Date Available
1-17-2018
Year of Publication
2018
Degree Name
Master of Science (MS)
Document Type
Master's Thesis
College
Agriculture, Food and Environment
Department/School/Program
Agricultural Economics
First Advisor
Dr. Alison F. Davis
Abstract
Background: As rural hospitals in Kentucky face insolvency, stakeholders must assess the value of rural hospitals as well as alternatives such as rural clinics and private physician offices.
Objective: To identify the value of attributes of healthcare facilities based on Kentucky’s rural residents’ willingness-to-pay (WTP).
Methods: A survey instrument was created and distributed to ten counties in rural Kentucky. A conditional logit model was used to obtain baseline values and then a mixed logit model was used to address heterogeneity among consumers in estimating WTP. WTP values incorporated respondents’ demographic characteristics and their health status from self-reported frequency of use of medical services and distance from these services.
Results: The results indicate that on average respondents were willing to pay $69.90 each year for the attribute of a facility that treats patients whether they have health insurance or not, compared to a facility that only accepts patients with private health insurance. Uninsured residents were willing to pay $81.15 for this attribute level.
Conclusion: The study suggests that uninsured residents value this attribute level of a facility that grants them access to care. Stakeholders may justify such welfare benefit amounts in support of the establishment or maintenance of such a facility.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.13023/ETD.2018.033
Recommended Citation
Owusu-Amankwah, Emmanuel, "WILLINGNESS-TO-PAY FOR ATTRIBUTES OF HEALTH CARE FACILITIES IN RURAL KENTUCKY" (2018). Theses and Dissertations--Agricultural Economics. 64.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/agecon_etds/64
