Efficiency and Productivity of Government Health Expenditures in Iran and Countries with High Human Development Index

Document Type : Original Article

Authors
Marzieh Azizi-Mobaser 1
Reza Rezayatmand 2
Farzaneh Mohammadi 2
1 MSc Student, Health Economics, Department of Health Services Management, School of Management and Medical Information, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
2 Assistant Professor, Health Economics, Health Management and Economics Research Center, Isfahan University of Medical Sciences, Isfahan, Iran
10.22122/him.v16i5.3991
Abstract
Introduction: Given the limitations of government resources, increasing the efficiency and the productivity when using those resources is an important and challenging issue in every country. Thus, the aim of this study was to measure the efficiency and the productivity of the government health expenditures in Iran and other countries with high human development index (HDI) over the period of 1995-2014.Methods: This descriptive study used panel data of Iran and high-HDI countries to measure the efficiency and the productivity of government health expenditure. The non-parametric data envelopment analysis (DEA) method and Malmquist productivity index (MPI) were used.Results: The calculated average technical efficiency for Iran and high-HDI countries was 45% and 52%, respectively. A total factor productivity changes (TFP) of 0.93 and 0.99 was also observed in Iran and high-HDI countries, respectively.Conclusion: Technological efficiency changes have a major impact on the total factor productivity in Iran and high-HDI countries. By identifying the efficiency trend in different years, new proposals can be brought forward to increase the efficiency of government health expenditure in the coming years.
Keywords
Efficiency
Data Envelopment Analysis
Health Expenditures
Government
Malmquist Index
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Health Information Management
Volume 16, Issue 5 - Serial Number 5
Autumn 2019
Pages 222-228