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Optimizing the Configuration of Public Hospital Infrastructure at the District level in South Asian Countries |
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Project ID: HS-001 |
Status: Completed |
Previous research led by IHP researchers (Rannan-Eliya, Somanathan) have revealed significant differences in the unit costs of hospital services in Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and Nepal. Specifically, it has been found that hospital services are far cheaper in Sri Lanka than in the other two countries. This matters, because district hospitals account for a large share of overall government health spending in most developing countries, and expanding access to these services is consequently an important element in improving health conditions in most of them. This study funded by a research grant from SANEI utilised data available from three comparable public facility cost surveys conducted in the three countries to examine in detail the reasons why cost differ systematically between the three countries. Key findings are that overall technical effficiency of the district hospital system is much higher in Sri Lanka than in Bangladesh and Nepal, and lowest in Nepal. Explanatory factors include differences in the structure of the health facility network itself, with Sri Lanka operating an additional lower tier of small, low-tech facilities not found in the other two countries, lower relative wages and higher labour productivity in Sri Lanka, as well as technical efficiency differences at the level of individual facilities. |
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IHP publications & reports |
None available |
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External publications |
None available |
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Presentations |
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Project
at a glance |
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Project
team |
Start Date: |
Jul 2005 |
End
Date: |
Nov 2009 |
Themes: |
Health systems, Health services, Performance, Productivity |
Sponsor(s): |
SANEI |
Client: |
SANEI |
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IHP Staff: |
A Somanathan, Fazana Saleem-Ismail, RP Rannan-Eliya |
Consultant(s): |
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Location |
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Further
information |
Region: |
Sri Lanka |
Country(s): |
Bangladesh, Nepal, Sri Lanka |
Partner(s): |
Data International, Nepal Health Economics Association |
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