Patterns of productivity changes in hospitals by using Malmquist - DEA Index: A panel data analysis (2011–2016)

BackgroundIn Iran, governmental hospitals operate under a fixed budget and without a price- driven market, they need to produce health care more efficiently to guarantee providing more services.AimsThe main objective of the present study is to investigate the productivity of the Yazd hospitals before and after the implementation of the HSTP.Methods This study is a descriptive-analytical kind conducted by applying a panel data for a six-year time horizon. The study was carried out on 11 teaching and non-teaching hospitals of Yazd Province. DEA technique with an input- oriented approach and Malmquist indices were used to estimate the efficiency and productivity. Data were analysed using Excel.22 and DEAP.2 software.Results Our results showed that, except for 2014–2015, there was a positive change in efficiency for a quite large proportion (66 per cent) of the hospitals within the study period. The technological changes demonstrated generally negative trend for most parts of the time period in the study 2011–2012 aside. Geometric mean of Malmquist index showed a positive alteration in 2011–2012 and 2015–2016 and negative shift for the remaining time periods.ConclusionEstimates on the basis of Malmquist index displayed that five-year average Malmquist index and technology change were 92 per cent and 91 per cent, respectively showing a regress in the concerning measures