Research project PE/ES/06 (Research action PE)
The research focuses on the prospective funding of Belgian hospitals: possible modalities for extension, determining the financial needs of each hospital, effects of funding on behaviours (including medical practice), etc. These various modalities (size of the prospective and variable parts, modulation according to the department and care provided, ...) will be evaluated according to efficiency standards as regards the allocation of resources (notably incentives to reduce costs while ensuring the quality of care). This evaluation will be based on a microeconomic model of the Belgian hospital sector that will emphasise the behaviour of doctors and managers. To calculate the funds a hospital needs, we shall adapt DRG methodology in order to take better account of the severity of the cases treated and of other variables that explain costs. Moreover, we shall conduct an empirical study to measure the influence of prospective funding on medical practice.
The research objective is to generate recommendations to policy makers as to the extension of prospective funding and to develop the models and tools required for its application.
