title: Measuring the efficiency of a healthcare waste management system in Serbia with data envelopment analysis.
abstract: In 2007, the Serbian Ministry of Health initiated specific activities towards establishing a workable model based on the existing administrative framework, which corresponds to the needs of healthcare waste management throughout Serbia. The objective of this research was to identify the reforms carried out and their outcomes by estimating the efficiencies of a sample of 35 healthcare facilities engaged in the process of collection and treatment of healthcare waste, using data envelopment analysis. Twenty-one (60%) of the 35 healthcare facilities analysed were found to be technically inefficient, with an average level of inefficiency of 13%. This fact indicates deficiencies in the process of collection and treatment of healthcare waste and the information obtained and presented in this paper could be used for further improvement and development of healthcare waste management in Serbia.
authors.affiliation: Faculty of Traffic and Transport Engineering, University of Belgrade, Belgrade, Serbia. b.ratkovic@sf.bg.ac.rs
authors.forename: Branislava
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ratkovic
authors.forename: Milan
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Andrejic
authors.forename: Milorad
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vidovic
mesh_terms: D017598:Efficiency, Organizational; D058016:Health Facility Administration; D017744:Medical Waste Disposal; D055771:Serbia
chemical_list: D017744:Medical Waste Disposal