Gonzales T I
Sacred Heart University, Fairfield, CT 06432, USA.
Health Serv Res. 1997 Aug;32(3):313-24.
To apply the economic theory of economies of scope to the home healthcare industry.
Data on 488 observations obtained from the Cost Report (HCFA Form 1728-86) of all Connecticut state-licensed, Medicare-certified home health agencies.
The Cost Report was the primary source of data for this study. Information on total cost, scope, and other related factors was collected. Logarithmic and nonlinear regression analyses were used to identify factors related to scope and also to test for economies of scope.
Data collected were both cross-sectional and time series (from 1988-1992). Data accuracy was verified using description of frequencies, measures of central tendency and variation, and a calculation package so that a computer calculation on the data could be compared with the agency's calculation.
It was determined that initially as scope increases, costs go down, thus proving economies of scope. For larger values of scope, it was determined that costs go up, proving diseconomies of scope.
Many of the home health agencies included in this study provide more services than is cost effective given the economic theory of economies of scope.
将范围经济的经济理论应用于家庭医疗保健行业。
从康涅狄格州所有获得州许可、医疗保险认证的家庭健康机构的成本报告（HCFA表格1728 - 86）中获取的488条观测数据。
成本报告是本研究的主要数据来源。收集了总成本、范围及其他相关因素的信息。使用对数和非线性回归分析来确定与范围相关的因素，并检验范围经济。
收集的数据既有横截面数据，也有时间序列数据（来自1988 - 1992年）。通过频率描述、集中趋势和变异度量以及计算软件包来验证数据准确性，以便将对数据的计算机计算结果与机构的计算结果进行比较。
确定在最初阶段，随着范围的增加，成本下降，从而证明存在范围经济。对于范围较大的值，确定成本上升，证明存在范围不经济。
根据范围经济的经济理论，本研究中纳入的许多家庭健康机构提供的服务超出了成本效益范围。
