Skip to main content
Article
Incorporating quality into data envelopment analysis of nursing home performance: A case study
Omega (2009)
  • Daniel G. Shimshak, University of Massachusetts Boston
  • Melanie L. Lenard
  • Ronald K. Klimberg, Saint Joseph's University
Abstract

When using data envelopment analysis (DEA) as a benchmarking technique for nursing homes, it is essential to include measures of the quality of care. We survey applications where quality has been incorporated into DEA models and consider the concerns that arise when the results show that quality measures have been effectively ignored. Three modeling techniques are identified that address these concerns. Each of these techniques requires some input from management as to the proper emphasis to be placed on the quality aspect of performance. We report the results of a case study in which we apply these techniques to a DEA model of nursing home performance. We examine in depth not only the resulting efficiency scores, but also the benchmark sets and the weights given to the input and output measures. We find that two of the techniques are effective in insuring that DEA results discriminate between high and low quality performance.

Keywords
  • Data envelopment analysis (DEA),
  • Decision making,
  • Efficiency,
  • Quality,
  • Nursing homes,
  • Benchmarking
Publication Date
June, 2009
Citation Information
Daniel G. Shimshak, Melanie L. Lenard and Ronald K. Klimberg. "Incorporating quality into data envelopment analysis of nursing home performance: A case study" Omega Vol. 37 Iss. 3 (2009)
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/daniel_shimshak/1/