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Preferences of Hungarian consumers for quality, access and price attributes of health care services — result of a discrete choice experiment

Author

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  • Petra Baji

    (Corvinus University of Budapest Health Economics and Health Technology Assessment Research Centre Budapest Hungary
    Maastricht University Department of Health Services Research, CAPHRI, Maastricht University Medical Center, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences Maastricht The Netherlands
    Center for Public Affairs Studies Foundation Budapest Hungary)

  • Milena Pavlova

    (Maastricht University Department of Health Services Research, CAPHRI, Maastricht University Medical Center, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences Maastricht The Netherlands)

  • László Gulácsi

    (Corvinus University of Budapest Health Economics and Health Technology Assessment Research Centre Budapest Hungary
    Center for Public Affairs Studies Foundation Budapest Hungary)

  • Wim Groot

    (Maastricht University Department of Health Services Research, CAPHRI, Maastricht University Medical Center, Faculty of Health, Medicine and Life Sciences Maastricht The Netherlands
    Maastricht University Topinstitute Evidence-Based Education Research (TIER) Maastricht The Netherlands)

Abstract

In 2010, a household survey was carried out in Hungary among 1037 respondents to study consumer preferences and willingness to pay for health care services. In this paper, we use the data from the discrete choice experiments included in the survey, to elicit the preferences of health care consumers about the choice of health care providers. Regression analysis is used to estimate the effect of the improvement of service attributes (quality, access, and price) on patients’ choice, as well as the differences among the socio-demographic groups. We also estimate the marginal willingness to pay for the improvement in attribute levels by calculating marginal rates of substitution. The results show that respondents from a village or the capital, with low education and bad health status are more driven by the changes in the price attribute when choosing between health care providers. Respondents value the good skills and reputation of the physician and the attitude of the personnel most, followed by modern equipment and maintenance of the office/hospital. Access attributes (travelling and waiting time) are less important. The method of discrete choice experiment is useful to reveal patients’ preferences, and might support the development of an evidence-based and sustainable health policy on patient payments.

Suggested Citation

  • Petra Baji & Milena Pavlova & László Gulácsi & Wim Groot, 2012. "Preferences of Hungarian consumers for quality, access and price attributes of health care services — result of a discrete choice experiment," Society and Economy, Akadémiai Kiadó, Hungary, vol. 34(2), pages 293-311, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:aka:soceco:v:34:y:2012:i:2:p:293-311
    Note: The study is financed by the European Commission under the 7th Framework Program, Theme 8 Socio-economic Sciences and Humanities, Project ASSPRO CEE 2007 (Grant Agreement no. 217431). The content of the publication is the sole responsibility of the authors and it in no way represents the views of the Commission or its services.
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    1. Emily Lancsar & Jordan Louviere, 2008. "Conducting Discrete Choice Experiments to Inform Healthcare Decision Making," PharmacoEconomics, Springer, vol. 26(8), pages 661-677, August.
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    7. Thijs Schoot & Milena Pavlova & Elka Atanasova & Wim Groot, 2017. "Preferences of Bulgarian consumers for quality, access and price attributes of healthcare services—result of a discrete choice experiment," International Journal of Health Planning and Management, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(1), pages 47-71, January.
    8. Elka Atanasova & Milena Pavlova & Emanuela Moutafova & Todorka Kostadinova & Wim Groot, 2012. "Patient payments and the empirical analysis of consumer demand for hospital services: An application for Bulgaria," Society and Economy, Akadémiai Kiadó, Hungary, vol. 34(2), pages 313-338, June.
    9. Pavlova, Milena & Groot, Wim & van Merode, Frits, 2000. "Appraising the financial reform in Bulgarian public health care sector: the health insurance act of 1998," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 53(3), pages 185-199, October.
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    Cited by:

    1. Vikas Soekhai & Esther W. Bekker-Grob & Alan R. Ellis & Caroline M. Vass, 2019. "Discrete Choice Experiments in Health Economics: Past, Present and Future," PharmacoEconomics, Springer, vol. 37(2), pages 201-226, February.
    2. Petra Baji & Milena Pavlova & László Gulácsi & Miklós Farkas & Wim Groot, 2014. "The link between past informal payments and willingness of the Hungarian population to pay formal fees for health care services: results from a contingent valuation study," The European Journal of Health Economics, Springer;Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsökonomie (DGGÖ), vol. 15(8), pages 853-867, November.
    3. Thiptaiya Sydavong & Daisaku Goto & Keisuke Kawata & Shinji Kaneko & Masaru Ichihashi, 2019. "Potential demand for voluntary community-based health insurance improvement in rural Lao People’s Democratic Republic: A randomized conjoint experiment," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 14(1), pages 1-21, January.
    4. Thijs Schoot & Milena Pavlova & Elka Atanasova & Wim Groot, 2017. "Preferences of Bulgarian consumers for quality, access and price attributes of healthcare services—result of a discrete choice experiment," International Journal of Health Planning and Management, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 32(1), pages 47-71, January.
    5. V. Meusel & E. Mentzakis & P. Baji & G. Fiorentini & F. Paolucci, 2023. "Priority setting in the German healthcare system: results from a discrete choice experiment," International Journal of Health Economics and Management, Springer, vol. 23(3), pages 411-431, September.
    6. Óscar Brito Fernandes & Márta Péntek & Dionne Kringos & Niek Klazinga & László Gulácsi & Petra Baji, 2020. "Eliciting preferences for outpatient care experiences in Hungary: A discrete choice experiment with a national representative sample," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 15(7), pages 1-15, July.
    7. Angeli, Federica & Jaiswal, Anand Kumar & Shrivastava, Saumya, 2022. "Integrating poverty alleviation and environmental protection efforts: A socio-ecological perspective on menstrual health management," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 314(C).
    8. Nikolina Dukić Samaržija, 2019. "Determining the Marginal Willingness to Pay for the Cervical Cancer Screening Program in Croatia: A Best-Worst Scaling Approach," Society and Economy, Akadémiai Kiadó, Hungary, vol. 41(4), pages 433-447, December.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    discrete choice experiment; service valuation; health care; user fees; Hungary;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D12 - Microeconomics - - Household Behavior - - - Consumer Economics: Empirical Analysis
    • I11 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Analysis of Health Care Markets

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