IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v19y2022i23p15640-d983326.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Assessing the Efficiency and Productivity of the Hospital Clinics on the Island of Rhodes during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Author

Listed:
  • Lorena Androutsou

    (Department of Economics and Business, School of Economics, Business and Computer Sciences, Neapolis University Pafos, Pafos 8042, Cyprus)

  • Michail Kokkinos

    (Department of Economics and Business, School of Economics, Business and Computer Sciences, Neapolis University Pafos, Pafos 8042, Cyprus
    Ophthalmology Department, General Hospital of Rhodes, 85100 Rhodes, Greece)

  • Dimitra Latsou

    (Department of Economics and Business, School of Economics, Business and Computer Sciences, Neapolis University Pafos, Pafos 8042, Cyprus)

  • Mary Geitona

    (Department of Economics and Business, School of Economics, Business and Computer Sciences, Neapolis University Pafos, Pafos 8042, Cyprus
    Department of Social and Educational Policy, School of Social Sciences, University of Peloponnese, 20132 Corinth, Greece)

Abstract

(1) Background: The aim was to measure the efficiency and productivity of 15 specialty clinics during the COVID-19 pandemic period 2020–2021 in the General Hospital of Rhodes. (2) Methods: An input-oriented data envelopment analysis and the Malmquist productivity index are used. Labor and capital were used as inputs, and in-patient discharges and days were used as outputs. (3) Results: Five out of the seven clinics in the pathology sector appeared fully efficient with an optimal productivity, and the rest showed progress in 2021. In 2020 the COVID-19 pathology clinic appeared to be inefficient and less productive, while in 2021, it showed a positive performance change. The surgical sector showed very high efficiency rates or even reached an optimal efficiency in both years. The productivity measurement, in most of the surgical clinics, was satisfactory to very high. In 2020 the COVID-19 surgical clinic appeared to be more efficient and productive than in 2021 when its performance declined. (4) Conclusions: The hospital responded to the pressure during the pandemic, by increasing its efficiency and productivity from 2020 to 2021. This was due to the accomplishment of the appropriate organizational changes in the infrastructure, human resources, and technology. The efficiency and productivity assessments should be incorporated in the hospitals’ decision making.

Suggested Citation

  • Lorena Androutsou & Michail Kokkinos & Dimitra Latsou & Mary Geitona, 2022. "Assessing the Efficiency and Productivity of the Hospital Clinics on the Island of Rhodes during the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(23), pages 1-12, November.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:23:p:15640-:d:983326
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/23/15640/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/23/15640/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Jan Clement & Vivian Valdmanis & Gloria Bazzoli & Mei Zhao & Askar Chukmaitov, 2011. "Response to modeling and notation of DEA with strong and weak disposable outputs," Health Care Management Science, Springer, vol. 14(4), pages 391-391, November.
    2. O'Neill, Liam & Rauner, Marion & Heidenberger, Kurt & Kraus, Markus, 2008. "A cross-national comparison and taxonomy of DEA-based hospital efficiency studies," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 42(3), pages 158-189, September.
    3. Aletras, Vassilios & Kontodimopoulos, Nick & Zagouldoudis, Athanasios & Niakas, Dimitris, 2007. "The short-term effect on technical and scale efficiency of establishing regional health systems and general management in Greek NHS hospitals," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 83(2-3), pages 236-245, October.
    4. Diogo Ferraz & Enzo Barberio Mariano & Patricia Regina Manzine & Herick Fernando Moralles & Paulo César Morceiro & Bruno Guimarães Torres & Mariana Rodrigues Almeida & João Carlos Soares de Mello & Da, 2021. "COVID Health Structure Index: The Vulnerability of Brazilian Microregions," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 158(1), pages 197-215, November.
    5. Tsekouras, Kostas & Papathanassopoulos, Fotis & Kounetas, Kostas & Pappous, Giorgos, 2010. "Does the adoption of new technology boost productive efficiency in the public sector? The case of ICUs system," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 128(1), pages 427-433, November.
    6. Gary Ferrier & Julie Trivitt, 2013. "Incorporating quality into the measurement of hospital efficiency: a double DEA approach," Journal of Productivity Analysis, Springer, vol. 40(3), pages 337-355, December.
    7. Fried, Harold O. & Lovell, C. A. Knox & Schmidt, Shelton S. (ed.), 1993. "The Measurement of Productive Efficiency: Techniques and Applications," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780195072181.
    8. Charnes, A. & Cooper, W. W. & Rhodes, E., 1978. "Measuring the efficiency of decision making units," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 2(6), pages 429-444, November.
    9. Monica Giancotti & Annamaria Guglielmo & Marianna Mauro, 2017. "Efficiency and optimal size of hospitals: Results of a systematic search," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(3), pages 1-40, March.
    10. Caves, Douglas W & Christensen, Laurits R & Diewert, W Erwin, 1982. "The Economic Theory of Index Numbers and the Measurement of Input, Output, and Productivity," Econometrica, Econometric Society, vol. 50(6), pages 1393-1414, November.
    11. Cornwell, C. & Schmidt, P., 1993. "Production Frontiers and Efficiency Measurement," Papers 427e, Georgia - College of Business Administration, Department of Economics.
    12. Jon A. Chilingerian & H. David Sherman, 2011. "Health-Care Applications: From Hospitals to Physicians, from Productive Efficiency to Quality Frontiers," International Series in Operations Research & Management Science, in: William W. Cooper & Lawrence M. Seiford & Joe Zhu (ed.), Handbook on Data Envelopment Analysis, chapter 0, pages 445-493, Springer.
    13. Athanassopoulos, Antreas & Gounaris, Chrysostomos, 2001. "Assessing the technical and allocative efficiency of hospital operations in Greece and its resource allocation implications," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 133(2), pages 416-431, January.
    14. Kostas Kounetas & Fotis Papathanassopoulos, 2013. "How efficient are Greek hospitals? A case study using a double bootstrap DEA approach," The European Journal of Health Economics, Springer;Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsökonomie (DGGÖ), vol. 14(6), pages 979-994, December.
    15. Newhouse, Joseph P., 1994. "Frontier estimation: How useful a tool for health economics?," Journal of Health Economics, Elsevier, vol. 13(3), pages 317-322, October.
    16. William W. Cooper & Lawrence M. Seiford & Kaoru Tone, 2006. "Introduction to Data Envelopment Analysis and Its Uses," Springer Books, Springer, number 978-0-387-29122-2, December.
    17. Gillian McCallion & J. Colin Glass & Robert Jackson & Christine Kerr & Donal McKillop, 2000. "Investigating productivity change and hospital size: a nonparametric frontier approach," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 32(2), pages 161-174.
    18. Halkos, George E. & Tzeremes, Nickolaos G., 2011. "A conditional nonparametric analysis for measuring the efficiency of regional public healthcare delivery: An application to Greek prefectures," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 103(1), pages 73-82.
    19. Charles, Vincent & Färe, Rolf & Grosskopf, Shawna, 2016. "A translation invariant pure DEA model," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 249(1), pages 390-392.
    20. Nikolaos Maniadakis & Emmanuel Thanassoulis, 2000. "Assessing productivity changes in UK hospitals reflecting technology and input prices," Applied Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 32(12), pages 1575-1589.
    21. P. Prezerakos & N. Maniadakis & D. Kaitelidou & N. Kotsopoulos & J. Yfantopoulos, 2007. "Measuring Across Hospital Efficiency and Productivity: The Case of Second Regional Health Authority of Attica," European Research Studies Journal, European Research Studies Journal, vol. 0(1-2), pages 83-96.
    22. Kontodimopoulos, Nick & Nanos, Panagiotis & Niakas, Dimitris, 2006. "Balancing efficiency of health services and equity of access in remote areas in Greece," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 76(1), pages 49-57, March.
    23. Coelli, Tim & Perelman, Sergio, 1999. "A comparison of parametric and non-parametric distance functions: With application to European railways," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 117(2), pages 326-339, September.
    24. Yasar A. Ozcan, 2008. "Health Care Benchmarking and Performance Evaluation," International Series in Operations Research and Management Science, Springer, number 978-0-387-75448-2, September.
    25. Ancarani, Alessandro & Di Mauro, Carmela & Gitto, Simone & Mancuso, Paolo & Ayach, Ali, 2016. "Technology acquisition and efficiency in Dubai hospitals," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 113(PB), pages 475-485.
    26. Katharaki, Maria, 2008. "Approaching the management of hospital units with an operation research technique: The case of 32 Greek obstetric and gynaecology public units," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 85(1), pages 19-31, January.
    27. Dan Lupu & Ramona Tiganasu, 2022. "COVID-19 and the efficiency of health systems in Europe," Health Economics Review, Springer, vol. 12(1), pages 1-15, December.
    28. R. D. Banker & A. Charnes & W. W. Cooper, 1984. "Some Models for Estimating Technical and Scale Inefficiencies in Data Envelopment Analysis," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 30(9), pages 1078-1092, September.
    29. Bayram Şahin & Gülnur İlgün, 2019. "Assessment of the impact of public hospital associations (PHAs) on the efficiency of hospitals under the ministry of health in Turkey with data envelopment analysis," Health Care Management Science, Springer, vol. 22(3), pages 437-446, September.
    30. Angeliki Flokou & Vassilis Aletras & Dimitris Niakas, 2017. "Decomposition of potential efficiency gains from hospital mergers in Greece," Health Care Management Science, Springer, vol. 20(4), pages 467-484, December.
    31. William W. Cooper & Lawrence M. Seiford & Kaoru Tone, 2007. "Data Envelopment Analysis," Springer Books, Springer, edition 0, number 978-0-387-45283-8, December.
    32. Rajiv D. Banker & Richard C. Morey, 1986. "The Use of Categorical Variables in Data Envelopment Analysis," Management Science, INFORMS, vol. 32(12), pages 1613-1627, December.
    33. Magnussen, Jon & Nyland, Kari, 2008. "Measuring efficiency in clinical departments," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 87(1), pages 1-7, July.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Sebastian Kohl & Jan Schoenfelder & Andreas Fügener & Jens O. Brunner, 2019. "The use of Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) in healthcare with a focus on hospitals," Health Care Management Science, Springer, vol. 22(2), pages 245-286, June.
    2. George Fragkiadakis & Michael Doumpos & Constantin Zopounidis & Christophe Germain, 2016. "Operational and economic efficiency analysis of public hospitals in Greece," Post-Print hal-01414677, HAL.
    3. George Fragkiadakis & Michael Doumpos & Constantin Zopounidis & Christophe Germain, 2016. "Operational and economic efficiency analysis of public hospitals in Greece," Annals of Operations Research, Springer, vol. 247(2), pages 787-806, December.
    4. O'Neill, Liam & Rauner, Marion & Heidenberger, Kurt & Kraus, Markus, 2008. "A cross-national comparison and taxonomy of DEA-based hospital efficiency studies," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 42(3), pages 158-189, September.
    5. Kostas Kounetas & Fotis Papathanassopoulos, 2013. "How efficient are Greek hospitals? A case study using a double bootstrap DEA approach," The European Journal of Health Economics, Springer;Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsökonomie (DGGÖ), vol. 14(6), pages 979-994, December.
    6. Angeliki Flokou & Vassilis Aletras & Dimitris Niakas, 2017. "Decomposition of potential efficiency gains from hospital mergers in Greece," Health Care Management Science, Springer, vol. 20(4), pages 467-484, December.
    7. Panagiotis Mitropoulos & Ioannis Mitropoulos & Aris Sissouras, 2013. "Managing for efficiency in health care: the case of Greek public hospitals," The European Journal of Health Economics, Springer;Deutsche Gesellschaft für Gesundheitsökonomie (DGGÖ), vol. 14(6), pages 929-938, December.
    8. Angeliki Flokou & Vassilis Aletras & Dimitris Niakas, 2017. "A window-DEA based efficiency evaluation of the public hospital sector in Greece during the 5-year economic crisis," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 12(5), pages 1-26, May.
    9. Ismet Sahin & Yasar Ozcan & Hacer Ozgen, 2011. "Assessment of hospital efficiency under health transformation program in Turkey," Central European Journal of Operations Research, Springer;Slovak Society for Operations Research;Hungarian Operational Research Society;Czech Society for Operations Research;Österr. Gesellschaft für Operations Research (ÖGOR);Slovenian Society Informatika - Section for Operational Research;Croatian Operational Research Society, vol. 19(1), pages 19-37, March.
    10. Chowdhury, Hedayet & Zelenyuk, Valentin, 2016. "Performance of hospital services in Ontario: DEA with truncated regression approach," Omega, Elsevier, vol. 63(C), pages 111-122.
    11. Halkos, George E. & Tzeremes, Nickolaos G., 2011. "A conditional nonparametric analysis for measuring the efficiency of regional public healthcare delivery: An application to Greek prefectures," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 103(1), pages 73-82.
    12. Akkan, Can & Karadayi, Melis Almula & Ekinci, Yeliz & Ülengin, Füsun & Uray, Nimet & Karaosmanoğlu, Elif, 2020. "Efficiency analysis of emergency departments in metropolitan areas," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 69(C).
    13. Robert Stefko & Beata Gavurova & Kristina Kocisova, 2018. "Healthcare efficiency assessment using DEA analysis in the Slovak Republic," Health Economics Review, Springer, vol. 8(1), pages 1-12, December.
    14. Cláudia Araújo & Carlos Barros & Peter Wanke, 2014. "Efficiency determinants and capacity issues in Brazilian for-profit hospitals," Health Care Management Science, Springer, vol. 17(2), pages 126-138, June.
    15. Claudio Pinto, 2014. "Efficiency comparison for directly managed public hospitals for different geographical area in Italy," Working papers 5, Società Italiana di Economia Pubblica.
    16. Chowdhury, Hedayet & Zelenyuk, Valentin & Laporte, Audrey & Wodchis, Walter P., 2014. "Analysis of productivity, efficiency and technological changes in hospital services in Ontario: How does case-mix matter?," International Journal of Production Economics, Elsevier, vol. 150(C), pages 74-82.
    17. Bozec, Richard & Dia, Mohamed, 2007. "Board structure and firm technical efficiency: Evidence from Canadian state-owned enterprises," European Journal of Operational Research, Elsevier, vol. 177(3), pages 1734-1750, March.
    18. Sepideh Abolghasem & Mehdi Toloo & Santiago Amézquita, 2019. "Cross-efficiency evaluation in the presence of flexible measures with an application to healthcare systems," Health Care Management Science, Springer, vol. 22(3), pages 512-533, September.
    19. Sarmento, Joaquim Miranda & Renneboog, Luc & Verga-Matos, Pedro, 2017. "Measuring highway efficiency : A DEA approach and the Malquist index," Other publications TiSEM 23264815-321e-45a3-83ee-9, Tilburg University, School of Economics and Management.
    20. Nikolaos Oikonomou & Yannis Tountas & Argiris Mariolis & Kyriakos Souliotis & Kostas Athanasakis & John Kyriopoulos, 2016. "Measuring the efficiency of the Greek rural primary health care using a restricted DEA model; the case of southern and western Greece," Health Care Management Science, Springer, vol. 19(4), pages 313-325, December.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:23:p:15640-:d:983326. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.