Hospital Productivity and the Norwegian ownership reform: A nordic comparative study

摘要: In a period where decentralisation seemed to be the prominent trend, Norway in 2002 chose re-centralise hospital sector. The reform had three main aims; cost control, efficiency and reduced waiting times. This study investigates whether has improved productivity using other four major Nordic countries as controls. Hospital measures are obtained data envelopment analysis (DEA) on comparable dataset of 728 hospitals 1999 2004. First common reference frontier is established for countries, enveloping technologies each years. Bootstrapping techniques applied estimates assess uncertainty correct bias. Second, these regressed set explanatory variables order separate effect from effects structural, financial organizational variables. A fixed model used, random OLS specifications rejected. Robustness examined through alternate specifications, including stochastic (SFA). SFA approach performed Battese & Coelli (1995) one stage procedure inefficiency term estimated function used second DEA approach. Results indicate that seems have level magnitude approximately 4 % or more. While there small contradictory case mix activity based financing, length stay clearly negatively associated with productivity. robust choice estimation technique various definition when takes place.