Assessing the impact of more doctors' program on healthcare indicators in Brazil. (November 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Mattos, Enlinson; Mazetto, Debora
• Is Part Of: World development. Volume 123(2019)
• Publication Date: 2019-11
• Subjects: H43 -- C13 -- I18; Policy evaluation -- Physicians supply -- Healthcare indicators; Economic history -- 1990- -- Periodicals; Economic assistance -- Developing countries -- Periodicals; 330.9
• DOI: 10.1016/j.worlddev.2019.104617
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0305-750X

Abstract

Highlights: Short term effects of More Doctors Program on the quality of healthcare in Brazil. We find an increase in health service attendance and quality improvement for the services provided. We find a decrease in hospitalization. Such reductions save almost half of the program's cost. Abstract: This paper aimed to assess the short term effects of the More Doctors Program, launched by the Brazilian federal government in 2013. Using a differences-in-differences approach with municipal data collected between 2010 and 2015, we confirmed that MDP has two correlated impacts. First, it has increased health service attendance in treated municipalities. We documented that appointments, consults, referrals, and home visits have increased by 5.9%, 9.4%, 12.3%, and 29.7%, respectively. Second, we found a negative impact on hospitalization. We argue that intensification of health service access has reduced general hospitalization (4.6%). However, it does not seem to have been able to reduce mortality in the municipalities, in line with the previous literature. We believe that increases in referrals and appointments with specialists can be interpreted as a quality improvement, since a more precise diagnosis can reduce hospitalization due to faster health recovery but without any impact on mortality.