Key Indicators Affecting Hospital Efficiency: A Systematic Review.

Area of Science:

• Healthcare Management
• Health Services Research
• Hospital Administration

Background:

• Hospital efficiency measurement is crucial for optimizing performance and resource allocation.
• Systematic reviews are essential for understanding current practices in hospital efficiency assessment.
• Identifying key indicators is vital for accurate technical efficiency evaluation.

Purpose of the Study:

• To systematically review and identify key input, process, and output indicators used in measuring hospital technical efficiency.
• To promote accuracy in hospital efficiency measurement through a comprehensive indicator analysis.
• To synthesize findings from existing literature on hospital efficiency metrics.

Main Methods:

• A systematic review of electronic resources and databases (MEDLINE, Scopus, Ovid, Proquest, Google Scholar) was conducted.
• Articles published between 2010 and 2019 were searched, with 144 selected from 1,537 initial studies.
• Content analysis was used to extract findings, and the Critical Appraisal Skills Programme (CASP) Checklist assessed study quality.

Main Results:

• Input indicators commonly included Hospital Capacity, Structure, Characteristics, Market concentration, and Costs.
• Process indicators encompassed Hospital Activity, Quality-oriented processes, and Educational processes.
• Output indicators covered Hospital Activity-related outputs and Quality-related outcomes.

Conclusions:

• A comprehensive measurement of hospital technical efficiency necessitates a mixed-methods approach.
• Both quantitative and qualitative indicators across input, process, and output domains are essential.
• Integrating diverse indicators enhances the accuracy and completeness of hospital efficiency assessments.