Evaluation of the allocation efficiency of medical and health resources in China's rural three-tier healthcare system

Abstract

Objectives: Evaluating the efficiency of health resource allocations is critical to improving China's rural three-level health service network.

Study design: This was a prospective panel data study.

Methods: Based on panel data of the medical and health resources of 31 provinces within rural China, collected from 2003 to 2020, this study uses a three-stage Data Envelopment Analysis-Malmquist index to analyze the evolution of efficiency and productivity.

Results: The efficiency and productivity of county and county-level medical and health institutions rank highest, followed by township hospitals, whereas village clinics are shown to be in great need of improvement. A decline in technical advancement appears as a crucial factor exacerbating loss of factor productivity.

Conclusions: Policy makers should further optimize the efficiency of medical resource allocation and promote the coordinated development of rural health in China.

Keywords: Efficiency; Malmquist index; Resource allocation; Rural China; Three-stage DEA; Three-tier health care system.