Performance Analysis for Pre- and Post-COVID Technological Innovation Using DEA and Malmquist Index Analysis

Research Purpose: This study aimed to evaluate Washington State health institutions' performance by comparing pre- and post-COVID eras, intending to provide insights for managing future medical crises. Research Methods: The study utilized DEA and Malmquist index analysis, examining 54 hospitals from 2017 to 2023. Revenue served as the output, while inputs included beds, FTE, inventory, expenditure, and supplies. Results in Research: Most health institutions were unprepared to scale operations efficiently during crises, with only 19% showing positive productivity change from 2019 to 2020 due to sudden demand surges. However, hospital productivity recovered smoothly post-outbreak. Scale efficiency was high in Washington's largest county, and County E uniquely showed higher scale efficiency post-pandemic. Research Conclusion: Scale efficiency is present in the largest county in the state. Resource utilization is well maintained in the state hospitals. However, healthcare institutions in Washington were unprepared for the scale and complexity of handling the unprecedented demand at the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic.