Research Paper
Relationship between the Efficiency of Inpatient Medical Services in Secondary Care Areas and Regional Characteristics
2017 Volume 40 Issue 2 Pages 67-75
Details
2017 Volume 40 Issue 2 Pages 67-75
This paper determines the technical efficiency of inpatient medical services in secondary care areas and analyzes the relationship between differences in technical efficiency and regional characteristics by using panel data from 2011 to 2013. The main concern is the influence of health resources and care resources.
Results of the analysis indicate that there are regional differences in the efficiency of inpatient medical services and that secondary care areas with highly effective inpatient medical services have fewer medical institutions per inhabitable land area and fewer long-term care beds and train commuters per capita. On the other hand, these areas have a high per capita number of public health nurses, sports facilities, and nursing homes, and high public health expenditures.
These findings suggest not only that the efficiency of inpatient medical services is influenced by the level of medical resources but also that regional characteristics make a difference in efficiency. Specifically, health resources and care resources may contribute to a high level of effectiveness.
