Fateme Setoodehzadeh1, Mohsen Bayati, Zahra Kavosi, Mohammad Khammarnia,
Volume 14, Issue 2 (8-2015)
Abstract
Background: Approximately, more than 60 percent of the hospital costs allocate to hospital human resources. The study aimed at determining the number of nurses in the poisoning department of a general hospital in Shiraz.
Methods: This study was an applicable one based on hospital information. Study population was patients who referred to a hospital poisoning department of Shiraz in 2012. The medical records were checked up. Monthly stratified data was obtained from the statistics office and patient records (physician's orders and nursing notes) using a monthly systematic data collection randomly. Linear programming techniques using lingo version 8 software were performed to data analysis in order to calculating appropriate number of nurses.
Results: Two nurses in morning, two in evening, three in night and seven in all shifts were at least required nurses in the poisoning department of the general hospital. The number of available nurses was more than estimated number in the department.
Conclusion: The numbers of nurses were over the approximated number in the department in morning and evening shifts. Besides, the estimated of nurses from quantitative methods such as linear programming were lower than those calculated experimentally by nursing managers. It is recommended to Hospital administrators considering these techniques calculation to achieve appropriate distribution of staff in departments.
Farhad Lotfi, Erfan Kharazmi, Mohsen Bayati, Hajar Alipour, Saeid Lohivash, Ali Jajarmizadeh,
Volume 19, Issue 2 (8-2020)
Abstract
Background: Estimation of cost functions is an appropriate tool for optimal resource allocation in hospitals. The present study aimed at estimating cost function for hospitals affiliated to Shiraz University of Medical Sciences.
Materials & Methods: In the current cross-sectional study, inputs, costs and resources data for 28 hospitals were gathered from hospital statistics and information system. Required data were collected monthly for two years (2015-2016). Then, The Cobb-Douglas cost function was estimated using panel data analysis. STATA 14 was used for data analysis.
Results: Estimates showed that hospitals' cost elasticity concerning the inpatient and outpatient admission were 0.555 and 0.058 for large hospitals, and 0.769 and 0.099 for small hospitals (P<0.01). Among hospitals inputs, the cost of a physician with coefficient 0.175 in large hospitals and 0.481 in small hospitals (P<0.01) was most cost driver. In studied hospitals, average cost (36,406,480 Rial) was higher than marginal cost (26,548,020). Moreover, scale economies index were in small, large, and all hospitals were 0.868, 0.613 and 0.729, respectively. The number of active bed, length of stay and teaching activity had a positive effect on hospitals cost (P<0.01).
Conclusion: According to the findings, to control costs, the hospital should manage most cost drivers, such as physicians and pharmaceutical costs. Moreover, According to the average and final cost and scale economies index, hospitals should expand their service provisions with current inputs and resources in order to reach the optimum point of output.
