Comparative Analysis of Municipal Healthcare Efficiency Using the DEA Method: The Case of Sverdlovsk Region

The primary task of government bodies responsible for the formation and implementation of health policy is to ensure the availability and quality of medical care, subject to the efficient use of resources in each constituent entity of the Russian Federation. However, territorial differences in the distribution and use of resources can lead to differences in the efficiency of medical organizations. The relevance of the study is due to the need to assess these differences in order to develop measures to optimize the functioning of municipal health care systems. The aim of the study is to conduct a comparative analysis of the efficiency of municipal health care systems in the Sverdlovsk region from 2012 to 2021 in order to identify problems associated with ensuring equal access to quality medical care in the region and caused by territorial inequalities in the distribution and use of health care resources. The hypothesis of the study suggests that the efficiency of municipal health care systems demonstrates significant territorial differences and is characterized by relative stability over time, with the exception of periods of crisis. The efficiency assessment was performed using the Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) method. The visualization of the research results was carried out using cartograms. The information base of the research was the annual reports of the Medical Information and Analytical Center of the Sverdlovsk Region. The research sample was compiled on the basis of open data on the resources and activities of medical institutions of 56 municipalities for the period from 2012 to 2021. During the study, disproportion in the distribution and use of resources by medical institutions of municipalities were identified. Differences in the efficiency of medical institutions of municipalities were determined, groups of relatively efficient and inefficient municipal healthcare systems were identified, and for the latter, potential opportunities for optimizing the use of resources while maintaining the current level of medical services were calculated. The results of the study confirm the stability of territorial differences and can be used in developing strategies to improve the efficiency of municipal healthcare management.