Korea Journal of Hospital Management (한국병원경영학회지)

Korean Society of Hospital Management (한국병원경영학회)
권호 표지

Does Market Competition Reduce Hospital Charges & LOS for the Degenerative Lumbar Spinal Disease?: A Two-point Cross Sectional Study

병원시장 경쟁이 퇴행성 요추질환 환자의 진료비 및 재원일수에 미치는 영향

  • Lee, Joo Eun (Department of Public Health, Yonsei University College of Medicine) ;
  • Park, Eun-Cheol (Institute of Health Services Research, Yonsei University College of Medicine) ;
  • Lee, Sang Gyu (Institute of Health Services Research, Yonsei University College of Medicine) ;
  • Kim, Tae Hyun (Institute of Health Services Research, Yonsei University College of Medicine)
  • 이주은 (연세대학교 일반대학원 보건학과) ;
  • 박은철 (연세대학교 보건정책 및 관리연구소) ;
  • 이상규 (연세대학교 보건정책 및 관리연구소) ;
  • 김태현 (연세대학교 보건정책 및 관리연구소)
  • Received : 2017.07.17
  • Accepted : 2017.08.16
  • Published : 2017.12.29
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Abstract

Background: Health care utilizations and costs of the patients with degenerative lumbar spine disease in Korea increased dramatically. We analyzed whether hospital market competition is associated with charges and length of stay for patients with degenerative lumbar spine disease. Methods: We used Medical claims data of 2002 and 2010 from the nationwide representative sample of National Health Insurance Service of Korea. The study subjects were inpatients with degenerative lumbar spine disease (N=24,768) in 2002 and 2010. We employed a multilevel linear mixed model that included patient- and hospital-level variables in hierarchical data. Results: Higher hospital competition was associated with lower charges (${\beta}=57.5$, p<.0001 in 2002; ${\beta}=353.7$, p<.0001 in 2010) and shorter length of stay (${\beta}=0.3$, p<.0001 in 2002; ${\beta}=0.9$, p<.0001 in 2010) in both 2002 and 2010. Compared to 2002, the magnitude of such association became greater in 2010. However, subgroup analyses show that the influence of competition on charges and length of stay differed by hospital size. Conclusions: This study showed that hospital market structure (e.g., hospital competition) affects hospital efficiency (i.e., hospital charges and length of stay). It is necessary to continue to monitor how changing market structure influences hospital outcomes, including more detailed outcomes such as patient satisfaction.

Purpose: 요추질환 환자의 의료이용과 진료비가 지속적으로 증가하고 있다. 그 동안에 병원과 전문병원의 증가에 의한 경쟁 심화가 최근 요추수술 현황에 영향을 미쳤을 것이다. 하지만 아직 병원시장 경쟁이 병원 효율성에 영향을 미쳤을 것이라는 실증적 근거가 부족하다. Methodology: 본 연구는 2002년도, 2010년도 국민건강보험 표본코호트 자료와 보건복지부 한국보건사회연구원 환자조사 퇴원환자자료를 바탕으로 퇴행성 요추질환 입원환자 총 24,768명을 대상으로 하였다. 시장구조-시장행태-시장성 (S-C-P) 모형을 적용하여 혼란변수를 보정한 후, 환자수준, 병원수준 변수를 포함하여 다수준 혼합모형을 이용하여 분석하였다. Findings: 병원경쟁이 증가할수록 퇴행성 요추질환 입원환자의 진료비 (${\beta}=57.5$, p<.0001 in 2002; ${\beta}=353.7$, p<.0001 in 2010) 와 재원일수 (${beta}=0.3$, p<.0001 in 2002; ${beta}=0.9$, p<.0001 in 2010) 가 감소하였으며, 그 정도는 2002년에 비해 2010년에 그 연관성의 정도가 더 크게 보였다. 그러나 병원경쟁이 진료비와 재원일수에 미치는 영향은 병원 규모에 따라 다르게 나타났다. Practical implications: 이러한 결과를 토대로 병원 경쟁과 같은 시장구조가 진료비, 재원일수 등의 병원 효율성에 영향을 미친다는 결론을 내릴 수 있었다. 그러므로 병원성과에 영향을 주는 시장구조의 변화에 대한 정부의 관심이 요구된다. 또한 향후 경쟁이 환자 만족도와 같은 성과에 미치는 효과에 대한 보다 상세한 분석이 필요하다.

Keywords

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