Objective

The Data Envelope Analysis has become a very useful tool to analyze the efficiency in the use of hospital resources. The objective of this work was to determine the Technical Efficiency of a set of Hospitals in the Chilean National Health System network for the period 2007-2016.

Methods

The methodology used in the study is data envelope analysis (DEA-CCR), constant returns to scale, and DEA-BCC variable returns to scale (orientation inputs). As input variables, the number of medical personnel, dentists, nutritionists, nurses, physiotherapists, midwives, medical technicians and the number of beds per million inhabitants were used. Hospital discharges were used as output variables.

Results

From the efficiency analysis it was found that the hospitals that turned out to be technically efficient throughout the period were from the Antofagasta (100%), Metropolitan (100%) and O'Higgins (100%) Regions. Specifically, it can be observed that, as a whole and under the first of the assumptions, the hospitals in the different regions of the country should reduce their supplies by 11.3% to be on the efficient frontier. Considering the variable returns assumed to scale, hospitals should reduce their supplies by 5.2% to be on the efficient frontier.

Conclusions

This research could contribute to the improvement of hospital work and decision-making by health authorities in the use of their resources.