Health care service provider is a different industry when
compared to other industries in the market. For other industries, a
customer may choose a product from one or the other brand but in
health care it is not the same. A product which works for a person
may not work for another person. Health is not a marketable item.
Some of the factors which affect the supply of health care services
are discussed below:
- Income and poverty: The financial status of
the patients (consumers) is one of the main reasons which affects
the supply of health care service. The people below the poverty
line cannot afford treatment to few diseases. This limits the
supply of health care services to that segment of people.
- Resources and facilities: In some rural areas
there may not be enough resources and facilities for the treatment.
It is one of the major constraints for the supply of health care
services.
- Physician Competence: The knowledge of
physician is essential to provide any sort of treatment to the
patients. Inefficient physicians also reduce the quality in the
treatment making patients feel uncomfortable and unsatisfactory and
it may sometime deteriorate their health.
- Physician Socio-demographic variables: A
physician’s nature and personality affects the quality of the
healthcare. His relationship with the patient plays an important
role in the treatment.
- Severity of illness: Some diseases cannot be
treated if they are worsened. So, the degree of severity is also a
considerable factor for a proper health care service.
All these factors affect the supply of
health care services in the short run.