Introduction: The literature on economics proposes different provider payment mechanisms at hospitals in order to obtain incentives in health care cost containment. Objectives: To analyze the theoretical foundations of implemented cost restraint instruments, payment associated to diagnosis (PAD), and payment for valued assistance (PFV) during the last two decades and their effectiveness on the Chilean sanitary system. Design: Econometric and non parametric analysis. Setting: Chile. Materials: Data from Chile’s Ministry of Health and the National Health Fund was used. Interventions: Application of time series methodology, data envelopment analysis and multinomial logit model to detect whether payment mechanisms have had the desired effect on cost containment. Main outcome measures: Effects of hospital payment system. Results: Results have shown that the second payment system, in additio...

Introduction: In recent decades Chile has experienced strong economic growth that has improved citizens living conditions. Objectives: To determine factors associated with life expectancy in Chile. Design: Econometric analysis. Setting: Chile. Interventions: Application of multiple regression models for the analysis of life expectancy in Chile. Aggregated data of the National Institute of Statistics (INE) and the Central Bank of Chile for the period 1988-2008 was used. Dependent variable was life expectancy in years and explanatory variables GDP per capita, number of physicians, number of nurses and public health spending. Main outcome measures: Factors associated with life expectancy. Results: Results show that per capita income, number of physicians, number of nurses and health spending were statistically significant, i.e., had positive effect on people’s life expectancy. Conclusions...

Introduction: Data envelopment analysis (DEA) helps determining which of the regional hospitals have better relative performance and which could improve the use of resources. Objectives: To analyze, using data envelopment analysis (DEA), hospitals technical efficiency in Chile. Design: Non parametric analysis. Setting: Chile’s Regional Public Hospitals. Interventions: Application of DEA to determine the efficiency of health establishments. Materials: Data for the period 1997-2006 of 190 public hospitals of different levels of expertise of the twelve regions of the country and the Metropolitan Region. Hospital and medical staff activity data have been identified -doctors, nurses, midwives, beds available as inputs and hospital discharge as output. Main outcome measures: Hospitals efficiency. Results: In 1997 regions IV, VII, VIII and IX hospitals were classified as technically efficient...