Article ID: | iaor20103596 |
Volume: | 42 |
Issue: | 3 |
Start Page Number: | 158 |
End Page Number: | 189 |
Publication Date: | Sep 2008 |
Journal: | Socio-Economic Planning Science |
Authors: | Heidenberger Kurt, O'Neill Liam, Rauner Marion, Kraus Markus |
Keywords: | statistics: data envelopment analysis |
This paper provides the first taxonomy of hospital efficiency studies that uses data envelopment analysis (DEA) and related techniques. We provide a systematic review of 79 such studies published from 1984–2004 that represent 12 countries. Only studies written in English are considered. A cross-national comparison reveals significant differences with respect to important study characteristics such as type of DEA model selected and choice of input and output categories. Compared with US studies, European efforts are more likely to measure allocative rather than technical efficiency, use longitudinal data, and use fewer observations. We take a longitudinal perspective that illustrates the