• Health Policy and Management
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.3-10
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• 2015

Background: Previous studies showed differences in healthcare utilization among insurance types. This study aimed to analyze the difference in healthcare utilization for percutaneous transluminal coronary angioplasty inpatients by insurance types after controlling factors affecting healthcare utilization using propensity score matching (PSM). Methods: The 2011 national inpatient sample based on health insurance claims data was used for analysis. PSM was used to control factors influencing healthcare utilization except insurance types. Length of stay and total charges were used as healthcare utilization variables. Patients were divided into National Health Insurance (NHI) and Medical Aid (MA) patients. Factors representing inpatients (gender, age, admission sources, and Elixhauser comorbidity index) and hospitals (number of doctors, number of beds, and location of hospitals) were used as covariates in PSM. Results: Tertiary hospitals didn't show significant difference in length of stay and total charges after PSM between two insurance types. However, MA patients showed significantly longer length of stay than that of NHI patients after PSM in general hospitals. Multivariate regression analysis provided that admission sources, Elixhauser comorbidity index, insurance types, number of doctors, and location of hospitals (province) had significant influences on the length of stay in general hospitals. Conclusion: Study results provided evidences that healthcare utilization was differed by insurance types in general hospitals. Health policy makers will need to prepare interventions to influence the healthcare utilization differences between insurance types.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.107-113
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• 2023

Unmet healthcare is an important indicator for measuring accessibility of healthcare services. We analyzed the following four data from a nationally representative sample of South Korean population: Korea Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES, 2007-2021), Community Health Survey (CHS, 2008-2021), Korea Health Panel Survey (KHP, 2011-2019), and Korean Welfare Panel Study (KOWEPS, 2006-2021). The proportion of individuals reporting unmet healthcare needs were 6.0% (KNHANES), 5.1% (CHS), and 13.1% (KHP). Annual percentage change (APC) which identifies trend for the follow-up period was -9.4%, -9.4%, and -5.3%, respectively. The proportion of individuals reporting unmet healthcare needs due to cost were 1.2% (KNAHANES), 0.5% (CHS), 2.7% (KHP), and 0.4% (KOWEPS). The APC was -10.4%, -16.1%, -11.5%, and -19.1%, respectively. Compared to the previous year, the rate of unmet healthcare needs decreased slightly, but the rate of unmet health care needs due to cost tended to increase. Overall, higher rates of unmet healthcare needs were reported in the low-income and the elderly population. Although it was confirmed through the APC that the rate of unmet healthcare experience has decreased over the past decade, it can be seen that there is still a disparity by income level and age. These results suggest the need for an appropriate health benefit coverage policy for the low-income and the elderly.

• Journal of Medicine and Life Science
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.52-54
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• 2019

While sustainability is seen in terms of social, economic and environmental dimensions, securing longterm financial costs and planning long-term strategic perspective among policy-makers are needed to maintain a healthcare system sustainability. Thus, the networking and cooperation between policy makers and health care workers should be tightened and strengthened in order to keep and enhance the healthcare system sustainability.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.102-120
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• 2001

This paper examines the current situation and major impacts of e-business on healthcare industry: hospital, pharmaceutical, medical device and health-related internet sectors. Of the 137 samples collected with mail survey, the utilization rate of B2C e-commerce is 31.4% and B2B is 13.1%. And 74.5% of respondents remains the first development stage which represents the simple advertisement such as the one-way information offering. The key obstacle of expansion of health care e-commerce turns out to be the illogical and outdated medical-related law and institution. Finally, policy recommendations are proposed based on the evaluation of the current policy implemented by government.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.80-83
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• 2017

The proportion of people who reported unmet healthcare needs is an important indicator to measure the access problem in healthcare service. To examine current status and trends of unmet needs in Korea, we used data from four sources: the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHNES, '2007-2015); the Community Health Survey (CHS '2008-2015); the Korea Health Panel Survey (KHP '2011-2013); the Korean Welfare Panel Study (KOWEPS '2006-2015). The proportion of individual reporting unmet healthcare needs as of 2015 was 12.6% (KNHNES), 11.7% (CHS), and 16.3% (KHP, as of 2013). Annual percent change which characterizes trend for follow-up period was -9.4%, -3.4%, and 7.6%, respectively. The proportion of individual reporting unmet healthcare needs due to cost was 2.8% (KNHNES), 1.7% (CHS), and 4.6% (KHP). The proportion of household reporting unmet healthcare needs due to cost was 1.2% (KOWEPS). Annual percent change was -9.0%, -14.9%, 9.4%, and -18.2%, respectively. Low income population reported about 5 times more unmet needs than high income population. Therefore for decreasing the unmet healthcare needs, strategies focusing on low income population were needed.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.84-87
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• 2017

Catastrophic healthcare expenditure refers to out-of-pocket spending for healthcare exceeding a certain proportion of a household's income and can lead to subsequent impoverishment. The aim of this study was to investigate the proportion of South Korean households that experienced catastrophic healthcare expenditure between 2006 and 2015 using available data from the Korea Health Panel, National Survey of Tax and Benefit, and Household Income and Expenditure Survey. Frequencies and trend tests were conducted to analyze the proportion of households with catastrophic healthcare expenditure. Subgroup analysis was performed based on income level. The results of the Household Income and Expenditure Survey revealed that around 2.88% of households experienced catastrophic healthcare expenditure in 2015 and that this proportion was highest in the low income group. Results also showed a statistically significant increasing trend in the number of households with catastrophic healthcare expenditure (annual percentage change= 0.92%, p-value < 0.0001). Therefore, the findings infer a need to strengthen public health care financing and to particularly monitor catastrophic healthcare expenditure in the low income group.

• Journal of Information Technology Services
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.115-132
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• 2023

This study aimed to propose application directions for South Korea's digital health policy by conducting a literature review, data analysis, and examining foreign cases. The objective was to enhance the healthcare rights of individuals with disabilities, considering the potential expansion of the digital health policy. The findings indicate that digital health holds significant promise in improving mobility and accessibility for the healthcare rights of disabled individuals in Korea. However, addressing the digital gap is crucial for achieving smooth utilization. To ensure seamless use of the digital health system, it is imperative to attain digital inclusion, encompassing digital technology, connectivity, and accessibility. Additionally, establishing governance for digital health and expanding infrastructure for affordable access to high-quality internet are essential. Despite the study's limitations arising from relying on literature research, it is anticipated that the findings can serve as foundational data for preemptive responses and provide insights into the direction of the government's digital health policy to enhance the healthcare rights of individuals with disabilities.

• The Korean Society of Law and Medicine
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.171-211
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• 2009

Because Korea has the excellent informational technology, it was expected to be able to improve the accessibility to healthcare and compete with other nations in excellence through u-Healthcare. But we can't complete the excellent u-Healthcare because of the law to be able to use only the tele-counselling between doctor to doctor or doctor to nurse. First of all, we must complete the law to be able to use the improved u-Health containing of telemedicine between doctor to patient. Though other factors, the procurement of safe IT, the credibility to healthcare service provider containing of nutritionist and occupational therapist etc. are prepared for erecting u-Healthcare, we can get the final and decisive u-Health policy only by means of Law for supporting u-Healthcare's Activation. The important sections of Law for supporting u-Healthcare's Activation are as follows. Sec. 4 The Minister for Health, Welfare and Family Affairs and the dean of associated administrative division have to erect the combined plan for u-Healthcare's Activation. Sec. 11 Government and local autonomous entity can support the facility and equipment to be necessitated for using u-Healthcare to improve the medical accessibility of person in the region with poor medicine. Sec. 13 Doctor can support other doctor's medical action through IT and if there are not medical risk, doctor can give medical act directly to the special patients. Sec. 21 If pharmaceuticals is necessitated in u-Healthcare, remote doctor has to send the patient the electronic prescription and the pharmaceutist to receive the electronic prescription has to delivery the pharmaceuticals in accordance with patient's demand.

• Journal of The Korea Institute of Healthcare Architecture
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.29-36
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• 2013

Purpose: Currently meaning and the needs of the times for the mental health are extensively changing. Contemporary needs for mental health has led to a change in the mental health policy and mental health facilities. But Change on Most of the mental health facilities have been focused on quantitative increase. So, changes in mental health facilities due to changes in mental health policy are needed for the study. This study investigate to the mental health facility system through this changes. Methods: In order to determine the flow of Mental health policy in Korea the mental health laws and reports were investigated Results: the result of this study can be summarized into two points. Korea's mental health policy has changed from the rehabilitation of the mentally ill to the prophylaxis of all the people. So, mental health facilities are changing form rehabilitation facilities in the private sector to public mental health center. Especially, mental medical institutions and mental health center are changing to requirement for the needs of the times. Mental medical institutions are changing from inpatient to outpatient and mental health center are changing from the rehabilitation of the mentally ill to the prophylaxis of all the people. Implications: Understand the flow of mental health policy, mental health facilities and the corresponding need.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.64-80
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• 2003

The separation policy of prescription and drug dispensing which has been implemented since the 1st of July, 2000, has brought about great changes in patients flow within the healthcare delivery system. The changes in the patients flow, in turn, resulted in the change in the distribution of financial resources among the participating entities in the healthcare delivery system: pharmacies, clinics, small hospitals, general hospitals, and teaching hospitals. The purpose of this study is to shed some light in the change in the financial performance of teaching hospitals under the separation policy that has created environmental changes such as the decrease in the number of out patients visits, the increase in the capital expenditures, the rapid increase in labor costs and so on. For the purpose, this study has compared and analyzed the balance sheets, the income statements and other operational data of three teaching hospitals located in D area. The data include two periods: before(year 1999) and after(year 2001) the implementation of the separation policy. The analysis was conducted with an emphasis on the changes in the financial ratios such as liquidity, turnover ratio, performance ratio. and capitalization ratio. The results show that the financial performances of the hospitals under study were weaker than before the implementation of the separation policy, and that, while the operating expenses have increased remarkably, there was no tendency to corresponding increase in revenue. And the result of analysis of other operational indicators also show that the performance of the hospitals is getting worse. Based on the results, this study has suggested the directions of the healthcare policies. This study suggests to improve the current model of separation of prescription and drug dispensing, to grant subsidies for the training of residents in teaching hospitals, and to lower the rate of patients' out of porket payment in teaching hospitals.