PURPOSE
The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficiency of community visiting health service units using DEA and to compare the results with those of traditional evaluation methods.
METHODS
Data were collected using 2008 annual reports of 10 districts in one city. Input variables were number of staff and operational budget per year and output variables were number of managed household per nurse, rate of controlled hypertension, and diabetes mellitus. EMS Window version 3.1 was used to measure efficiency score and bootstrapping Chi-square test was applied to identify differences between efficient and non-efficient unit by organizational factors.
RESULTS
The average efficiency score of 10 community visiting health services was about 66%. Only two of the units operated program efficiently. The career of the staff was one among other factors associated with efficiency. The evaluation results from the traditional method and DEA were totally different.
CONCLUSION
These results indicate that, evaluation methods have very important and significant effects on the evaluation results of community visiting health service units. The DEA method is recommend as an alterative method for evaluating community visiting health service.

Citations

• Non-human and human service efficiency of long-term care facilities in China
  Liangwen Zhang, Ying Han, Ya Fang
  Frontiers in Public Health.2023;[Epub]     CrossRef
• Profile of the accelerated second-degree bachelor of science in nursing program graduates and analysis of relative efficiency of programs
  Seung-Hyeon Yang, Hyejung Lee, Hyo Yeong Kim, Ari Min, Euiyoung Cho
  The Journal of Korean Academic Society of Nursing Education.2020; 26(4): 374.     CrossRef
• Evaluating Technical Efficiency of Nursing Care Using Data Envelopment Analysis and Multilevel Modeling
  Ari Min, Chang Gi Park, Linda D. Scott
  Western Journal of Nursing Research.2016; 38(11): 1489.     CrossRef
• Ethical concerns of visiting nurses caring for older people in the community
  Kwisoon Choe, Kisook Kim, Kyoung-Sook Lee
  Nursing Ethics.2015; 22(6): 700.     CrossRef

PURPOSE
This study was conducted to evaluate the economic efficiency of a community-based nursing care center to help policy makers determine whether or not to invest in similar facilities.
METHODS
The subjects were 101 elderly people over 65 years who participated in a health management program from February 1 to July 31, 2007. Direct cost was estimated with center operations cost, medical cost for out-patients and pharmacy cost. Indirect cost was measured by transportation cost. Direct benefit was calculated by saved medical cost for out-patients, saved pharmacy cost, saved transportation cost, and reducing hospital charges. Indirect benefit was estimated with prevention of severe complications. Economic efficiency was evaluated by cost-benefit ratio and net benefit.
RESULTS
Operating a community-based nursing care center was found to be cost-effective. Specifically, the cost of operating the center evaluated here was estimated at 135 million won while the benefit was estimated at 187 million won. Benefit-cost ratio was 1.38.
CONCLUSION
The Community-based nursing care center that was described here could be a useful health care delivery system for reducing medical expenditures.

Citations

• Cost-Benefit Analysis of Occupational Therapy in Center for Dementia Based on Public Data
  Seung-Hyun Cho, Kyung-Yoon Kam, Sung-Yoon Bae, Nam-Hoon Cho, Hye-Won Oh, Young-Ae Yang
  Journal of Korean Society of Occupational Therapy.2018; 26(2): 99.     CrossRef
• Comparison of Benefit Estimation Models in Cost-Benefit Analysis: A Case of Chronic Hypertension Management Programs
  Ji Young Lim, Mi Ja Kim, Chang Gi Park, Jung Yun Kim
  Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing.2011; 41(6): 750.     CrossRef