UDC: 005.216.1:614.2(497.12); 005.31

DOI: 10.7595/management.fon.2014.0031

The authors of the article deal with the quantitative analysis of results of the development of health care services. The aim of the article is to determine the key conditions for measuring the results of health system functioning and evaluation of its adequacy. The research question focuses on the method of measuring the operational efficiency of Slovenian hospitals. The introduction defines efficiency within the concept of adequacy and its dimensions of efficiency, accessibility and quality. The empirical part of the article presents the use of the DEA method for determining the adequacy of operation of hospitals on the basis of data on Slovenian hospitals. It is apparent that the model for the evaluation of adequacy of operation of hospitals is suitable within limitations. The interpretation of results is hampered by inadequately structured data and non-transparent prices of hospital services. Therefore, the results of the research indicate the direction in which the database should be developed to ensure greater comparability in a rather heterogeneous population of hospitals. Furthermore, the authors point out that new indicators, reflecting the condition of the dimensions of adequacy, should be included in the model for the purposes of the evaluation of adequacy. On the basis of the results of the research, the question of implementing suitable methods of planning and controlling the adequacy of the functioning of health care into practice arises.

Keywords: DEA, health care, adequacy, indicators, hospitals, efficiency.

Jože Benčina, Srečko Devjak, Lan Umek

University of Ljubljana, Faculty of Administration

Download article: Determining the Adequacy of Operation of DMUs in Health Care