Public Hospital Costs in Two Australian States

In: The Australian economic review, Band 33, Heft 2, S. 182-192

Abstract

This study examines the long‐run and short‐run behaviour of public hospital average costs in two Australian States: Victoria and Queensland. Using adjusted weighted inlier‐equivalent separations as a measure of hospital output, and floor area as a measure of capacity, the study finds a hump‐ or '∩'‐shaped long‐run average cost curve at the 5 per cent significance level in both data sets. The study also finds a saucer‐ or '∪'‐shaped relationship between capacity utilisation and short‐run average cost at the 5 per cent level.