The concept of efficiency in healthcare: terminological and conceptual issues.

Introduction. In the modern subject area of «Healthcare Organization» there is an acute terminological problem of the lack of a consistent interpretation of three key concepts – «efficiency», «efficiency» and «efficiency» – translated into Russian as «efficiency». The purpose of the study is to systematize the concepts of «efficiency», «efficiency» and «efficiency» in the context of evaluating both medical interventions and the effectiveness of healthcare systems in general, and to analyze the evolution of these terms in modern conditions. Materials and methods. A systematic search of Russian and English-language publications (2010–2025) was carried out in the leading scientific databases Medline, Scopus, Google Scholar, Cyberleninka, eLIBRARY.RU. Inclusion criteria: a clear distinction between the concepts of «efficiency», «efficiency», «efficiency» in healthcare, the analysis of the generated array of relevant publications was carried out using a comprehensive approach, including logical, comparative, structural methods, content analysis, etc. Results. It is revealed that the concepts of «efficiency», «efficiency» and «efficiency», despite their uniform translation as the term «efficiency», have fundamentally different methodological approaches to evaluation in foreign literature, affecting the applicability of the results. It is demonstrated that incorrect interpretation and use of these concepts, including in domestic practice, lead to a decrease in the quality of management decisions and confusion in academic circles. Conclusion. Strict differentiation of the concepts of «efficiency», «efficiency» and «efficiency» is critically important for making informed decisions and optimal allocation of resources in healthcare. The review demonstrates that, despite possible discrepancies and paradoxes between costs and results, targeted reforms and sound management can simultaneously improve both the efficiency of resource use and the effectiveness of health systems.