• Korean Journal of Schizophrenia Research
• /
• v.22 no.1
• /
• pp.8-13
• /
• 2019

Objectives: The aim of this study was to explore the prevalence of type 1 diabetes in patients with schizophrenia and their total medical costs and risk of hospitalization. Methods: This study used Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service data in Korea. To examine total medical costs and risk of hospitalization, we selected 1,510 subjects with schizophrenia (half with and half without type 1 diabetes) that were 1:1 matched via propensity score matching. In health care system perspective, total medical costs included out-of-pocket and insurer's costs. Logistic regression models were used to examine the risk of hospitalization. Results: The prevalence of type 1 diabetes in patients with schizophrenia was 3.87 per 1,000 person year. Among patients with schizophrenia, the amount of total average medical costs and hospitalization costs in patients with type 1 diabetes was 1.49 and 1.59 times higher than those in patients without it, respectively. The odds of hospitalization were higher among patients with type 1 diabetes compared with those without it (odds ratio, OR=1.97 ; 95% CI 1.60-2.43). Conclusion: This study showed that medical costs and risk of hospitalization were higher in schizophrenia patients with type 1 diabetes. Therefore, these individuals may require specific care programs.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
• /
• v.26 no.1
• /
• pp.59-69
• /
• 2016

Background: The subcutaneous formulation of biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) was preferred due to favored self-administration and would be an economical treatment option for patients with rheumatoid arthritis. This study was to compare the economic impact of biologic DMARDs administered by subcutaneous injection in patients with rheumatoid arthritis who had inadequate response to conventional DMARDs. Methods: The cost-minimization analysis was conducted to estimate the lifetime health care costs of treatment sequences with subcutaneous biologic DMARDs as first-line therapy from a health care system perspective. The Markov model was developed to represent the transitions through treatment sequences based on American College of Rheumatology response rate and discontinuation rate. The health care costs comprised the cost of medications, administration, dispensing, outpatient visits, test/diagnostic examination, palliative therapy and treatment of serious infection. All costs were expressed in 2016 Korean Won (KRW) and discounted at 5%. Results: The mean lifetime health care cost per patient was lowest in the etanercept sequence, which was estimated at KRW 63,441,679. The incremental costs of the treatment sequence started with adalimumab, golimumab, abatacept, and tocilizumab were KRW 7,985,730, KRW 4,064,669, KRW 2,869,947, and KRW 4,282,833, respectively, relative to etanercept sequence. These differences in costs mainly were attributable to medication costs. One-way and probabilistic sensitivity analyses confirmed that etanercept represented the option with the lowest cost compared with comparators. Conclusion: This study found that etanercept is likely a cost-saving treatment option among subcutaneous biologic DMARDs in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

• 대한예방의학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 1994.02b
• /
• pp.84-86
• /
• 1994

AS A SOCIETY, we are in conflict with ourselves about the cost of health care. 1 On one hand, we want the best care possible, regardless of cost. On the other hand, we are not willing to pay the cost of the care we want. Our conflict parallels a flaw in the medical marketplace. An essential condition for achieving an equilibrium between cost and value is that the two must be connected through decisions. When people decide what products and services (goods) they want, they must not only see the value they will receive, but they mast also be responsible for the costs. Because of a variety of features of the medical marketplace-most notably third-party coverage, third-party advice, and uncertainty about outcomes-the required connection between value and cost is severed. The result is what we see. One side of our collective mind demands more services while the other side cries that costs are too high. Resolving our conflict will require connecting value to cost. An essential step in accomplishing this will be to incorporate costs in practice policies. 1 As controversial as that thought might seem (the great majority of practice policies currently do not take costs into account except in the most rudimentary way), arriving at the conclusion is the easy part. A more difficult issue is how to implement the goal of connecting value to cost. Suppose we agree that, in principle, costs should be considered when practice policies are designed, and that an activity should be recommended and covered only if its health outcomes (benefits minus hanns) are deemed to be worth its costs. The next questions are, Who should do the deeming? What should the deemers be asked?

• The Korean Journal of Health Service Management
• /
• v.11 no.3
• /
• pp.65-78
• /
• 2017

Objectives : Obesity is a worldwide health concern due to an increasing obese population. This study proposed to analyze the differences in medical costs and care utilization between obese and normal group using propensity score matching. Methods : Data were collected from the sample cohort database by the Korea National Health Insurance Corporation. Propensity score matching(PSM) was applied to control selection bias, and factors affecting obesity were used as covariates in PSM. Results : The results showed higher medical costs and care utilization in the obese group than the normal group. According to gender and medical type, there were differences in the relationships between obesity and medical charges and utilization. In particular, the differences in the female population were larger in both outpatients and inpatients than the male population. Conclusions : It is important to manage obesity, because obesity has a negative effect on national health insurance costs. These findings suggest directions for future research.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
• /
• v.21 no.3
• /
• pp.362-373
• /
• 2010

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the costs and benefits of individual home visiting health care using secondary data and literature review. Methods: The total number of subjects was 1,008,837. A specific program was classified into disease management, care of infant, child and women, or elderly care. The costs and effects of a program were identified from a societal perspective, and the effects were converted into monetary terms or benefits. The total cost was calculated in the way that medical expenses, travel costs and productivity losses were offset by the decrease in benefits and thus only the program budget was included in the total cost. Results: The total program cost was 47.6 billion won per year and the total annual benefit was estimated at 435.6 billion won. The benefits of arthritis management were the biggest among disease management programs. The net benefit was 388.0 billion won per year and the benefit/cost ratio was 9.16. Conclusion: Home visiting health care was validated to be economically effective. It made a positive contribution to improving the health status of vulnerable populations and reducing medical expenses. These results suggest that home visiting care should be extended more broadly to vulnerable populations.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.14 no.9
• /
• pp.4961-4964
• /
• 2013

Greater use of mobile phone devices seems inevitable because the health industry and cancer care are facing challenges such as resource constraints, rising care costs, the need for immediate access to healthcare data of types such as audio video texts for early detection and treatment of patients and increasing remote aids in telemedicine. Physicians, in order to study the causes of cancer, detect cancer earlier, act in prevention measures, determine the effectiveness of treatment and specify the reasons for the treatment ineffectiveness, need to access accurate, comprehensive and timely cancer data. Mobile devices provide opportunities and can play an important role in consulting, diagnosis, treatment, and quick access to health information. There easy carriage make them perfect tools for healthcare providers in cancer care management. Key factors in cancer care management systems through a mobile phone health approach must be considered such as human resources, confidentiality and privacy, legal and ethical issues, appropriate ICT and provider infrastructure and costs in general aspects and interoperability, human relationships, types of mobile devices and telecommunication related points in specific aspects. The successful implementation of mobile-based systems in cancer care management will constantly face many challenges. Hence, in applying mobile cancer care, involvement of users and considering their needs in all phases of project, providing adequate bandwidth, preparation of standard tools that provide maximum mobility and flexibility for users, decreasing obstacles to interrupt network communications, and using suitable communication protocols are essential. It is obvious that identifying and reducing barriers and strengthening the positive points will have a significant role in appropriate planning and promoting the achievements of mobile cancer care systems. The aim of this article is to explain key points which should be considered in designing appropriate mobile health systems in cancer care as an approach for improving cancer care management.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.14 no.1
• /
• pp.3-12
• /
• 1981

To identify the changes in professional care patterns after the introduction of medical insurance in Korea, professional care in hospitals and clinics of two succeeding years were compared. The hospitals and clinics selected for this study were those which located in Seoul city. Hospitals were classified into 3 categories: university hospital, general hospital and hospital. The diseases selected for this study were acute appendicitis and normal delivery. They were selected because their disease courses are considered to be fairly stable. The variables used for this study were length of stay, total hospital costs, costs of each components of cares. The information used for this study was obtained from the official forms requested by the medical facilities to the Korea Medical Insurance Corporation. The two periods studied were 3 months of each year from March 1st to May 31st in 1979 and 1980, The total number of normal delivery studied was 289 in 1979, 301 in 1980 respectively and the acute appendicitis was 92 and 111 respectively. In order to compare the quantity of medical care between 2 study periods the insurance price scores of 1979 were converted to prices of 1980. For statistical test of difference between 2 periods T-test and Welch's test were used. The result of the study were briefly summarized in below. 1. No significant difference was observed in the average length of stay of both disease between two study periods in all types of hospitals. 2. No significant difference was observed in the average total hospital costs of both diseases in all types of hospital, but in the private clinic the average clinic costs was rather decreased significantly in 1980. 3. More cost decrease were seen than cost increase in 1980 in all types of facilities, More cost changes by items were seen in acute appendicitis than in normal delivery between two study periods. The total hospital costs can be devided into 2 portions: charges for drug and material and for physician. In normal delivery, costs for physician's charges was significantly decreased in almost all the hospitals and costs for drug and material were not changed significantly in all the hospitals in 1980. In the university hospitals, however, the costs for drug and material were increased significantly in 1980. The cost decrease for physician's charge were mainly due to the decrease in the costs of laboratory test, treatment and physical therapy. The increase in the costs for the drug and material in the university hospitals was mainly due to the increase in the cost for drugs for oral administration and injection. 4. The proportion of components of medical care in the hospital has not been changed significantly, however, the cost for injection in normal delivery was characteristically increased in 1980 in all hospitals studied. In general the proportion of the costs for drug and material was tended to increase and the costs for physician was tended to decrease in 1980. The increase in the costs for drug and material were considered to be due to increase in the cost for drugs for oral administration and injection. The decrease in the costs for physician were due to decrease in the costs of laboratory test, treatment and physical therapy. Above mentioned changes in hospital and clinic care patterns are considered to be mostly influenced by the review criteria set by the K.I.C. for the assessment of the fee request made by clinics and hospitals.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.46 no.6
• /
• pp.300-308
• /
• 2013

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to classify determinants of cost increases into two categories, negotiable factors and non-negotiable factors, in order to identify the determinants of health care expenditure increases and to clarify the contribution of associated factors selected based on a literature review. Methods: The data in this analysis was from the statistical yearbooks of National Health Insurance Service, the Economic Index from Statistics Korea and regional statistical yearbooks. The unit of analysis was the annual growth rate of variables of 16 cities and provinces from 2003 to 2010. First, multiple regression was used to identify the determinants of health care expenditures. We then used hierarchical multiple regression to calculate the contribution of associated factors. The changes of coefficients ($R^2$) of predictors, which were entered into this analysis step by step based on the empirical evidence of the investigator could explain the contribution of predictors to increased medical cost. Results: Health spending was mainly associated with the proportion of the elderly population, but the Medicare Economic Index (MEI) showed an inverse association. The contribution of predictors was as follows: the proportion of elderly in the population (22.4%), gross domestic product (GDP) per capita (4.5%), MEI (-12%), and other predictors (less than 1%). Conclusions: As Baby Boomers enter retirement, an increasing proportion of the population aged 65 and over and the GDP will continue to increase, thus accelerating the inflation of health care expenditures and precipitating a crisis in the health insurance system. Policy makers should consider providing comprehensive health services by an accountable care organization to achieve cost savings while ensuring high-quality care.

• Asian Journal of Business Environment
• /
• v.7 no.3
• /
• pp.17-22
• /
• 2017

Purpose - Clarifying one of the biggest public Hospital Costs and incomes according to patients' case mix. It leads to prepare financial information about pubic medical tariffs and hospital operational costs. Research design, data, and methodology - This study calculates the costs both, with and without taking into account capital costs. This holds for comparison of hoteling based on case mix in all medical procedures. The checklists were reviewed and filled by reviewing accounting documents of the hospital, warehouse exclusion list, and daily books of laundry and CSR. Data was analyzed descriptively by using Excel. Results - In both cases, the hospital is losing in terms of hoteling. Because the buildings and equipment are new, this loss is not tangible. However, this will be revealed when costs of reconstruction and replacement of equipment. The loss rate per day of hospitalization was 569318 Rials for Coronary Care Unit (CCU), 528171 Rials for Post Intensive Care Unit (Post ICU), 474570 Rials for ICU, 233183 Rials for Post CCU and 204803 for Surgical ward. Conclusions - Income of hoteling was lower than its costs. ANOVA showed a strong relationship between case mix and hospital costs as well as case mix and its income. This suggests that optimal case mix can minimize the costs and maximize income.

• Women's Health Nursing
• /
• v.2 no.1
• /
• pp.25-39
• /
• 1996

The Korean government has a new system for charging patient care for patients in hospital, on hold for the present(9 / 1995) but to start implementation in certain areas of patient care next year. From the latter half of next year the Ministry of Health and Welfare would like to start demonstration projects for hospitals who want to start using DRGs for frequently seen medical diagnosis and for patients with a course that is predictable and for whom non-insurance costs are minimal : such as the patient who has a delivery, cesarean deliveries, cataract surgery, tonsillectomy or an appendectomy, and apply the DRG system of payment for hospital care for these patients. The purpose of this study was to establish a recording system to give effective home health care to postpartum women and their newborns. Recently the government announced a DRG system to apply to postpartum women for pilot purposes starting next year. This gives impetus to the need to develop home care records that will allow for systematic recording and provide continuity and consistency in care across all health professionals and with in-depth communication between the professions to assure high quality care. There has been a rise in medical costs and a shortage of patient bed space in hospitals, particularly since the introduction of national medical insurance. The study focused on developing client selection criteria, a primary assessment tool, progress notes and nursing diagnoses applicable to postpartum and newborn clients. Selection criteria for home health care, assessment tool content, nurses progress notes and diagnoses were developed through a review of the literature, advice from professionals who are expert in home health care and actual practice in the use of recording tools through workshops. The recommendations based on the research results are as follows : 1) Replication and application of these tools is needed to test the validity of the tools 2) In order to have systematic nursing records standardization of records has to be done after nurses have had experience using them. 3) Reliability and validity of the tools has to be established through applicability to actual care situation.