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Comparative Study
. 2001 Aug 11;323(7308):307-10.
doi: 10.1136/bmj.323.7308.307.

Comparative efficiency of national health systems: cross national econometric analysis

D B Evans  1 , A Tandon, C J Murray, J A Lauer
Affiliations
Comparative Study

Comparative efficiency of national health systems: cross national econometric analysis

D B Evans et al. BMJ. .

Abstract

Objective: To improve the evidence base for health policy by devising a method to measure and monitor the performance of health systems.

Design: Estimation of the relation between levels of population health and the inputs used to produce health.

Setting: 191 countries.

Main outcome measure: Health system efficiency (performance).

Results: Estimated efficiency varied from nearly fully efficient to nearly fully inefficient. Countries with a history of civil conflict or high prevalence of HIV and AIDS were less efficient. Performance increased with health expenditure per capita.

Conclusions: Increasing the resources for health systems is critical to improving health in poor countries, but important gains can be made in most countries by using existing resources more efficiently.

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Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Global distribution of health system efficiency (performance) in maximising population health
Figure 2
Figure 2
Efficiency (performance) in maximising population health versus health expenditure per capita, with 80% confidence intervals
See this image and copyright information in PMC

Comment in

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