title: [Efficiency analysis of university hospitals].
abstract: The Norwegian Institute for Hospital Research has published several studies on hospital running costs. Judging from reports in the media these studies have attracted much public interest. It has been maintained that Haukeland sykehus is the most efficient regional hospital, while results from both Ullevål sykehus and the Rikshospitalet have been poor. In an alternative analysis undertaken in 1988 the main aim was to analyse medical efficiency, number of admissions, and length of stay in every department at all regional hospitals. This study showed great variation in the period of hospitalization within the same speciality at different hospitals. The Regionsykehuset in Tromsø was shown to be the most efficient medically, with the shortest period of hospitalization in all departments except in the departments of surgery and gynecology. In these cases the period of hospitalization was shortest at Ullevål sykehus. Haukeland sykehus and the Regionsykehuset in Trondheim both came out at the bottom of the list, with consistently the longest period of hospitalization for patients in regional hospitals. When the variation in results depend on the methods of evaluation used then it is time to stop and think. Are the methods of evaluation inferior to what is being evaluated? In which case, it is time to discuss the following question-what criteria are applicable and of value when comparing hospitals and/or departments?
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Søråsdekkan
mesh_terms: D004526:Efficiency; D006785:Hospitals, University / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D007902:Length of Stay / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009664:Norway