A theory of hospital waiting lists.
The noncooperative character of resource allocation in a national health service may contribute to excessive waiting lists. A theory of hospital waiting lists is derived from this idea. Waiting lists imply loss of efficiency; the hospital's resources are drawn away from medical work. Although there is scope for Pareto improvements, the structure of budget allocation may prevent these improvements from being achieved. Some reforms of the institutional structure are suggested.
National Institute of Public Health and Centre for Health Administration, University of Oslo, Norway.
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Iversen
D002017:Budgets; D004526:Efficiency; D015276:Health Care Rationing / Q000191:economics* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006302:Health Services Research; D006761:Hospitals / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D015233:Models, Statistical; D009664:Norway; D010343:Patient Admission / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012017:Referral and Consultation / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D013222:State Medicine / Q000191:economics*; D014850:Waiting Lists