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Effects of competition on hospital quality: an examination using hospital administrative data

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  • Alfons Palangkaraya
  • Jongsay Yong

Abstract

This paper investigates the effects of competition on hospital quality using hospital administration data from the State of Victoria, Australia. Hospital quality is measured by 30-day mortality rates and 30-day unplanned readmission rates. Competition is measured by Herfindahl–Hirschman index and the numbers of competing public and private hospitals. The paper finds that hospitals facing higher competition have lower unplanned admission rates. However, competition is related negatively to hospital quality when measured by mortality, albeit the effects are weak and barely statistically significant. The paper also finds that the positive effect of competition on quality as measured by unplanned readmission differs greatly depending on whether the hospital is publicly or privately owned. Copyright Springer-Verlag 2013

Suggested Citation

  • Alfons Palangkaraya & Jongsay Yong, 2013. "Effects of competition on hospital quality: an examination using hospital administrative data," The European Journal of Health Economics, Springer;Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsökonomie (DGGÖ), vol. 14(3), pages 415-429, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:spr:eujhec:v:14:y:2013:i:3:p:415-429
    DOI: 10.1007/s10198-012-0386-7
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

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    2. Bayindir, Esra Eren & Jamalabadi, Sara & Messerle, Robert & Schneider, Udo & Schreyögg, Jonas, 2024. "Hospital competition and health outcomes: Evidence from acute myocardial infarction admissions in Germany," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 349(C).
    3. Yan Meng & Xueyan Zhao & Xibin Zhang & Jiti Gao, 2017. "A panel data analysis of hospital variations in length of stay for hip replacements: Private versus public," Monash Econometrics and Business Statistics Working Papers 20/17, Monash University, Department of Econometrics and Business Statistics.
    4. Mareike Heimeshoff & Jonas Schreyögg & Oliver Tiemann, 2014. "Employment effects of hospital privatization in Germany," The European Journal of Health Economics, Springer;Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsökonomie (DGGÖ), vol. 15(7), pages 747-757, September.
    5. Francesco Longo & Luigi Siciliani & Giuseppe Moscelli & Hugh Gravelle, 2019. "Does hospital competition improve efficiency? The effect of the patient choice reform in England," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 28(5), pages 618-640, May.
    6. Keon-Hyung Lee & Seunghoo Lim & Jieun Moon, 2022. "The Link Between Hospital Competition and Hospital Behaviors in Korea: Competitive Interorganizational Relations," Global Journal of Flexible Systems Management, Springer;Global Institute of Flexible Systems Management, vol. 23(1), pages 1-14, December.
    7. Mariani, Laura & Cavenago, Dario, 2014. "Defining hospital's internal boundaries. An organisational complexity criterion," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 117(2), pages 239-246.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Hospital competition; Hospital quality; Hospital markets; I11; D24;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • I11 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Analysis of Health Care Markets
    • D24 - Microeconomics - - Production and Organizations - - - Production; Cost; Capital; Capital, Total Factor, and Multifactor Productivity; Capacity

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