Background: Economic research on hospital palliative care faces major challenges. Observational studies using routine data encounter difficulties because treatment timing is not under investigator control and unobserved patient complexity is endemic. An individual's predicted LOS at admission...

Samoa currently faces two important public policy challenges in the health sector. One is to stem, and then reverse, the rapid rise of non-communicable diseases (NCDs). The second challenge is to put the country on a health-financing path that is effective, efficient, and financially affordable...

In this study, we explore the causal relationship between length of stay (LOS) in hospitals and the treatment outcome for Acute Myocardial Infarction (AMI) patients in Japan, where the average LOS (ALOS) is the longest among OECD countries. Using chart-based data, we address the endogeneity...

Payment methods can affect providers' behaviour and in turn influence the outcome of medical services. The per-diem reimbursement method is predicted to increase length of stay (LOS) and reduce daily expenditure. Using a Difference in Differences design, this study empirically examines the...