Assessment on health resource allocation efficiency in China with data envelopment analysis

Objective To explore the method for analysis on health resource allocation efficiency and to provide evidences for the improvement of health resource allocation in China.Methods Using data envelopment analysis(DEA), a longitudinal time series analysis on the efficiency of China's overall health resource allocation during 2001-2011 was performed.Results The results of DEA showed invalid efficiency of China's overall health resource allocation, with increasing returns to scale and average reductions of 111 620 health institutions, 448 436 health staff, and 78 000 beds from 2001 to 2006, indicating health investment was not fully utilized;whereas DEA results demonstrated valid efficiency of the allocation, with a stable returns to scale, from 2007 to 2011.Conclusion Health resource allocation in China tends to be reasonable and stable and should be optimized continuously to improve the efficiency of health resource allocation.