• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.12 no.8
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• pp.3547-3554
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• 2011

The aim of this study is to take hold of the present situation as well as the perspective of the domestic alcohol specialized hospitals. The structured questionnaire was prepared to understand the type of services, manpower and systematic programs. Among eight hospitals that stand for the alcohol addiction specialized hospitals, six hospitals agreed to participate in the survey, which was made from Jun. 17 to July 15, 2010. The average number of beds of the surveyed hospitals was 208. They were mostly private ones(66.7%), located in urban area(50%), and had experiences of alcohol treatment less than five years(50%). While all of them practiced both the inpatient and outpatient services, only 33% provided the systematic outpatient program that was at least 2 or 3 hours per week. All hospitals practiced the physical and individual psychological evaluations, but only 16.1% had the daytime programs. The beds of protective ward were 72% of all beds, and the beds of night and day occupied 7.6% and 2.6% respectively. It was found that although the average number of mental health social worker and mental health nurse was larger than that required in the regulation of mental health law there are significant deviations between hospitals. However, the manpower of psychiatrists and nurses were comparatively large. The first problem indicated by clinical experts was the patient's refusal of care, which results in an inefficiency in the treatment. The next problem was the lack of local health care institutions that can attend on the discharged patients were important issues. Also the low reimbursement and indifferences to the alcohol abuse were considered as important issues.

• 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.