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The quantile regression approach to efficiency measurement: insights from Monte Carlo simulations

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  • Chunping Liu
  • Audrey Laporte
  • Brian S. Ferguson

Abstract

In the health economics literature there is an ongoing debate over approaches used to estimate the efficiency of health systems at various levels, from the level of the individual hospital – or nursing home – up to that of the health system as a whole. The two most widely used approaches to evaluating the efficiency with which various units deliver care are non‐parametric data envelopment analysis (DEA) and parametric stochastic frontier analysis (SFA). Productivity researchers tend to have very strong preferences over which methodology to use for efficiency estimation. In this paper, we use Monte Carlo simulation to compare the performance of DEA and SFA in terms of their ability to accurately estimate efficiency. We also evaluate quantile regression as a potential alternative approach. A Cobb–Douglas production function, random error terms and a technical inefficiency term with different distributions are used to calculate the observed output. The results, based on these experiments, suggest that neither DEA nor SFA can be regarded as clearly dominant, and that, depending on the quantile estimated, the quantile regression approach may be a useful addition to the armamentarium of methods for estimating technical efficiency. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

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  • Chunping Liu & Audrey Laporte & Brian S. Ferguson, 2008. "The quantile regression approach to efficiency measurement: insights from Monte Carlo simulations," Health Economics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 17(9), pages 1073-1087, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:hlthec:v:17:y:2008:i:9:p:1073-1087
    DOI: 10.1002/hec.1398
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    3. Subal C. Kumbhakar & Christopher F. Parmeter & Valentin Zelenyuk, 2022. "Stochastic Frontier Analysis: Foundations and Advances I," Springer Books, in: Subhash C. Ray & Robert G. Chambers & Subal C. Kumbhakar (ed.), Handbook of Production Economics, chapter 8, pages 331-370, Springer.
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    11. Galina Besstremyannaya, 2015. "Heterogeneous effect of residency matching and prospective payment on labor returns and hospital scale economies," Discussion Papers 15-001, Stanford Institute for Economic Policy Research.
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    14. Tsionas, Mike G. & Assaf, A. George & Andrikopoulos, Athanasios, 2020. "Quantile stochastic frontier models with endogeneity," Economics Letters, Elsevier, vol. 188(C).
    15. Antti Saastamoinen, 2015. "Heteroscedasticity Or Production Risk? A Synthetic View," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 29(3), pages 459-478, July.
    16. Varabyova, Yauheniya & Müller, Julia-Maria, 2016. "The efficiency of health care production in OECD countries: A systematic review and meta-analysis of cross-country comparisons," Health Policy, Elsevier, vol. 120(3), pages 252-263.
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    18. Juan Cabas Monje & Bouali Guesmi & Amer Ait Sidhoum & José María Gil, 2023. "Measuring technical efficiency of Spanish pig farming: Quantile stochastic frontier approach," Australian Journal of Agricultural and Resource Economics, Australian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society, vol. 67(4), pages 688-703, October.
    19. E. Fusco & R. Benedetti & F. Vidoli, 2023. "Stochastic frontier estimation through parametric modelling of quantile regression coefficients," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 64(2), pages 869-896, February.
    20. Zhang, Ning & Huang, Xuhui & Liu, Yunxiao, 2021. "The cost of low-carbon transition for China's coal-fired power plants: A quantile frontier approach," Technological Forecasting and Social Change, Elsevier, vol. 169(C).
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    23. Monje, Juan Cabas & Sidhoum, Amer Ait & Gil, Jose M., 2021. "Investigating Technical Efficiency of Spanish Pig Farming: A Quantile Regression Approach," 2021 Conference, August 17-31, 2021, Virtual 315196, International Association of Agricultural Economists.

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