Relative efficiency of national policy for elective, medium-complexity surgical procedures

Abstract

This paper evaluates the relative efficiency of Brazilian states (and the federal district of Brasilia) in the management of a National Policy for Elective, Medium-Complexity Surgical Procedures by using a Data Envelopment Analysis - DEA, for the year 2006. The DEA model was developed to determine the efficiency of Decision Making Units - DMUs, when it is neither relevant nor desirable to consider only financial aspects. Data and indicators used were related to the total costs of the National Policy: surgical beds, surgeons (inputs), population (uncontrolled input) and elective surgery hospital production (as an output). This article presents values that were both observed and expected for the proposed variables and suggests the level of effort required so that each state may move towards relative efficiency. The use of this methodology illustrates the potential DEA has as an alternative technique to econometric models for evaluating public policies, the setting of goals, and the prioritization of corrective actions when variables show that there are gaps or further effort required to attain more efficient management standards.

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