Changing Pattern of Patients in the Tertiary Care Hospitals after National Medical Insurance Implementation

전국민의료보험 실시이후의 3차 의료기관 환자이용의 변화

Since the medical insurance covered the total population in Korea in July, 1989, the number of patient's visitation to the tertiary care hospital had changed because of referral regulation. In the referred patients through the secondary care hospitals such as out-patients of departments of internal medicine, general surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics had decreased as well in-patients in these departments. However, departments of urology, dermatology, dentistry, ophthalmology and ear-nose-throat had more or less similar number of patients after medical insurance implemented for the total population. Contrarily, the number of patients visited emergency clinics and department of family medicine had increased very many. Thus, expansion of emergency clinic department, new special clinic set-ups, establishment of family medicine department in each hospital etc are strongly recommend.