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Competition and Waiting Times in Hospital Markets

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Abstract

This paper studies the impact of hospital competition on waiting times. We use a Salop-type model, with hospitals that differ in (geographical) location and, potentially, waiting time, and two types of patients; high benefit patients who choose between neighbouring hospitals (competitive segment), and low-benefit patients who decide whether or not to demand treatment from the closest hospital (monopoly segment). Compared with a benchmark case of regulated monopolies, we find that hospital competition leads to longer waiting times in equilibrium if the competitive segment is sufficiently large. Given a policy regime of hospital competition, the effect of incresed competition depends on the parameter of measurement: Lower travelling costs increase waiting times, higher hospital density redices waiting times, while the effect of a larger competitive segment is ambiguous. We also show that, if the competitive segment is large, hospital competition is socially preferrable to regulated monopolies only if the (regulated) treatment price is sufficiently higher.

Suggested Citation

  • Kurt R. Brekke & Luigi Siciliani & Odd Rune Straume, 2007. "Competition and Waiting Times in Hospital Markets," NIPE Working Papers 9/2007, NIPE - Universidade do Minho.
    • Handle: RePEc:nip:nipewp:9/2007
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Hospitals; Competition; Waiting times;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • H42 - Public Economics - - Publicly Provided Goods - - - Publicly Provided Private Goods
    • I11 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Analysis of Health Care Markets
    • I18 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Health - - - Government Policy; Regulation; Public Health
    • L13 - Industrial Organization - - Market Structure, Firm Strategy, and Market Performance - - - Oligopoly and Other Imperfect Markets

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