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| Author: | Propper, C. (et. al) |
| Title: | Incentives and targets in hospital care: evidence from a natural experiment |
| Journal: | Journal of Public Economics
2010 : APR, VOL 94:3-4, p.318-335 |
| Index terms: | medical care economic policy incentives public sector United Kingdom |
| Language: | eng |
| Abstract: | Performance targets are common in the public sector, despite their well known problems in the case of multiple objectives in organization and difficultly measurable performance. Such targets may work when considerable consensus about needing to improve performance exists. We examine this possibility by studying the response of the English National Health Service to high profile waiting time targets. A natural policy experiment is utilized between two countries of the UK (England and Scotland) to assess the global effectiveness of the targets. We then use a within-England hospital analysis to verify responses' variation by treatment intensity and to control for resource differences possibly accompanying targets. Targets are found to meet their goals of reducing waiting times without diverting activity from other less precisely monitored aspects of health care and without decreasing patient health when exiting hospital. |
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