The Impact of Health Care Policy Initiatives on Productivity

This paper analyses productivity growth in health care delivery in Sweden and the impact of health care policy initiatives on productivity. In particular we consider the maximum waiting time guarantee introduced in Sweden 1992. The intention of the maximum waiting time guarantee was to shorten the waiting lists, partly through increased productivity. We measure productivity growth by estimating Malmquist productivity indices using non-parametric linear programming models. The productivity models are applied to data from a sample of public ophthalmology departments from 1988 to 1993. Positive productivity changes are found in several years, although no significant differences between the periods are found. © 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.