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Are hospital waiting lists self-regulating?

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  • D. P. Smethurst

    (Centre of Evidence-Based Dermatology, Queen's Medical Centre, University Hospital)

  • H. C. Williams

    (Centre of Evidence-Based Dermatology, Queen's Medical Centre, University Hospital)

Abstract

We have discovered that waiting lists to see hospital consultants are subject to the power laws of complexity theory, and so are likely to be an essential symptom of an efficient healthcare service. Like other complex networks, both privately and publicly funded healthcare systems probably organize themselves in such a way as to reduce the impact of any attempted intervention. They self-regulate to buffer against differing levels of demand, thereby creating bottomless pits that absorb all resources made available. It seems that we would be wiser to judge the system by measuring the overall quality of medical care, rather than by the length of hospital waiting lists.

Suggested Citation

  • D. P. Smethurst & H. C. Williams, 2001. "Are hospital waiting lists self-regulating?," Nature, Nature, vol. 410(6829), pages 652-653, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:nat:nature:v:410:y:2001:i:6829:d:10.1038_35070647
    DOI: 10.1038/35070647
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    Cited by:

    1. Rutten, Frans & Bleichrodt, Han & Brouwer, Werner & Koopmanschap, Marc & Schut, Erik, 2001. "Handbook of Health Economics," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 20(5), pages 855-879, September.
    2. Gates, Deanna H. & Su, Jimmy L. & Dingwell, Jonathan B., 2007. "Possible biomechanical origins of the long-range correlations in stride intervals of walking," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 380(C), pages 259-270.
    3. Hincal, Evren & Alsaadi, Sultan Hamed, 2021. "Stability analysis of fractional order model on corona transmission dynamics," Chaos, Solitons & Fractals, Elsevier, vol. 143(C).
    4. N. Exel & Marion Ruiter & Werner Brouwer, 2008. "When Time is Not on Your Side," The Patient: Patient-Centered Outcomes Research, Springer;International Academy of Health Preference Research, vol. 1(1), pages 55-71, January.
    5. Chakrabarti, Anindya Sundar & Chakrabarti, Bikas K. & Chatterjee, Arnab & Mitra, Manipushpak, 2009. "The Kolkata Paise Restaurant problem and resource utilization," Physica A: Statistical Mechanics and its Applications, Elsevier, vol. 388(12), pages 2420-2426.

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