• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제48권4호
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• pp.188-194
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• 2015

Objectives: The goal of this study was to identify association between the continuity of ambulatory care of diabetes patients in South Korea (hereafter Korea) and the incidence of macrovascular complications of diabetes, using claims data compiled by the National Health Insurance Services of Korea. Methods: This study was conducted retrospectively. The subjects of the study were 43 002 patients diagnosed with diabetes in 2007, who were over 30 years of age, and had insurance claim data from 2008. The macrovascular complications of diabetes mellitus were limited to ischemic heart disease and ischemic stroke. We compared the characteristics of the patients in whom macrovascular complications occurred from 2009 to 2012 to the characteristics of the patients who had no such complications. Multiple logistic regression was used to assess the effects of continuity of ambulatory care on diabetic macrovascular complications. The continuity of ambulatory diabetes care was estimated by metrics such as the medication possession ratio, the quarterly continuity of care and the number of clinics that were visited. Results: Patients with macrovascular complications showed statistically significant differences regarding sex, age, comorbidities, hypertension, dyslipidemia and continuity of ambulatory diabetes care. Visiting a lower number of clinics reduced the odds ratio for macrovascular complications of diabetes. A medication possession ratio below 80% was associated with an increased odds ratio for macrovascular complications, but this result was of borderline statistical significance. Conclusions: Diabetes care by regular health care providers was found to be associated with a lower occurrence of diabetic macrovascular complications. This result has policy implications for the Korean health care system, in which the delivery system does not work properly.

• 보건행정학회지
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• 제18권1호
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• pp.85-107
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• 2008

This study aims to describe levels and distribution of the continuity of primary care among children and adolescent patients who are 2-19 years old, and analyze the effects of it on the risk of hospitalization. Study population was 2-19 year old child and adolescent patients as of 2002, who had more than three ambulatory care visits in the years of 2002-3 and whose most frequent provider was the primary care practices (189,660 persons). Association of levels of primary care with the risk of hospitalization was evaluated using multiple event survival analysis. Outcome variables were whether the patient had hospitalized or not, and whether the patient had hospitalized due to ambulatory care-sensitive conditions or not. Multiple event survival analysis revealed statistically significant association of the levels of primary care with the risk of hospitalization. Hazard ratio was 1.34 [1.27-1.41] at the medium level of continuity and 1.47 [1.39-1.55] at the lower level where outcome variable was whether the patient had been hospitalized or not. Hazard ratios were 1.35 [1.21-1.50] at the medium level of continuity and 1.60 [1.44-1.78] at the lower level, where outcome variable was whether the patient been had hospitalized due to ambulatory care-sensitive conditions or not. This study produced some evidences on the benefits of continuity of care, which will in turn support the introduction of personal doctor registration program in the future.

• 한국산학기술학회논문지
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• 제11권6호
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• pp.2161-2168
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• 2010

본 연구는 행정자료인 건강보험 및 의료급여비용 청구자료를 이용하였으며, 일개지역(2개도, 남 북)에 개설 되어있는 전체 의료기관을 대상으로 진료일 기준 '08.7월~'08.12월(184일)동안 외래 방문이 1회 이상인 30세 이상의 수진자 485,953명을 대상으로 하였다. 진료지속성과 영향 요인을 분석한 결과 다음과 같다. 우리나라 성인 고혈압 환자의 평균 진료지속성 수준은 MMCI, $0.96{\pm}0.13$, MFPC $0.96{\pm}0.12$으로 높게 나타났다. 외래진료 지속성에 영향을 미치는 요인으로는 여성일수록, 55세~64세 이상 연령일수록, 동반상병이 있을수록 통계적으로 유의하게 낮았으며, 주이용기관이 상위 종별일수록 통계적으로 유의하게 MMCI와 MFPC 모두 높게 나타났다. 이 연구에서는 우리나라 성인 고혈압환자의 평균 진료지속성 수준은 높은 것으로 나타났으며, 여성, 64세 이상 연령 등 진료지속성이 낮은 대상자에 대한 관리가 필요할 것으로 보인다. 이 연구 결과는 우리나라 고혈압환자들의 건강관리 행태를 모니터하는 지표 및 국가의 고혈압관리사업의 성과지표로써 활용할 수 있을 것이다.

• 보건행정학회지
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• 제19권2호
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• pp.51-70
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• 2009

Background : Previous studies have reported that enhanced continuity of care prevented a sudden worsening in progress among chronic disease patients, and as a result was favorable for efficient spending of health care funds. This study aims to estimate the continuity of care of Korean with diabetes and to identify factors affecting the continuity of care. Methods : This study used the Korean National Health Insurance Claims Database which includes E11 (ICD-10) as a primary or secondary disease as of 2006. Study population is 1,160,725 type 2 diabetics (20-84 years). Continuity of Care Index (COC), Modified, Modified Continuity Index (MMCI), and Most Frequent Provider Continuity (MFPC) were used as indexes of continuity of care. Results : The continuity of care in the study population was $0.94{\pm}0.10$ as calculated by MMCI, $0.91{\pm}0.16$ as calculated by MFPC and $0.86{\pm}0.23$ as calculated by COC. The lower continuity of care was shown in the patients who were female, 65 and over years old, Medical Aid recipients, 13 times or more visitors, hospital users as main attending medical institution, patients experienced hospitalizations or comorbidities. Conclusion : The continuity of care for adult patients with type 2 diabetes was high in Korea, and showed variation according to patients' characteristics. This result provides empirical evidence for policymakers to develop or strengthen programs for managing patients showing low continuity of care.

• 보건교육건강증진학회지
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• 제29권2호
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• pp.1-12
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• 2012

Objectives: Several practice guidelines recommended both medication and behavior modification to control hypertension. The objective of this study was to analyze ambulatory care utilization pattern and related factors. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted among 45,267 new users who initiated treatment with hypertensive drugs in 2003. Korean National Health Insurance Claims Data was used to study the medical care utilization behavior and related factors after treatment initiation for up to four years. Taking prescription was considered as medical care utilization. Results: More than 20% of patients discontinued visiting physicians for prescription after initiating antihypertensive drug therapy. The average number of institutions visited by patients was about 1.3 annually. Clinic was the most frequently visited institution by patients. In GEE analysis, probability of continuous visit one institution after initiating antihypertensive drug treatment increased in patients who were women, old, have comorbidity, visited clinic or hospital mainly in previous year. Conclusions: Young hypertensive male patients who have no major comorbidity showed high possibility to discontinue medical service utilization. It is necessary to educate these targeted patients about importance of hypertension management in early stage after treatment initiation.

• 보건행정학회지
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• 제29권3호
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• pp.277-287
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• 2019

Background: Diabetes is known as one of the most important ambulatory care sensitive conditions. This study purposed to assess the status of continuity of care (COC) and diabetes-related avoidable hospitalizations (DRAHs) of a group of middle- and old-aged patients and to observe the relationship of the two elements by the two age groups. Methods: This study utilized the National Health Insurance Service's National Sample Cohort data and the subjects are diabetes patients of 45 and over, classified into two groups of 'middle-aged'(45-64 years) and 'old-aged'(${\geq}65years$) patients. The dependent variable was DRAHs, which was defined in accordance with the definition of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development "Health Care Quality Indicators" project. COC, as an independent variable, is measured by the COC index in this study. Two-part model (multi-variate and multi-level analyses) was utilized. Results: Factors associated with the status and the number of DRAHs differed by each age group. Meanwhile, the two-part model showed that higher COC was associated with a lower risk of preventable hospitalizations in both middle- and old-aged groups. Conclusion: Study findings can provide health policy insights and implications in order to strengthen the primary care system for further improvement of diabetes management, especially for middle- and old-aged groups.