Forgetting the learning curve for a moment: how much performance is unrelated to own experience?

Marco D. Huesch and Mariko Sakakibara
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Marco D. Huesch: Policy Academic Area, The Anderson Graduate School of Management, Los Angeles, CA, USA, Postal: Policy Academic Area, The Anderson Graduate School of Management, Los Angeles, CA, USA
Mariko Sakakibara: Policy Academic Area, The Anderson Graduate School of Management, Los Angeles, CA, USA, Postal: Policy Academic Area, The Anderson Graduate School of Management, Los Angeles, CA, USA

Health Economics, 2009, vol. 18, issue 7, pages 855-862

Abstract: Volume-outcome relationships are of clear importance for most participants in the health-care industry; research and appropriate policy implications are of critical importance. In this letter we critique the prevailing 'learning-by-doing' view in cardiac surgery. We illustrate the very wide disparity in empirical findings on volume-outcome relationships there, in the context of broader open issues in 'learning curves' in general. Potential complementary mechanisms, e.g. 'social learning by knowledge spillovers' are introduced; these cast into doubt the prevailing policy recommendations of simple regionalization and volume smoothing. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Date: 2009
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Persistent link: http://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:wly:hlthec:v:18:y:2009:i:7:p:855-862

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