Efficiency and optimal size of hospitals: Results of a systematic search.

ABSTRACT:

Background

National Health Systems managers have been subject in recent years to considerable pressure to increase concentration and allow mergers. This pressure has been justified by a belief that larger hospitals lead to lower average costs and better clinical outcomes through the exploitation of economies of scale. In this context, the opportunity to measure scale efficiency is crucial to address the question of optimal productive size and to manage a fair allocation of resources.

Methods and findings

This paper analyses the stance of existing research on scale efficiency and optimal size of the hospital sector. We performed a systematic search of 45 past years (1969-2014) of research published in peer-reviewed scientific journals recorded by the Social Sciences Citation

SUBMITTER: Giancotti M 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5371367 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature