Nonparametric analysis of returns to scale in the US hospital industry
用非参数局部线性估计方法分析美国医院规模经济，发现常用超越对数成本函数设定有误，并基于1984-1996年大样本数据揭示了成本结构变化和局部最优医院规模。
Abstract This paper presents new estimates of scale economies for US hospitals. We show that the common translog specification of hospital costs is a misspecification, and employ nonparametric, local linear estimation with both continuous and discrete covariates. A bootstrap method is used to provide inferences regarding ray scale economies and expansion path scale economies for a large sample of hospitals covering 1984–1996. We find evidence of changes in the structure of hospital costs over the sample period, as well as evidence of locally optimal hospital sizes. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.