The Impacts of The Hierarchical Medical Policy On Health Resource Utilization Efficiency

The inefficiency in healthcare resource utilization has been a major constraint on the development of health and wellness services in China. To address this, the Chinese government initiated the development of a hierarchical medical system in 2015. This study employs a fixed effects model to evaluate the impact of the 2015 hierarchical medical policy on the efficiency of healthcare resource utilization in China between 2011 and 2020, including regional differences. The findings show that the policy significantly enhanced the overall efficiency of healthcare resource utilization in China. However, the policy’s effects on healthcare utilization efficiency were mixed in the subsequent years, showing both positive and negative impacts. In the economically and policy-resource deprived central regions, the policy’s effects were delayed. Further analysis indicated that higher levels of regional informatization could diminish the positive impact of the hierarchical medical policy on improving healthcare resource utilization efficiency. This research offers valuable recommendations for further advancing reforms in China’s medical system and establishing a structured hierarchical medical framework.