• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.21-40
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• 1999

One Diagnosis Related Group(DRG) pilot study participating hospital was measured and analyzed to see if there were any changes after the DRG program. It was implemented in consideration of medical service utilization, hospital charges, and non-covered medical service charges by insurance in all Cesarean section cases by reviewing medical records for 3 years, including 1 year before pilot study as well as 1 and 2 years after, respectively. The results were as follows: First, the use of intramuscular antibiotics decreased statistically significantly, whereas intravenous use did not. Second, the administration period and charges of antianemic medication decreased significantly, where the prescription was appropriate. Third, the length of hospital stay decreased statistically significantly. Fourth, there were significant statistical differences in cost sharing between the insured and the insurer: cost sharing of the insured was reduced, whereas the share of the insurer increased. However, there was no change in the quality of care. Fifth, there were no statistically significant changes in the Cesarean section rate. As a result, if the fee schedule is reasonably high, hospitals can provide quality care. This DRG pilot study resulted expected outcomes: by paying a higher fee schedule than fee-for-service, then hospitals can provide quality care to their patients and increase hospital profits.

• KIEE International Transactions on Power Engineering
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• v.4A no.4
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• pp.262-267
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• 2004

With the advent of electric power systems moving from a vertically integrated structure to a deregulated environment, calculating reactive power service charges has become a new and challenging theme for market operators. This paper examines various methods for reactive power management adopted throughout various deregulated foreign and domestic markets and then proposes an innovative method to calculate reactive power service charges using a reactive power market in a wholesale electricity market. The reactive power market is operated based on bids from the generating sources and it settles on uniform prices by running the reactive OPF programs of the day-ahead electricity market. The proposed method takes into account recovering not only the costs of installed capacity but also the lost opportunity costs incurred by reducing active power output to increase reactive power production. Based on the result of the reactive OPF program, the generators that produce reactive power within the obligatory range do not make payments whereas the generators producing reactive power beyond the obligatory range receive compensation by the price determined in the market. A numerical sample study is carried out to illustrate the processes and appropriateness of the proposed method.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Navigation and Port Research Conference
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• 2003.05a
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• pp.242-248
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• 2003

In this paper, we propose a new heuristic solution for 3D container packing problem for the variable size and the variable kind of freights. First we consider the total cost of container charges, i.e., loading, transportation and handling charges, where the priority of each frights are dealt. By minimizing the total cost of container charges, the kinds of container and its number can be decided automatically. From these factors, we con determine the position in the container and the loading sequence into the container. Finally, by equivalence of freight's weight in container, we can prevent the freight's damage on the handling.

• Journal of Electrical Engineering and Technology
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• v.6 no.5
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• pp.677-683
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• 2011

The present paper describes the setup of standard partial discharge calibrator for measuring partial discharge and estimating uncertainties. The standard PD calibrator was designed and set up, consisting of a digital pulse generator, capacitor modules, and a digital oscilloscope controlled by software developed in the laboratory. Using this software, averages of charges and rising times and their standard deviations in the measured pulses can also be calculated. The standard PD calibrator generates five types of pulses: single, double, random, oscillating, and long-rising. The coefficient sensitivities to estimate the uncertainties of pulses were extracted in the model circuit of the standard PD calibrator. The uncertainties of charges and rising times in pulses of the standard PD calibrator were estimated with single pulses. These values were 0.3%-1.4% in charges and 1.9%-7.0% in rising time; however, these values are lower than the limit values in IEC 60270.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2007.11a
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• pp.311-312
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• 2007

Polyimide is widely used as a high-temperature insulating material. Space charge distributions in polyimide (PI) films strongly depend upon electric field, temperature, water content and so on. We observed space charge distributions in PI films with various water contents. When a dc field was applied to as-received PI films or water-treated PI films, positive and negative homo space charges were observed near the respective electrodes at 333 K. In dried PI films, the homo space charges were much reduced, and positive and negative hetero space charges in the bulk were clearly observed. The space charge amounts in water-treated PI films were smaller than in as-received ones, while the current density in water-treated PI film was larger than that in as-received one by two or more orders of magnitude. These suggest not only that the charge injection from the electrode is enhanced by absorbed water but also that absorbed water makes carriers mobile. The decay of space charge was also faster in water-treated PI than in as-received or dried one. This also supports the enhancement of apparent mobilities of carriers in PI by absorbed water.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2007.07a
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• pp.1984-1985
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• 2007

Polyimide is widely used as a high-temperature insulating material. Space charge distributions in polyimide (PI) films strongly depend upon electric field, temperature, water content and so on. We observed space charge distributions in PI films with various water contents. When a dc field was applied to as-received PI films or water-treated PI films, positive and negative homo space charges were observed near the respective electrodes at 333 K. In dried PI films, the homo space charges were much reduced, and positive and negative hetero space charges in the bulk were clearly observed. The space charge amounts in water-treated PI films were smaller than in as-received ones, while the current density in water-treated PI film was larger than that in as-received one by two or more orders of magnitude. These suggest not only that the charge injection from the electrode is enhanced by absorbed water but also that absorbed water makes carriers mobile. The decay of space charge was also faster in water-treated PI than in as-received or dried one. This also supports the enhancement of apparent mobilities of carriers in PI by absorbed water.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.155-182
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• 1998

There exists a remarkable differences in use of MRI scanning among income classes. The poor can hardly utilize it. This is because, among high cost technnologies, MRI is the only equipment not covered under health insurance benefits in Korea. This study was designed 1) to reveal the status of nation-wide MRI installation, customary charges and per unit annual scanning performance, and 2) to analyse factors influencing the above variables. The data for this study came from "MRI Prevalence Survey" conducted by the National Federation of Medcial Insurance(NFMI) in 1997, and were analyzed through SAS packages for T-test, analysis of variance and stepwise multiple regression. Data were collected from 188 hospitals equipped with MRI scanners. Major findings are summarized as follows : The number of MRI scanners has increased from 69 in 994 to 158 in 1996(2.3 times) while per unit annual scanning performance has risen by 11.2% from 2,173 cases in 1994 to 2,417 cases in 1996. Such a rapid increase was made possible mainly due to the inclusion of CT scanning under the health insurance benefit package. The customary charges for MRI scanning with or without contrast media, on average, amounted to 484,000 Won and 402,000 Won, respectively, with the percentile increase of 17.8% and 8.1% each during the same time. Korea ranks the third worldwidely in terms of number of MRI installations, 4.8 scanners per one million persons, only next to Japan and United States. Geographical variation of MRI, however, was rather high, 7.91 unit, in Cheju area compared to 1.82 in Kyongnam area. Variations of customary charges of MRI scanning can be explained as much as by 44.8% by both the total amount of claims to NFMI and geographical variable. The charges were more likely to be higher in metropolitan areas like Seoul and in hospitals with a bigger amount of claims. While those of per unit annual scanning performance can be explained as much as by 30.7% by both MRI installation cost and level of MRI-installed organizations. Per capital scannig performance was higher in tertiary hospitals and hospitals equipped with more expensive scanners than hospitals with less expensive scanners. Two measures are called for the remedying the existing excessive abundance in MRI units in korea : One is to set a ceiling of MRI units in an area like a province or a metropolitan district. The other is to establish a committee on introduction of high cost technologies for reviewing its effective use.ctive use.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.26-37
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• 2024

Background: The purpose of this study was to compare and analyze the differences in charges and length of stay per case between spine specialty hospitals and non-specialty hospitals, and to identify the factors that influenced them. Methods: This study used claims data from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, including inpatient visits from January 2021 to December 2022. The healthcare facility status data was used to identify the characteristics of study hospitals. Multilevel analysis was conducted to identify factors associated with the charges and Poisson regression analysis was conducted to analyze the length of stay between spine specialty hospitals and non-specialty hospitals. There were 32,015 cases of spine specialty hospitals and 17,555 cases of non-specialty hospitals. Results: For four of five common spinal surgeries, specialty hospitals shaped longer length of stay than those of non-specialty hospitals. Multilevel and Poisson regression analysis revealed that regardless of the type of surgery, higher age and higher Charlson comorbidity index scores were significantly associated with an increase in both the charges per case and length of stay (p<0.05). However, when hospitals were located in metropolitan areas, there was a significant decrease (p<0.05). Conclusion: This study found that specialty hospital had higher inpatient charges and loner length of stay contrary to the previous study results. Further studies will be needed to find which contribute to the differences.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.221-237
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• 1992

The reasons for cost inflation in medical insurance expenditure are classified into demand pull inflation and cost push inflation. The former includes increase in the number of beneficiaries and utilization rate, while the latter includes increase in medical insurance fee and the charges per case. This study was conducted to analyze sources of increases of expenditure in medical insurance demonstration area by the period of 1982-1987 which was earlier than national health insurance and the period of national health insurance(1988-1990). The major findings were as follows: Medical expenditure in these areas increased by 9.4%(15.1%) annually between 1982 and 1990 on the basis of costant price(current price) and for this period, the yearly average increasing rate of expenses for outpatient care[10.5%(15.8%)] was higher than that of inpatient care [7.3%(12.6%)]. Medical expenditure increased by 6.3%(8.9%) annually between 1982 and 1987, the period of medical insurance demonstration, while it increased by 10.7%(18.9%) after implementing national health insurance(1988-1990). Medical expenditure increased by 35.9%(45.9%) between 1982 and 1987. Of this increase, 115.2%(92.1%) was attributable to the increase in the frequencies of utilization per beneficiary and 61.0%(68.1%) was due to the increase in the charges per case, but the expenditure decreased by 76.2%(60.2%) due to the reduction in the number of beneficiaries. Beteen 1988 and 1990, the period of national health insurance, medical expenditure increased by 21.2%(41.4%). Of this increase, 87.5%(46.4%) was attributable to the increase in the frequencies of utilization per beneficiary and 52.4%(73.4%) was due to the increase in the charges per case, and of the increase in the charges per case, 69.6%(40.8%) was attributable to the increase in the days of visit per case. Medical expenses per person in these areas increased by 78.2%(89.0%) between 1982 and 1987. Of this increase, 76.6%(69.1%) was attributable to the increase in the frequencies of utilization per beneficiary and 23.4%(30.9%) was due to the increase in the charges per case. For this period, demand-pull factor was the major cause of the increase in medical expenses and the expenses per treatment day was the major attributable factor in cost-push inflation. Betwee 1988 and 1990, medical expenditure per person increased by 31.2%(53.1%). Of this increase, 60.8%(37.2%) was attributable to the demand-pull factor and 39.2%(62.8%) was due to the increase in the charges per case which was one of cost-push factors. In current price, the attributalbe rate of the charges per case which was one of cost-push factors was higher than that of utilization rate in the period of national health insurance as compared to the period of medical insurance demonstration. In consideration of above findings, demand-pull factor led the increase in medical expenditure between 1982 and 1987, the period of medical insurance medel trial, but after implementing national health insurance, the attributable rate of cost-push factor was increasing gradually. Thus we may conclude that for medical cost containment, it is requested to examine the new reimbursement method to control cost-push factor and service-intensity factor.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.135-137
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• 1986