Researchers at Florida International University Have Reported New Data on Health Insurance (Output congestion leads to compromised care in Peruvian…

Managed Care Weekly Digest

Researchers at Florida International University Have Reported New Data on Health Insurance (Output congestion leads to compromised care in Peruvian public hospital neonatal units)

By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Managed Care Weekly Digest -- Investigators publish new report on Health Insurance. According to news originating from Miami, Florida, by NewsRx correspondents, research stated, "Peru is moving toward a universal health insurance system, and it is facing important challenges in the provision of public health services. As more citizens gain access to health insurance, the flow of patients exceeds the capacity of public hospitals to provide care with quality."

Our news journalists obtained a quote from the research from Florida International University, "In this study we explore the relationship between technical efficiency and patient safety events in neonatal care units of Peru's public hospitals. We use Data Envelope Analysis (DEA) with output congestion to assess the association between technical efficiency and patient safety events. We study 35 neonatal care units of public hospitals in Peru's Social Security Health System, and identify two undesirable (risk-adjusted) safety outcomes: neonatal mortality and near-miss neonatal mortality. We found that for about half of hospital's neonatal care units, technical efficiency is affected by output congestion. For those hospitals, patient safety is being compromised by receiving too many patients. Our results are consistent with public reports indicating that hospitals in the Peru's Social Security Health System are overcrowded, affecting efficiency and jeopardizing quality of care. We found that most congested hospitals are located in the capital city and suburban areas, and are more likely to be hospitals with the lowest and the highest level of care."

According to the news editors, the research concluded: "Our results call for improvements in the patient referral system and capacity expansion."

For more information on this research see: Output congestion leads to compromised care in Peruvian public hospital neonatal units. Health Care Management Science, 2017;20(2):157-164. Health Care Management Science can be contacted at: Springer, 233 Spring St, New York, NY 10013, USA. (Springer - www.springer.com; Health Care Management Science - www.springerlink.com/content/1386-9620/)

The news correspondents report that additional information may be obtained from A. Arrieta, Florida International University, Robert Stempel Coll Public Hlth, Miami, FL 33199, United States (see also Health Insurance).

Keywords for this news article include: Miami, Florida, United States, North and Central America, Health Insurance, Hospital, Florida International University.