• Title/Summary/Keyword: Hospital policy

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Excess Deaths During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Southern Iran: Estimating the Absolute Count and Relative Risk Using Ecological Data

  • Mohammadreza Zakeri;Alireza Mirahmadizadeh;Habibollah Azarbakhsh;Seyed Sina Dehghani;Maryam Janfada;Mohammad Javad Moradian;Leila Moftakhar;Mehdi Sharafi;Alireza Heiran
    • Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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    • v.57 no.2
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    • pp.120-127
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    • 2024
  • Objectives: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic led to increased mortality rates. To assess this impact, this ecological study aimed to estimate the excess death counts in southern Iran. Methods: The study obtained weekly death counts by linking the National Death Registry and Medical Care Monitoring Center repositories. The P-score was initially estimated using a simple method that involved calculating the difference between the observed and expected death counts. The interrupted time series analysis was then used to calculate the mean relative risk (RR) of death during the first year of the pandemic. Results: Our study found that there were 5571 excess deaths from all causes (P-score=33.29%) during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic, with 48.03% of these deaths directly related to COVID-19. The pandemic was found to increase the risk of death from all causes (RR, 1.26; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.19 to 1.33), as well as in specific age groups such as those aged 35-49 (RR, 1.21; 95% CI, 1.12 to 1.32), 50-64 (RR, 1.38; 95% CI, 1.28 to 1.49), and ≥65 (RR, 1.29; 95% CI, 1.12 to 1.32) years old. Furthermore, there was an increased risk of death from cardiovascular diseases (RR, 1.17; 95% CI, 1.11 to 1.22). Conclusions: There was a 26% increase in the death count in southern Iran during the COVID-19 pandemic. More than half of these excess deaths were not directly related to COVID-19, but rather other causes, with cardiovascular diseases being a major contributor.

Trends in Regional Disparities in Cardiovascular Surgery and Mortality in Korea: A National Cross-sectional Study

  • Dal-Lae Jin;Kyoung-Hoon Kim;Euy Suk Chung;Seok-Jun Yoon
    • Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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    • v.57 no.3
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    • pp.260-268
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    • 2024
  • Objectives: Regional disparities in cardiovascular care in Korea have led to uneven patient outcomes. Despite the growing need for and access to procedures, few studies have linked regional service availability to mortality rates. This study analyzed regional variation in the utilization of major cardiovascular procedures and their associations with short-term mortality to provide better evidence regarding the relationship between healthcare resource distribution and patient survival. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted using nationwide claims data for patients who underwent coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG), percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), stent insertion, or aortic aneurysm resection in 2022. Regional variation was assessed by the relevance index (RI). The associations between the regional RI and 30-day mortality were analyzed. Results: The RI was lowest for aortic aneurysm resection (mean, 26.2; standard deviation, 26.1), indicating the most uneven regional distribution among the surgical procedures. Patients undergoing this procedure in regions with higher RIs showed significantly lower 30-day mortality (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.73; 95% confidence interval, 0.55 to 0.96; p=0.026) versus those with lower RIs. This suggests that cardiovascular surgery regional availability, as measured by RI, has an impact on mortality rates for certain complex surgical procedures. The RI was not associated with significant mortality differences for more widely available procedures like CABG (aOR, 0.96), PCI (aOR, 1.00), or stent insertion (aOR, 0.91). Conclusions: Significant regional variation and underutilization of cardiovascular surgery were found, with reduced access linked to worse mortality for complex procedures. Disparities should be addressed through collaboration among hospitals and policy efforts to improve outcomes.

A Survey on the Public's Experience of Medical Use for Developing Korean Medicine Clinical Practice Guideline of Female Infertility (여성 난임 한의표준임상진료지침 개작을 위한 일반인 대상 의료 이용 경험 조사)

  • Sung-Joo Lee;Soo-Hyun Sung;Doing-Il Kim;Young-Jin Yoon;Jang-Kyung Park
    • The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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    • v.37 no.2
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    • pp.109-119
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    • 2024
  • Objectives: This study is aimed to survey public's experience of medical use for developing Korean medicine clinical practice guideline of female infertility. Methods: The study engaged women who had experienced infertility despite regular conjugal relations, selected from an online survey company's national panel. Participants were surveyed from November 3 to 8, 2021. The questionnaire, developed from prior studies on Korean medicine, was emailed to 29,465 adults; 550 responses were analyzed after exclusions. The study received an IRB exemption from Pusan National University Korean Medicine Hospital and utilized Microsoft Excel for statistical analysis. Results: Among 550 respondents, 32.2% had experienced infertility, predominantly due to unexplained causes (52%). About half had received medical treatment (49.3%), primarily at hospitals and general hospitals (54.2%) and obstetrics and gynecology clinics (49.4%), with Korean medicine facilities also utilized (24.7% for clinics, 14.4% for hospitals). The most common treatments included herbal medicine in Korean medicine and ovulation induction in Western medicine, with most treatments lasting less than six months (71.4%) and costing between 1 to 5 million won (50.5%). Efforts to conceive included lifestyle adjustments such as maintaining a warm lower abdomen, supplement intake, and avoiding alcohol and tobacco. Conclusions: It is necessary that the guidelines be revised to address female infertility and to integrate recommendations for combining Korean medical treatments and Western medical treatments, which will enhance patient care in managing female infertility.

Incidence and severity of medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw in patients with osteoporosis using data from a Korean nationwide sample cohort in 2002 to 2019: a retrospective study

  • Su-Youn Ko;Tae-Yoon Hwang;Kiwook Baek;Chulyong Park
    • Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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    • v.41 no.1
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    • pp.39-44
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    • 2024
  • Background: Medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ) is a significant concern, particularly among patients taking bisphosphonates (BPs), denosumab, and selective estrogen receptor modulators (SERMs) for osteoporosis. Despite the known risks, large-scale cohort studies examining the incidence and severity of MRONJ are lacking. We aimed to ascertain the incidence and risk of MRONJ among these patients, whom we stratified by age groups, medication types, and duration of use. Methods: We utilized data from the National Health Insurance Service's sample cohort database, focusing on patients aged 40 years and above diagnosed with osteoporosis. The patients were divided into three groups: those prescribed BPs only, those prescribed SERMs only, and those prescribed both. Results: The overall incidence rate of MRONJ was 0.17%. A significantly higher incidence rate was observed among those taking osteoporosis medications, particularly among females with a relative risk of 4.99 (95% confidence interval, 3.21-7.74). The SERM group also had an incidence rate comparable to that of the BP group. Severity was assessed based on the invasiveness of the treatment methods, with 71.3% undergoing invasive treatment in the medication group. Conclusion: This study provides valuable insights into the incidence and severity of MRONJ among a large cohort of patients with osteoporosis. It underscores the need for comprehensive guidance on MRONJ risks across different medication groups and sets the stage for future research focusing on specific populations and treatment outcomes.

A Comparative Study of Prediction Models for College Student Dropout Risk Using Machine Learning: Focusing on the case of N university (머신러닝을 활용한 대학생 중도탈락 위험군의 예측모델 비교 연구 : N대학 사례를 중심으로)

  • So-Hyun Kim;Sung-Hyoun Cho
    • Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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    • v.12 no.2
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    • pp.155-166
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    • 2024
  • Purpose : This study aims to identify key factors for predicting dropout risk at the university level and to provide a foundation for policy development aimed at dropout prevention. This study explores the optimal machine learning algorithm by comparing the performance of various algorithms using data on college students' dropout risks. Methods : We collected data on factors influencing dropout risk and propensity were collected from N University. The collected data were applied to several machine learning algorithms, including random forest, decision tree, artificial neural network, logistic regression, support vector machine (SVM), k-nearest neighbor (k-NN) classification, and Naive Bayes. The performance of these models was compared and evaluated, with a focus on predictive validity and the identification of significant dropout factors through the information gain index of machine learning. Results : The binary logistic regression analysis showed that the year of the program, department, grades, and year of entry had a statistically significant effect on the dropout risk. The performance of each machine learning algorithm showed that random forest performed the best. The results showed that the relative importance of the predictor variables was highest for department, age, grade, and residence, in the order of whether or not they matched the school location. Conclusion : Machine learning-based prediction of dropout risk focuses on the early identification of students at risk. The types and causes of dropout crises vary significantly among students. It is important to identify the types and causes of dropout crises so that appropriate actions and support can be taken to remove risk factors and increase protective factors. The relative importance of the factors affecting dropout risk found in this study will help guide educational prescriptions for preventing college student dropout.

Technical Performance of Two-Dimensional Shear Wave Elastography for Measuring Liver Stiffness: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis

  • Dong Wook Kim;Chong Hyun Suh;Kyung Won Kim;Junhee Pyo;Chan Park;Seung Chai Jung
    • Korean Journal of Radiology
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    • v.20 no.6
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    • pp.880-893
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    • 2019
  • Objective: To assess the technical performance of two-dimensional shear wave elastography (2D-SWE) for measuring liver stiffness. Materials and Methods: The Ovid-MEDLINE and EMBASE databases were searched for studies reporting the technical performance of 2D-SWE, including concerns with technical failures, unreliable measurements, interobserver reliability, and/or intraobserver reliability, published until June 30, 2018. The pooled proportion of technical failure and unreliable measurements was calculated using meta-analytic pooling via the random-effects model and inverse variance method for calculating weights. Subgroup analyses were performed to explore potential causes of heterogeneity. The pooled intraclass correlation coefficients (ICCs) for interobserver and intraobserver reliability were calculated using the Hedges-Olkin method with Fisher's Z transformation of the correlation coefficient. Results: The search yielded 34 articles. From 20 2D-SWE studies including 6196 patients, the pooled proportion of technical failure was 2.3% (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.3-3.9%). The pooled proportion of unreliable measurements from 20 studies including 6961 patients was 7.5% (95% CI, 4.7-11.7%). In the subgroup analyses, studies conducting more than three measurements showed fewer unreliable measurements than did those with three measurements or less, but no intergroup difference was found in technical failure. The pooled ICCs for interobserver reliability (from 10 studies including 517 patients) and intraobserver reliability (from 7 studies including 679 patients) were 0.87 (95% CI, 0.82-0.90) and 0.93 (95% CI, 0.89-0.95), respectively, suggesting good to excellent reliability. Conclusion: 2D-SWE shows good technical performance for assessing liver stiffness, with high technical success and reliability. Future studies should establish the quality criteria and optimal number of measurements.

A Study on the Changes in Ventilator Care Rate and Outcome of Very Low Birth Weight Infants During Last Four Years (최근 4년간 극소 저출생 체중아의 인공 호흡기 치료율과 경과 변화에 관한 연구)

  • Jung, Byun Kyung;Kim, Yeoung Ju;Lee, Sang Geel
    • Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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    • v.46 no.11
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    • pp.1073-1079
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    • 2003
  • Purpose : Recently there has been a decrease in ventilator care rate and duration of very low birth weight infants(VLBWI) in Fatima Hospital. The aims of this study were to survey the frequency and duration of ventilation in VLBWI and to develop a non-invasive neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) policy. Methods : We performed a retrospective study of 284 newborn of infants less than 1,500 gm admitted to NICU and discharged from January 1998 to December 2001. Patients were intubated or applied continuous positive airway pressure(CPAP) via nasal prong immediately after presenting signs of respiratory distress. We analyzed epidemiologic data to study the changes in ventilator care rate, duration and outcome of ventilator care groups. Results : Of 284 newborn infants, 146 required invasive management, such as endotracheal intubation and assisted ventilation. The characteristics, the severity of clinical symptoms and laboratory findings in ventilator care groups at birth showed no significant differences. The annual proportion of infants requiring assisted ventilation decreased according to increasing gestational age. The median duration of ventilation decreased markedly from 6.0 days in 1998 to 2.7 days in 2001. Final complications and outcomes in ventilator care groups showed no significant differences. Conclusion : Our study shows a significant reduction in the invasiveness of the treatment of VLBW infants, which was not associated with an increased mortality or morbidity. A non-invasive strategy for the VLBW infant with minimal to moderate respiratory distress after birth in NICU is better than immediate invasive management. Non-invasive nasal CPAP is a simpler and safer method than invasive assisted ventilation.

Effects of Private Insurance on Medical Expenditure (민간의료보험 가입이 의료이용에 미치는 영향)

  • Yun, Hee Suk
    • KDI Journal of Economic Policy
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    • v.30 no.2
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    • pp.99-128
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    • 2008
  • Nearly all Koreans are insured through National Health Insurance(NHI). While NHI coverage is nearly universal, it is not complete. Coverage is largely limited to minimal level of hospital and physician expenses, and copayments are required in each case. As a result, Korea's public insurance system covers roughly 50% of overall individual health expenditures, and the remaining 50% consists of copayments for basic services, spending on services that are either not covered or poorly covered by the public system. In response to these gaps in the public system, 64% of the Korean population has supplemental private health insurance. Expansion of private health insurance raises negative externality issue. Like public financing schemes in other countries, the Korean system imposes cost-sharing on patients as a strategy for controlling utilization. Because most insurance policies reimburse patients for their out-of-pocket payments, supplemental insurance is likely to negate the impact of the policy, raising both total and public sector health spending. So far, most empirical analysis of supplemental health insurance to date has focused on the US Medigap programme. It is found that those with supplements apparently consume more health care. Two reasons for higher health care consumption by those with supplements suggest themselves. One is the moral hazard effect: by eliminating copayments and deductibles, supplements reduce the marginal price of care and induce additional consumption. The other explanation is that supplements are purchased by those who anticipate high health expenditures - adverse effect. The main issue addressed has been the separation of the moral hazard effect from the adverse selection one. The general conclusion is that the evidence on adverse selection based on observable variables is mixed. This article investigates the extent to which private supplementary insurance affect use of health care services by public health insurance enrollees, using Korean administrative data and private supplements related data collected through all relevant private insurance companies. I applied a multivariate two-part model to analyze the effects of various types of supplements on the likelihood and level of public health insurance spending and estimated marginal effects of supplements. Separate models were estimated for inpatients and outpatients in public insurance spending. The first part of the model estimated the likelihood of positive spending using probit regression, and the second part estimated the log of spending for those with positive spending. Use of a detailed information of individuals' public health insurance from administration data and of private insurance status from insurance companies made it possible to control for health status, the types of supplemental insurance owned by theses individuals, and other factors that explain spending variations across supplemental insurance categories in isolating the effects of supplemental insurance. Data from 2004 to 2006 were used, and this study found that private insurance increased the probability of a physician visit by less than 1 percent and a hospital admission by about 1 percent. However, supplemental insurance was not found to be associated with a bigger health care service utilization. Two-part models of health care utilization and expenditures showed that those without supplemental insurance had higher inpatient and outpatient expenditures than those with supplements, even after controlling for observable differences.

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Development of the Model for Total Quality Management and Cost of Quality using Activity Based Costing in the Hospital (병원의 활동기준원가를 이용한 총체적 질관리 모형 및 질비용 산출 모형 개발)

  • 조우현;전기홍;이해종;박은철;김병조;김보경;이상규
    • Health Policy and Management
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    • v.11 no.2
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    • pp.141-168
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    • 2001
  • Healthcare service organizations can apply the cost of quality(COQ) model as a method to evaluate a service quality improvement project such as Total Quality Management (TQM). COQ model has been used to quantify and evaluate the efficiency and effectiveness of TQM project through estimation between cost and benefit in intervention for a quality Improvement to provide satisfied services for a customer, and to identify a non value added process. For estimating cost of quality, We used activities and activity costs based on Activity Based Costing(ABC) system. These procedures let the researchers know whether the process is value-added by each activity, and identify a process to require improvement in TQM project. Through the series of procedures, health care organizations are service organizations can identify a problem in their quality improvement programs, solve the problem, and improve their quality of care for their costumers with optimized cost. The study subject was a quality improvement program of the department of radiology department in a hospital with n bed sizes in Metropolitan Statistical Area (MSA). The principal source of data for developing the COQ model was total cases of retaking shots for diagnoses during five months period from December of the 1998 to April of the 1999 in the department. First of the procedures, for estimating activity based cost of the department of diagnostic radiology, the researchers analyzed total department health insurance claims to identify activities and activity costs using one year period health insurance claims from September of the 1998 to August of the 1999. COQ model in this study applied Simpson & Multher's COQ(SM's COQ) model, and SM's COQ model divided cost of quality into failure cost with external and internal failure cost, and evaluation/prevention cost. The researchers identified contents for cost of quality, defined activities and activity costs for each content with the SM's COQ model, and finally made the formula for estimating activity costs relating to implementing service quality improvement program. The results from the formula for estimating cost of quality were following: 1. The reasons for retaking shots were largely classified into technique, appliances, patients, quality management, non-appliances, doctors, and unclassified. These classifications by reasons were allocated into each office doing re-taking shots. Therefore, total retaking shots categorized by reasons and offices, the researchers identified internal and external failure costs based on these categories. 2. The researchers have developed cost of quality (COQ) model, identified activities by content for cost of quality, assessed activity driving factors and activity contribution rate, and calculated total cost by each content for cost for quality, except for activity cost. 3. According to estimation of cost of quality for retaking shots in department of diagnostic radiology, the failure cost was ₩35,880, evaluation/preventive cost was ₩72,521, two times as much as failure cost. The proportion between internal failure cost and external failure cost in failure cost is similar. The study cannot identify trends on input cost and quality improving in cost of qualify over the time, because the study employs cross-sectional design. Even with this limitation, results of this study are much meaningful. This study shows possibility to evaluate value on the process of TQM subjects using activities and activity costs by ABC system, and this study can objectively evaluate quality improvement program through quantitative comparing input costs with marginal benefits in quality improvement.

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Impact of a 'Proactive Self-Audit Program of Fraudulent Claims' on Healthcare Providers' Claims Patterns: Intravenous Injections (KK020) (부당청구 예방형 자율점검제가 의료기관의 청구행태에 미치는 영향: 정맥 내 일시주사(KK020)를 중심으로)

  • Hee-Hwa Lee;Young-Joo Won;Kwang-Soo Lee;Ki-Bong Yoo
    • Health Policy and Management
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    • v.34 no.2
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    • pp.163-177
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    • 2024
  • Background: This study aims to examine changes in fraudulent claim counts and total reimbursements before and after enhancements in counterfeit claim controls and monitoring of provider claim patterns under the "Proactive self-audit pilot program of fraudulent claims." Methods: This study used the claims data and hospital information (July 2021-February 2022) of the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service. The data was collected from 1,129 hospitals assigned to the pilot program, selected from the providers who filed a claim for reimbursement for intravenous injections. Paired and independent t-tests, along with regression analysis, were utilized to analyze changing patterns and factors influencing claim behaviors. Results: This program led to a reduction in the number of fraudulent claims and the total amount of reimbursements across all levels of hospitals in the experimental groups (except for physicians below 40 years old). In the control group, general hospitals and hospitals demonstrated some significant decreases based on the duration since opening, while clinics showed significant reductions in specified subjects. Additionally, a notable increase was observed among male physicians over the age of 50 years. Overall, claims and reimbursements significantly declined after the intervention. Furthermore, a positive correlation was found between hospital opening duration and claim numbers, suggesting longer-established hospitals were more likely to file claims. Conclusion: The results indicate that the pilot program successfully encouraged providers to autonomously minimize fraudulent claims. Therefore, it is advised to extend further support, including promotional activities, training, seminars, and continuous monitoring, to nonparticipating hospitals to facilitate independent improvements in their claim practices.