Applying economic principles to health care.
Applying economic thinking to an understanding of resource use in patient care is challenging given the complexities of delivering health care in a hospital. Health-care markets lack the characteristics needed to determine a "market" price that reflects the economic value of resources used. However, resource allocation in a hospital can be analyzed by using production theory to determine efficient resource use. The information provided by hospital epidemiologists is critical to understanding health-care production processes used by a hospital and developing economic incentives to promote antibiotic effectiveness and infection control.
Scott
R D
RD
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, Georgia 30333, USA. Dscott1@cdc.gov
Solomon
S L
SL
McGowan
J E
JE
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents / Q000191:economics / Q000494:pharmacology; D003695:Delivery of Health Care / Q000191:economics*; D015276:Health Care Rationing; D006295:Health Resources / Q000191:economics / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006801:Humans; D017053:Infection Control / Q000191:economics
D000900:Anti-Bacterial Agents