What does the efficiency aim in healthcare focus on?

The efficiency aim in healthcare focuses on avoiding waste in resources and processes. This involves streamlining operations to ensure that the available resources—such as time, materials, and personnel—are utilized effectively to deliver high-quality care. By minimizing waste, healthcare organizations can improve service delivery, reduce costs, and enhance patient outcomes. Efficient healthcare systems study workflows and identify areas for improvement to eliminate unnecessary steps or resources, ensuring that every action contributes to patient care rather than detracting from it.

Increasing the number of healthcare providers may address access issues but does not directly relate to efficiency. Providing care based solely on patient demand can lead to imbalances and does not necessarily promote efficient use of resources. Standardizing patient treatment plans could improve quality and consistency, but it does not inherently address the efficiency aspect of eliminating waste and optimizing processes.