NBER Working Papers by Nancy Beaulieu

This paper contributes to the literature on the relationship between human capital and organizational performance. We use detailed longitudinal monthly data on nursing units in the Veterans Administration hospital system to identify how the human capital (general, hospital-specific and unit or team-specific) of the nursing team on the unit affects patients' outcomes. Since we use monthly, not annual, data, we are able to avoid the omitted variable bias and endogeneity bias that could result when annual data are used. Nurse staffing levels, general human capital, and unit-specific human capital have positive and significant effects on patient outcomes while the use of contract nurses, who have less specific capital than regular staff nurses, negatively impacts patient outcomes. Policies...

Recently, not-for-profit health plans have been converting to for-profit status and these conversions have frequently occurred as steps to facilitate merger or acquisition with a for-profit company. Some industry observers attribute these managed care market place trends to an industry shake out resulting from increased competition in the sector. At the same time, the perceived competitive pressures have led to questions about the long run viability of non-profit health plans. Furthermore, some industry and government leaders believe that some non-profits are already conducting themselves like for-profit health plans and question the state premium tax exemption ordinarily accorded to such plans. This paper develops a framework for evaluating health plan conversions and examines related...

In this study we examine the effects of transferring physicians from a compensation system based on salary to a profit-sharing system. Consistent with theory, we find that the change has a large and significant effect on the quantity of services provided. In addition, we find a selection effect, where the least productive doctors leave the company and more productive doctors join.