knowledge management , based on information transfer between experts and analysts , is crucial for the validity and usability of data envelopment analysis ( dea ) . to design and develop a methodology : i ) to assess technical efficiency of small health areas ( sha ) in an uncertainty environment , and ii ) to transfer information between experts and operational models , in both directions , for improving expert s knowledge . a procedure derived from knowledge discovery from data ( kdd ) is used to select , interpret and weigh dea inputs and outputs . based on kdd results , an expert - driven monte - carlo dea model has been designed to assess the technical efficiency of sha in andalusia . in terms of probability , sha 29 is the most efficient being , on the contrary , sha 22 very inefficient . 73% of analysed sha have a probability of being efficient ( pe ) > 0.9 and 18% < 0.5 . kdd techniques make the transfer of information from experts to any operational model easy and results obtained from the latter improve expert s knowledge .
introductionknowledge management , based on information transfer between experts and analysts , is crucial for the validity and usability of data envelopment analysis ( dea).aimto design and develop a methodology : i ) to assess technical efficiency of small health areas ( sha ) in an uncertainty environment , and ii ) to transfer information between experts and operational models , in both directions , for improving expert s knowledge.methoda procedure derived from knowledge discovery from data ( kdd ) is used to select , interpret and weigh dea inputs and outputs . 
 based on kdd results , an expert - driven monte - carlo dea model has been designed to assess the technical efficiency of sha in andalusia.resultsin terms of probability , sha 29 is the most efficient being , on the contrary , sha 22 very inefficient . 
 73% of analysed sha have a probability of being efficient ( pe ) > 0.9 and 18% < 0.5.conclusionsexpert knowledge is necessary to design and validate any operational model . 
 kdd techniques make the transfer of information from experts to any operational model easy and results obtained from the latter improve expert s knowledge .