The effects on waiting times of expanding provider choice:evidence from a policy experiment

Diane Dawson, Hugh Gravelle, Rowena Jacobs (), Stephen Martin and Peter Smith ()
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Diane Dawson: Centre for Health Economics, University of York
Rowena Jacobs: Centre for Health Economics, University of York
Peter Smith: Centre for Health Economics, University of York

No 001cherp, Working Papers from Centre for Health Economics, University of York

Abstract: Long waiting times for inpatient treatment in the UK National Health Service have long been a source of great popular and political concern, and therefore a target for policy initiatives. One such is the London Patient Choice Project, under which patients at risk of breaching inpatient waiting time targets were offered the choice of an alternative hospital with a guaranteed shorter wait. This paper uses a difference in difference econometric methodology to infer the impact of the choice project on ophthalmology waiting times. In line with our theoretical predictions, it finds that the project led to lower average waiting times in the London region and a convergence in waiting times amongst London hospitals.

Pages: 23 pages
Date: 2005-03
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Citations: View citations in EconPapers (1)

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http://www.york.ac.uk/media/che/documents/papers/r ... _provider_choice.pdf First version, 2005 (application/pdf)

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