WP 16/2012; Considering the Italian healthcare system, the present study analyzes the aspects that might affect the efficiency of Italian hospitals. In this work, the authors analyze what influences a specific definition of efficiency, which is calculated maximizing healthcare production but minimizing potential financial losses. In other words, this work considers efficient each hospital which is able to maximize the production of medical treatments while complying, at the same time, with budget constraints. Hence, the results of this paper are two-fold: from the organizational point of view and from the technical one
