Scandinavian Working Papers in Economics

HERO Online Working Paper Series,
University of Oslo, Health Economics Research Programme

No 1999:4: Testing DEA Models of Efficiency in Norwegian Psychiatric Outpatient Clinics

Sverre A.C. Kittelsen () and Jon Magnussen
Additional contact information
Sverre A.C. Kittelsen: The Ragnar Frisch Centre for Economic Research, Postal: Gaustadalléen 21, N-0349 Oslo, Norway
Jon Magnussen: SINTEF Unimed NIS Health Services Research, Postal: Trondheim, Norway

Abstract: While measures of output in mental health care are even harder to find than in other health care activities, some indicators are available. In modelling productive efficiency the problem is to select the output variables that best reflect the use of resources, in the sense that these variables have a significant impact on measures of efficiency. The paper analyses cross-sectional data on the psychiatric outpatient clinics of Norway using the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) non-parametric efficiency measurement method, and tests the variable specification using statistical tools recently introduced in the literature. In addition to outputs, the importance of different profession or educational groups on efficiency is examined, and results are compared for separate samples of clinics for children and youths (BUP) with clinics for adults (VP).

Keywords: Mental health care; efficiency; psychiatric outpatient clinics; DEA; Norway

JEL-codes: I18

21 pages, July 1, 2009

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