Scale Economies in the Delivery of Medical Care: A Mixed Integer Programming Analysis of Efficient Manpower Utilization

Abstract

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Managed Care and Community Health Centers

“…Efficiency was measured by average program costs, defined as the total program costs divided by the total number of medical encounters or visits (Health Services Research Center, 1983). Average cost per encounter has been used as a measure of efficiency related to ambulatory care as well as other health care settings (Frech & Ginsburg, 1974;Golladay, Manser, & Smith, 1974;Rosenblatt & Moscovice, 1978). Average personnel costs were also included to measure the average costs of employing medical and support staff, including physicians, midlevel practitioners (MLPs), nurses, administrators, and others.…”

Rural Primary Care Program Survival: An Analysis of Financial Variables

“…Efficiency was measured by average program costs defined as the total program costs minus dental costs divided by total number of nondental medical encounters (Health Services Research Center, 1983). Average cost has been used as a measure of efficiency related to ambulatory care as well as other health care settings (Frech & Ginsburg, 1974;Golladay, Manser, & Smith, 1974;Rosenblatt & Moscovice, 1978). Average personnel costs also was included to measure the average costs of employing medical and support staff including physicians, nonphysician practitioners, nurses, administrators, and others.…”