Technical efficiency of hospital psychiatric care in Bulgaria – assessment using Data Envelopment Analysis

The present article deals with the theme of efficiency in healthcare and especially technical efficiency in psyaciatric hospital care. We used the method of data envelopment analysis (DEA), which finds increasing application in many spheres of public life, including healthcare. We subdivided the treatment facilities in the current study in three groups and estimated technical efficiency for each group. We present a possible assesment method, which provides an opportunity for improving efficiency in the sector.