title: Resource absorption in a health service system.
abstract: This paper considers the use of treatment resources in a health service system. The particular aspect of system use which is identified is resource absorption - excessive use by a small subset of users and unmet need by others. A dynamic stochastic model for health status with treatment interventions is formulated and the distribution of accumulated treatment time (service) is developed. The characterization of heavy tails in the distribution, the essential feature of resource absorption, is based on the Lorenz curve and an Index of Resource Absorption is defined for any feasible Lorenz curve. The index is applied to the use of psychiatric hospital resources in a Province of Canada.
authors.affiliation: School of Business Administration, Dalhousie University, Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada. lmaclean@mgmt.dal.ca
authors.forename: L C
authors.initials: LC
authors.lastname: MacLean
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Richman
mesh_terms: D000367:Age Factors; D002170:Canada; D015276:Health Care Rationing / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006301:Health Services Needs and Demand / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006778:Hospitals, Psychiatric / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D006801:Humans; D009313:National Health Programs / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D009674:Nova Scotia; D013269:Stochastic Processes