Evaluating Hospital Policy and Performance, Volume 18
Evaluating Hospital Policy and Performance, Volume 18
JAI Press; 1 edition | January 1, 2008 | ISBN-10: 0762314532 | 270 pages | PDF | 1.85 MB
JAI Press; 1 edition | January 1, 2008 | ISBN-10: 0762314532 | 270 pages | PDF | 1.85 MB
Hospitals worldwide command the majority of any countries' health care budget. Reasons for these higher costs include the aging of the population requiring more intensive health care treatments provided in hospitals, the relatively high costs of labor in this labor intensive industry and payment systems that may encourage inefficient behavior on the part of hospital managers and physicians. Governments are seeking to instruments to mitigate this cost rise. Liberalizing hospital markets, deregulation, changing budget systems and changing ownership are only a few examples of attempts to make hospitals more efficient.
Hospital industry responds in various ways to changing market conditions and legislation. In most western hospital markets we observe hospital consolidation, acquisitions, mergers and the founding of several types of network and hospital associations. The question is whether this trend also contributes to more efficiency.