Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) in health: a literary review of Latin America

Abstract

The pursuit of enhanced efficiency in healthcare organizations prompts the need for reevaluating performance evaluation methodologies and implementing organizational improvement models. In this regard, Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) emerges as a valuable tool for gauging the efficiency and performance of Decision-Making Units (DMUs) within specific interest groups, particularly within the healthcare sector. Nonetheless, a comprehensive DEA survey specifically focused on the Latin American healthcare domain remains absent. Recognizing the significance of identifying existing approaches and devising novel ones, the present study aims to analyze a systematic review made of papers that use DEA as an approach for efficiency analysis Latin America's health sector. The methodology encompasses three distinct stages. Firstly, an extensive literature search was performed, initially employing relevant keywords and subsequently exploring the reference sections of identified papers. Secondly, a meticulous examination of the selected papers was conducted, entailing both a descriptive analysis of the findings and an individual evaluation of each paper. Lastly, based on the identified research gaps, proposals for DEA applications were formulated. A total of 65 studies were identified and subjected to scrutiny, shedding light on their limitations and revealing diverse methodologies employed in examining the healthcare sector. The findings indicate the potential for further exploration of this subject, including the integration of DEA with complementary tools in other Latin American countries and different facets of the healthcare domain. Future research should build upon the insights provided by the existing literature, thereby introducing innovative approaches and contributing to the advancement of academic knowledge in this field.