Assessment of Public Health Performance in Relation to Hospital Energy Demand, Socio-Economic Efficiency and Quality of Services: An Italian Case Study

This study investigates the relationship between energy management and hospital performance in the Italian public healthcare network. Using data on energy consumption and hospital activity from 28 public Italian hospitals, we conducted a regression analysis to assess the impact of organizational efficiency and patient hospitalization propensity on energy costs. Our results show that an increase in organizational efficiency is associated with an increase in energy costs, while an increase in patient hospitalization propensity is also associated with an increase in energy costs. However, some hospitals showed a higher energy cost per capita than the average, indicating the need for better energy management practices. We suggest that better management of human resources could be more effective in reducing energy costs than purchasing new equipment and expanding structures. Additionally, we highlight the importance of developing guidelines for energy consumption management, prioritizing the acquisition of alternative or renewable energy, and designing, constructing, and managing hospital buildings with a focus on energy efficiency. These findings have important implications for policymakers and hospital administrators as they work to balance quality of care with economic efficiency.