• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.20 no.9
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• pp.672-680
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• 2020

This study aimed to elucidate the differences in nursing service experience according to the participants' characteristics and experience of hospitalization and to identify the relation between nursing service experience and perceptions of the health system. It analyzed the data from a "Survey of health care service experience" conducted among 574 participants who had been hospitalized. The results showed that the mean nursing service experience of participants who had never used other hospitals before hospitalization with over ten days of hospital stay was higher compared with the other participants. Moreover, those who used other hospitals before hospitalization reported lower nursing service experience scores. In the classification based on the change of the inpatient room, the difference in the nurse service experience according to the number of hospitalization days was significant only in patients who had no change in the inpatient room in the multi-person room. The nursing service experience scores were positively related to general satisfaction with the hospitalization experience, health system satisfaction, and trust in the health system. This finding implies that the nursing service experience should be interpreted by separating the inpatient experience, and the strategies to improve the nursing service are needed. In addition, the survey should include items related to the characteristics of medical institutions such as nurse staffing, to identify factors affecting the experience of nursing services.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.56 no.3
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• pp.248-254
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• 2023

Objectives: Measuring the quality of care is paramount to inform policies for healthcare services. Nevertheless, little is known about the quality of primary care and acute care provided in Korea. This study investigated trends in the quality of primary care and acute care. Methods: Case-fatality rates and avoidable hospitalization rates were used as performance indicators to assess the quality of primary care and acute care. Admission data for the period 2008 to 2020 were extracted from the National Health Insurance Claims Database. Case-fatality rates and avoidable hospitalization rates were standardized by age and sex to adjust for patients' characteristics over time, and significant changes in the rates were identified by joinpoint regression. Results: The average annual percent change in age-/sex-standardized case-fatality rates for acute myocardial infarction was -2.3% (95% confidence interval, -4.6 to 0.0). For hemorrhagic and ischemic stroke, the age-/sex-standardized case-fatality rates were 21.8% and 5.9%, respectively in 2020; these rates decreased since 2008 (27.1 and 8.7%, respectively). The average annual percent change in age-/sex-standardized avoidable hospitalization rates ranged from -9.4% to -3.0%, with statistically significant changes between 2008 and 2020. In 2020, the avoidable hospitalization rates decreased considerably compared with the 2019 rate because of the coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic. Conclusions: The avoidable hospitalization rates and case-fatality rates decreased overall during the past decade, but they were relatively high compared with other countries. Strengthening primary care is an essential requirement to improve patient health outcomes in the rapidly aging Korean population.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.173-179
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• 2021

Background: In Korea, the length of stay and medical expenses incurred by medical aid patients are increasing at a rate faster than the national health insurance. Therefore, there is a need to create a management strategy for each type of hospitalization to manage the length of stay of medical aid patients. Methods: The study used data from the 2019 National Health Insurance Claims. We analyzed the factors that affect the length of stay for 186,576 medical aid patients who were hospitalized for more than 31 days, with a focus on the type of hospitalization in long-term care hospitals. Results: The study found a significant correlation between gender, age, medical aid type, chronic disease ratio, long-term care hospital patient classification, and hospitalization type variables as factors that affect the length of hospital stay. The analysis of the differences in the length of stay for each type of hospitalization showed that the average length of stay is 291.4 days for type 1, 192.9 days for type 2, and 157.0 days for type 3, and that the difference is significant (p<0.0001). When type 3 was 0, type 1 significantly increased by 99.4 days, and type 2 by 36.6 days (p<0.0001). Conclusion: A model that can comprehensively view factors, such as provider factors and institutional factors, needs to be designed. In addition, to reduce long stays for medical aid patients, a mechanism to establish an early discharge plan should be prepared and concerns about underutilization should be simultaneously addressed.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.17 no.8
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• pp.290-300
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• 2017

This study concerns whether the public spirit of medical services, which is the foundational goal of national hospitals, is being realized. To derive results regarding this question, it is necessary to identify the determinants that influence the choice of national hospitals. The data are based on the number of cases of medical service use among the data for 6 years from 2008 to 2013 in the Korea Medical Panel, and the subjects were limited to those who were 18 years old or older. In the final analysis, 14,365 cases of hospitalization service uses were employed. For the research method, Andersen's behavioral model theory was applied, and predisposing, enabling, and individual factors were determined to be variables. Logistic regression analysis was conducted to analyze the determinants of national hospital choice factors. It was found that the rate of use of national hospitals was very low, with 5.23% for hospitalization services. Furthermore, socioeconomically vulnerable people, such as the elderly, low-income people, the national meritorious and medical care beneficiaries, chronic patients, and disabled patients are more likely to choose national hospitals than private hospitals. Therefore, for the appropriate management of medical service use for low-income vulnerable groups, it is necessary to discuss the enhancement of primary medical care in national healthcare.

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

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.17 no.12
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• pp.617-627
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• 2017

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of medical service quality perceived by general hospital inpatients on satisfaction and loyalty. Data were collected and analyzed through questionnaires of 310 hospitalized patients in general hospital in Gyeonggi-do. The main results of this study are as follows. First, the effect of medical service quality on satisfaction was statistically significant in procedural procedure, hospital life (doctor, nurse), employee friendliness, hospital environment and service satisfaction(p <.001). Second, the effect of medical service quality on loyalty was statistically significant in hospitalization (nurse), hospitalization (doctor), hospital environment and service loyalty(p <.05). Finally, the effect of inpatient satisfaction on loyalty was found to have a significant effect on satisfaction(p <.001). The higher satisfaction with medical service quality affects the loyalty, and it is an important factor in future re-hospitalization and recommendation of hospital to others. Therefore, management should establish policies on quality of medical service to improve the satisfaction and loyalty of hospitalized patients. It should be reflected.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.397-413
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• 2011

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between the income level and the healthcare utilization by health insurance type in all cancer patients in year 2005. Methods: The target population was cancer patients with health insurance who used healthcare as a diagnosis code (C00-C97) from January 1 to December 31 of 2005. The Korea Central Cancer Registry Center's Cancer Patient Registry Data, the list of cancer patients of the National Health Insurance Corporation, and the claim data of the Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service were used. The I was the wealthiest, followed by II, III, IV. The V was the poorest in this study. For the analysis, the $x^2$-test, ANOVA (and Kruskal-Wallis test), and regression were used. Results: Outpatient and hospitalization medical expenses, and outpatient visit days of cancer patients with self-employed health insurance were highest in I (p<.001, respectively), and the hospitalization days were the highest in II (p<.001, respectively). Outpatient and hospitalization medical expenses, and outpatient visit and hospitalization days of cancer patients with occupational health insurance were the highest in I (p<.001, respectively). Outpatient and hospitalization medical expenses, and outpatient visit and hospitalization days in cancer patients were higher in I compared to V, and higher in II and III, IV compared to V (p<.001, respectively). Conclusion: Supporting plan for cancer patients' outpatient healthcare utilization are necessary. Moreover, we should make specialized strategy for low income cancer patients with self-employed health insurance when we develop quality improvement policy for inpatient service.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.416-423
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• 2009

Objectives : This study was performed to examine medical care utilization of psychiatric patients and to explore patients' characteristics associated with extended hospitalization. Methods : Data were extracted from information of Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service. All data associated with admission and outpatient clinic visit were analysed by patient characteristics. We selected first psychiatric admission patients who diagnosed mental and behavioral disorders due to use of alcohol (main disease code: F10), schizophrenia and related disorders (F20-29) and mood disorders (F30~33) from January to June 2005. We analysed status of admission, mean length of stay, regular access to outpatient clinic and rates of extended hospitalization during 3 years. Bivariate and multivariate analyses were conducted to identify factors associated with extended hospitalization. Results : The number of psychiatric patients during the first six month of 2005 was 30,678. The mean length of stay was longest for schizophrenia and related disorders but shortest for mood disorders. Patients who experienced an extended hospitalization were 18.8% of total subjects. An extended hospitalization was more common in schizophrenia and related disorders than other diagnostic groups. The factors associated with the extended hospitalization were age, sex, diagnostic group, type of insurance and medical care utilization groups. Conclusions : The study indicates the problem of an extended hospitalization for psychiatric patients in Korea. It is suggested that variations in rates of extended hospitalization among medical care utilization group may need an active early intervention system in psychiatric treatment service. Particular attention needs to be devoted to planning and funding for reducing extended hospitalization.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Fundamentals of Nursing
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.146-156
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• 2017

Purpose: The aim of this study was to identify Russian inpatients' expectation and satisfaction with nursing service, and further, to analyze the relationship between these variables. Methods: A structured questionnaire was used to survey for 81 Russian inpatients. The survey was conducted from January to June, 2014. Results: Empathy and assurance significantly influenced nursing service expectation and satisfaction. Nursing service expectation was statistically significant for the number of visit to Korea, and nursing service satisfaction was statistically significant for gender, monthly income and primary care giver during hospitalization. Revisit intention was significantly different according to religion, medical department and primary care giver during hospitalization. There were positive correlations between nursing service expectation and satisfaction, and between nursing service satisfaction and intention to revisit the hospital. Conclusion: The results of this study show that the level satisfaction with nursing service influences Russian inpatients' intention continue using the hospital. Therefore, in order to increase the intention to revisit the hospital Korea hospital employees, especially nurses, need to develop nursing service strategies according to general characteristics, culture and nationality of foreign patients.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.13-20
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• 2020

Purposes: This study has the purpose to the improvement of health promotion for local residents through delivery of high-quality medical service by improving imbalance of medical use and seeking an improvement plan for accessibility of effective medical service by understanding the pattern of medical use by region. Methodology: As for the method, this study derived results at the significance level of p<0.05 through chi square test(χ² test) and Generalized Estimating Equation(GEE) SAS 9.4 version by using the data of the 7th Korean Longitudinal Study of Ageing 2018. Findings: Study results show that local residents use medical service such as hospitalization care and outpatient visit more as compared to the residents in Gyeonggi-do/large or medium-sized cities. The more the number of chronic disease, the more they select hospitalization care rather than outpatient visit. Results also show that patients engaged in labour tend to select outpatient treatment rather than hospitalization treatment. Meanwhile, severity of disease turned out to be higher amongst medical care beneficiaries than that of national health insurance patients when comparing the types of medical security. Practical Implications: In stead of solving the problem of the difference in medical use by region from the aspect of income and economic level, an integrative solution shall be provided putting viewpoint on the social phenomenon suited to the changes of the times. This study suggests a plan for using a health and medical community care center that acts as a gate keeper of regional medical service.