Economies of Scale in the Production of Public Health Services
An Analysis of Local Health Districts in Florida
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 11025815 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Patrick Bernet (0000-0002-6246-8456, Florida Atlantic University), Patrick M Bernet (Patrick M. Bernet is with the College of Business, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton. Simone Singh is with the School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.), Simone Singh (Patrick M. Bernet is with the College of Business, Florida Atlantic University, Boca Raton. Simone Singh is with the School of Public Health, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor.) |
| Year | 2015 |
| Volume | 105 |
| Issue | S2 |
| Pages | S260-S267 |
| Publication date | 2015-04-01 |
| Open Access | No |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | American Journal of Public Health (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 0090-0036 • E-ISSN: 1541-0048 |
| Publisher | American Public Health Association (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.2105/ajph.2014.302350 |
| PMID | 25689207 |
| OpenAlex | W1980327690 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 1 |
| References cited | 19 |
Objectives. We examined the existence and the extent of scale and scope economies in the delivery of public health services. We also tested the strength of agency, population, and community characteristics that moderate scale and scope economies. Methods. We collected service count and cost data for all Florida local health districts for 2008 and 2010, complemented with data on agency, population, and community characteristics. Using translog cost functions, we built models of operating efficiencies for 5 core public health activities: communicable disease surveillance, chronic disease prevention, food hygiene, on-site sewage treatment, and vital records. Results. Economies of scale were found in most activities, with cost per unit decreasing as volume increased. The models did not, however, identify meaningful economies of scope. Conclusions. Consolidation or regionalization might lower cost per unit for select public health activities. This could free up resources for use in other areas, further improving the public’s health
Business · Cartography · Economics · Economies of scale · Environmental health · Geography · Production (economics) · Public health · Regional science · Scale (ratio) · Health disparities and outcomes · Healthcare Policy and Management · Marketing · Medicine · Nursing · Public Health Policies and Education
A Framework for Public Health Action
Budget- and Priority-Setting Criteria at State Health Agencies in Times of Austerity
Institutional and Economic Determinants of Public Health System Performance
The Association of Changes in Local Health Department Resources With Changes in State-Level Health Outcomes
Privatization of Public Services
| Citations per year | 1 |
|---|---|
| Citation span | 2026 - 2026 (1) |
| Highly cited | No |