Efficiency

An ability to perform well or achieve a result without wasted energy, resources, effort, time or money thus the extent to which objectives are achieved by minimising the use of resources (i.e. obtaining the best possible value for the resources used).
Greater efficiency is achieved where the same amount and standard of services are produced for a lower cost, if a more useful activity is substituted for a less useful one at the same cost or if needless activities are eliminated.Efficiency can be measured in physical terms (technical efficiency) or terms of cost (economic efficiency).
Technical efficiency means producing the maximum possible sustained output from a given set of inputs.
Allocative efficiency is when resources are allocated in such a way that any change to the amounts or types of outputs currently being produced (which might make someone better off) would make someone worse off.

In German: Effektivität / Wirksamkeit
Maß für die Zielerreichung (zwischen einem gesetzten Ziel und dessen Umsetzung), wobei das in der Arznei-mittelversorgung gesetzte Ziel idealerweise die Erhaltung bzw. Wiederherstellung der Gesundheit der Patientinnen/Patienten ist.

Last update: 15 June 2023

Source: World Bank, adapted by PPRI