As health information technology becomes more prevalent for most healthcare facilities, hospitals across the nation are choosing between performing this service in-house and outsourcing to a technology firm in the health industry. This paper examines factors affecting the information technology...

This paper examined cost efficiency differences between rural hospitals participating in the Critical Access Hospital (CAH) Program and a group of non-converting, prospectively paid rural hospitals using both a two-stage semi-parametric approach as well as stochastic frontier analysis (SFA)....

This study used a stochastic frontier cost model to analyze whether the policy changes that created Critical Access Hospitals (CAHs) caused an increase in the cost inefficiency of these hospitals or their cost inefficiency was brought about by other factors that were similar to all rural...

This study examines, post-conversion, cost inefficiency of Critical Access Hospitals (CAH) using a two-stage approach. While the results suggest that Medicare cost-based reimbursement and longer participation in the CAH program may increase the cost inefficiency of CAHs, the extent of this...

This study estimates economic impact of ginning on Mid-South states applying input-output analysis to gin cost data. Results indicated that cotton ginning activity in the Mid-South generated over $258 million in direct output effects during 2007 and $438 million in total effects with a...

We introduce a modeling framework called Transaction Cost Economics to help decision makers in rural health care markets choose among alternative organizational relationships in order to more cost-effectively deliver healthcare services. In particular, the hospital-physician relationship is...

Switchgrass (panicum virgatum L.), a viable option for second-generation renewable fuels, has an extended harvest window with optimal harvest affected by yield, storage losses and nutrient uptake. This research shows that optimal harvest occurs later than maximum yield for Haskell, OK and...

A spreadsheet-based tool that tracks cow-calf producer net returns (NR) and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions was used to determine the impact of calving season for three typical farm sizes and four fertilization strategies in Arkansas. Economic and environmental changes were examined for spring,...

Concern over GHG emissions has producers analyzing cattle production alternatives. One way producers can modify emissions is by changing herd sire genetics. The ‘Bull Estimator’, part of a recently developed cow-calf profitability and GHG spreadsheet tool, shows that genetic change can...