Measuring The Impact Of Innovations On Efficiency In Complex Hospital Settings

In this paper the authors propose an approach for measuring the impact of innovations on hospital efficiency. The suggested methodology can be applied to any type of innovation, including technology-based innovations, as well as consumer-focused and business model innovations. The authors apply the proposed approach to measure the impact of transcanalicular diode laser-assisted dacryocystorhinostomy (DCR), i.e. an innovation introduced in the surgical procedure for treating a tear duct blockage, on the efficiency of general hospitals in Slovenia. They demonstrate that the impact of an innovation on hospital efficiency depends not only on the features of the studied innovation but also on the characteristics of hospitals adopting the innovation and their external environment represented by a set of comparable hospitals.