• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.421-432
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• 1997

To find out the actual status of treatment of physically handicapped who were stayed of home, 320 physically handicapped persons were selected among total 6,264 physically handicapped registered in Taejon city, surveyed from January 1st to March 30, 1997. Following are the results ana lysed of collected data from 201 samped persons. 1. For the cause of physically handicapped, 36.3% was congenital, 26.9% was cerebralvascular acciednt(CVA). and 14.9% was infectious diseases and others in that orders. The must frequest cause of below 20 years age group was congenital cause, but that of $20{\sim}30$ years age group and $40{\sim}50$ years age group were accident and CVA repectively. 30.0% of respondents caused by infection and others earned household living expenses. Household living expenses were higher among the respondents caused by congenital cause but those were lowest in the accidental couse group. Handicap durations were longer in the accidental cause group and infections and others group than the congenital cause group and CVA group. 2. 54.7% of studied handicapped were under treatment. But 36.3% of them were stopped treatment, and 8.9 % of them answered not treated. Most handicapped, coused by congenital and CAV, were under treatment, but most of them caused by accidental and others were stopped treatment. 3. For the medical facilities, 54.5% of them utilized welfare facility, but 25.5% utilized general hospital and 20.0% of them utilized oriental medical hospital and health centers. Congenital cause group frequently selected welfare facility for the treatment facility. But accidental cause group frequently seleced general hospitals and CVA gruop frequently selected oriental medical hospital and others. The medical cost of welfare facility, oriental medical hospitals and others were lower than that of general hospitals. 4. The proportions of under treatment were higher among yonger age higher monthly living expenses group shorter handicapped duration groups, congenital cause group and handicap grade II group. But that of stop treatment were higher among congenital cause group, infectious and others cause group, and handicap grade I & then III group. 5. For the feelings satisfacion about medical treatment, only 35.3% of under treated group responed satisfation. 55.5% of them responded so-so, but 9.1 % responed dissatisfaction. The proportion of satisfaction was higher among shorter handicap duration group.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.48
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• pp.150-178
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• 2002

The elderly have higher potential for contracting chronic diseases and suffering from development of a complication. Also, the extended old age period leads the elderly to demand more medical services. All those facts indicate that the elderly need more medical services than any other age groups. Consequently, medical care for the elderly with chronic diseases causes high costs burden. However, there is few studies researching the financial burden of chronic illness of the elderly. This study aimed to 1) understand how much the elderly with chronic diseases pay for medical expenses; 2) find out some specific factors related to health care financial burden; 3) suggest the alternative policies to decrease excessive financial burden of caring for the elderly with chronic illness. National Health and Nutrition Survey, which was surveyed by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs in 1998, was used in this study. 4,707 persons with chronic diseases out of 5385 persons over age 60 were selectively sampled. Using SPSSWIN, correlation analysis, T-test, ANOVA and Regression were used as statistical methods in this study. Stepwise multiple regression was employed to analyze the data with a ratio of health care expenditure to income(financial burden) as a dependent variable. Out of Korean old people, 87% had the chronic diseases and their health care financial burden rate showed the average of 17.9%, which meaned they expended almost 20% income to buy medical services. The variables having a great influence on financial burden were monthly income, activity, limitation and single household of an old person. The excessive financial burden was experienced by people who had more than 4 activity limitations(37.1%) and were in the lowest Income level(32.6%), and single household of an old person(31.4%). The new policies should be considered to 1) reduce the financial burden in these groups and to develop the sliced medical cost system considering the characteristics of chronic illness and income level; and 2) develop the medical management system to care for the elderly with chronic illness.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.81 no.3
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• pp.241-246
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• 2018

Background: The "Tuberculosis Relief Belt Supporting Project (Tuberculosis Patient Management Project for Poverty Groups)" is a national program for socioeconomically vulnerable tuberculosis (TB) patients. We sought to evaluate the clinical and socioeconomic characteristics of poverty-stricken TB patients, and determined the need for relief. Methods: We examined in-patients with TB, who were supported by this project at the National Medical Center from 2014 to 2015. We retrospectively investigated the patients' socioeconomic status, clinical characteristics, and project expenditures. Results: Fifty-eight patients were enrolled. Among 55 patients with known income status, 24 (43.6%) had no income. Most patients (80%) lived alone. A total of 48 patients (82.8%) had more than one underlying disease. More than half of the enrolled patients (30 patients, 51.7%) had smear-positive TB. Cavitary disease was found in 38 patients (65.5%). Among the 38 patients with known resistance status, 19 (50%) had drug-resistant TB. In terms of disease severity, 96.6% of the cases had moderate-to-severe disease. A total of 14 patients (26.4%) died during treatment. Nursing expenses were supported for 12 patients (20.7%), with patient transportation costs reimbursed for 35 patients (60%). In terms of treatment expenses for 31 people (53.4%), 93.5% of them were supported by uninsured benefits. Conclusion: Underlying disease, infectivity, drug resistance, severity, and death occurred frequently in socioeconomically vulnerable patients with TB. Many uninsured treatment costs were not supported by the current government TB programs, and the "Tuberculosis Relief Belt Supporting Project" compensated for these limitations.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.1-10
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• 2006

Objectives : Recently, the total medical expenses of the korean oriental medical service in national health insurance is on the increase every year. Herbal medicines are one of the major methods of the medical treatment. But the expenses of these herbal preparations that can receive benefits from insurance system are decreasing. Methods : In this research, we obtained statistical data of the benefit states of herbal preparations in herbal heath insurance during year 2001-2003 from Health Insurance Review Agency. We analyzed top twenty main diseases in herbal health insurance and mainly used prescription in these diseases. Results : There were wide differences in the application of prescriptions among diseases. For example, musculoskeletal diseases occupied an important position and Ojucksan took more than 50 percentage. Conclusion : We hope that this study could be a basic data for improving the benefit system of herbal health insurance and further studies should be carried out subsequently.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.263-271
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• 2018

Health technology assessment (HTA) is defined as multidisciplinary policy analysis to look into the medical, economic, social, and ethical implications of the development, distribution, and use of health technology. Following the recent changes in the social environment, there are increasing needs to improve Korea's healthcare environment by, inter alia, assessing health technologies in an organized, timely manner in accordance with the government's strategies to ensure that citizens' medical expenses are kept at a stable level. Dedicated to HTA and research, the National Evidence-based Healthcare Collaborating Agency (NECA) analyzes and provides grounds on the clinical safety, efficacy, and economic feasibility of health technologies. HTA offers the most suitable grounds for decision making not only by healthcare professionals but also by policy makers and citizens as seen in a case in 2009 where research revealed that glucosamine lacked preventive and treatment effects for osteoarthritis and glucosamine was subsequently excluded from the National Health Insurance's benefit list to stop the insurance scheme from suffering financial losses and citizens from paying unnecessary medical expenses. For the development of HTA in Korea, the NECA will continue exerting itself to accomplish its mission of providing policy support by health technology reassessment, promoting the establishment and use of big data and HTA platforms for public interest, and developing a new value-based HTA system.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.9-16
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• 2012

Objectives: This study was purposed to gain basic information for design of medical tourism for Japanese tourists using traditional Korean medicine (KTM). Methods: A questionnaire regarding Korean traditional medical tourism was administered to Japanese tourists. 224 valid responses were selected, and their awareness of KTM, preferred subject and decision factors for participation in Korea traditional medical tourism were analyzed by SPSS 19.0 version. Results: 23.6% of surveyees gave a positive answer on interest in medical tourism of KTM and 44.6% showed a middle degree. The most preferred subject was medical check-up followed by skin aesthetics, orthopedics and gynecology. Communication, medical skill level, hospital facilities and medical expenses were indicated as the important factor for participation's decision on KTM-based medical tourism. Conclusions: KTM-based medical tourism could be a driving motor of medical tourism in Korea. The medical check & skin care associated medical services are recommended, and the public relationship for awareness of KTM supported by government is strongly required for acquisition of Japanese tourists.

• Journal of the Korean Medical Association
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• v.61 no.11
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• pp.638-642
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• 2018

Surgery is a very hands-on area of medical care, in that surgeons identify problems in patients' bodies and directly change them through operations. Therefore, it is not only necessary for surgeons to have a high level of expertise, but also to take considerable responsibility for the outcomes of each operation. However, surgery, which was once an object of envy, has long been a process to avoid, due to various circumstances, such as abnormal medical expenses in the medical field and social phenomena that avoids difficult work. It is unfortunate that medical professionals do not receive sympathy from others within the same medical field because of the general difficulties of the profession. The fundamental problem in this situation is the abnormal profit structure of the Korean medical system. Efforts by various related organizations will be needed to objectively evaluate the problems of the current medical insurance system and to make reasonable adjustments considering the difficulty, frequency, and resource-intensiveness of medical care.

• Journal of Korea Entertainment Industry Association
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• v.14 no.6
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• pp.201-208
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• 2020

The purpose of this study was to analyze the claim data of Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service to determine what factors affected the length of stay in patients aged 65 and older and undergoing total knee arthroplasty due to the principal diagnosis of gonarthrosis by the type of medical institutions. As a result of making an analysis, gender, age, medical security type, severity, residential area and the number of sickbeds were identified as the factors that influenced the length of stay in each type of medical institutions. At this point in time when an increase in the elderly population triggered by population aging and another subsequent increase in medical expenses put a heavy strain on household and national economy, it's necessary to consider how to shorten the length of stay and how to ensure the efficient management of sickbeds based on the findings of this study. In addition, this study is of significance in that it could be used as basic data on quality life-care for elderly patients by the introduction of a systematic management system geared toward lessening patient burden for medical expenses.

• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.1-16
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• 2023

Objectives We aimed to investigate the effectiveness of the Korean medical critical pathway (CP) in treating childhood anorexia. Methods In total, 21 patients who met the criteria and agreed to provide information were assigned to the CP group, while 24 patients who met the criteria, agreed to provide information, but disagreed with CP application were assigned to the non-CP group. Demographic, clinical, and economic indices were compared between the two groups. Clinical indices before and after treatment were also compared between the two groups. Results In the CP group, height, weight, body mass index (BMI), BMI percentile, and food approach (FAP) increased significantly after treatment, and numeric rating scale (NRS) and food avoidance (FAV) scores decreased significantly. In the non-CP group, height, weight, weight percentile, BMI, BMI percentile, and FAP increased significantly, whereas NRS and FAV decreased significantly after treatment. Compared to the non-CP group, CP application increased FAP and decreased FAV, medical expenses per consultation, and the total treatment period. Conclusions The application of the Korean medical critical pathway for childhood anorexia is an effective cure system that decreases overall medical expenses with good-quality treatment by means of the standardization of medical practices.

• Journal of Distribution Research
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.237-255
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• 2010

The Korean Pharmacist Law has limited the sales of medicine to pharmacies. This has caused difficulty in purchasing medicine late at night or on holidays, which has limited the range of customers' selections and accelerated customers' discomfort, accordingly. Also, the rapid progress of aging has quickly boosted medical expenses for seniors, and has served as a factor that aggravates the budget of national medical insurance. Meanwhile, advanced countries, including the USA and Japan, have allowed the sales of general medicine, of which the safety and efficacy have been tested, in general retail stores such as convenience stores or super markets from the perspective of supporting self-medication. In particular, Japan, which has a strong tendency of pursuing safety in the world, diversified sales channels for general medicine in order to control quickly rising medical expenses. As a result, Japan has achieved the effect of easing various regulations as follows in the economic and social fields. First, the increasing distribution channels of general medicine from pharmacies to general retail stores provoked a potential demand, which also expanded related markets. Second, the competition between sales channels resulted in the reduction of the price of medicine. Third, the growing sales channels of medicine have extended the options of consumers and, subsequently, the convenience in the use of consumers has increased. Fourth, the creation of a competitive environment owing to the diversification of sales channels has accelerated an effort to enhance corporate competitiveness. Fifth, the foundation of enhancing the financial soundness of medical expenses has been prepared through the formation of a self-medication environment. In 2000, the Korean population aged 65 or over exceeded 7%, and it is anticipated to be over 14% by 2018; thus, the increase of national medical expenses will be sped up. As a way of being prepared for the era of aging, we, just as other advanced countries, need to create a self-treatment environment by diversifying the sellers of general medicine, and, thus, reduce spending on personal medical expenses, enhance the financial soundness of national medical insurance, and, further, promote the welfare of consumers.