among the tertiary providers, Auckland and Capital & Coast DHBs operate below the LRTE level, setting them apart from other tertiary providers. Similarly, Tairawhiti and West Coast DHBs also fall below the LRTE level, as indicated by their SRTE scores, potentially influenced by their unique healthcare settings and resource challenges. This research brings a new perspective to policy discussions by incorporating the temporal dynamics of decision-making and considering adjustment costs. It underscores the need to balance short-term and long-term technical efficiency, underlining their collective significance in fostering a sustainable and efficient healthcare system in New Zealand.
效率分析在医疗保健领域对于优化资源分配和改善患者治疗效果至关重要。然而，投入的快速调整可能会受到调整成本的阻碍，而调整成本会影响长期技术效率（LRTE）。为了弥合医疗保健文献中的这一差距，本研究采用贝叶斯动态随机前沿模型来估计参数，并探索医疗保健效率随时间的动态变化。该研究表明，新西兰地区卫生委员会（DHBs）的长期技术效率为0.76，这表明由于调整成本，投入利用率大约提高了32%。大多数地区卫生委员会表现出一致的短期运营效率，全国短期技术效率（SRTE）与长期技术效率非常接近。在三级医疗服务提供者中，奥克兰和首都与海岸地区卫生委员会的运营低于长期技术效率水平，这使它们与其他三级医疗服务提供者有所不同。同样，泰拉维提和西海岸地区卫生委员会也低于长期技术效率水平，其短期技术效率得分表明了这一点，这可能受到其独特的医疗环境和资源挑战的影响。本研究通过纳入决策的时间动态并考虑调整成本，为政策讨论带来了新的视角。它强调了平衡短期和长期技术效率的必要性，突显了它们在促进新西兰可持续和高效医疗保健系统方面的共同重要性。
