• The Korean Nurse
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.61-76
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• 1993

This study was done in order La provide basic data to a Fee System for hospital based Home Health Care services in Korea in the future. It was done by investigating activities provided to possible Home Health Care clients who could be discharged early from genera] hospitals and then estimating the nursing care fee according to each nursing activity based upon the time used for activity. The subjects of the study were selected by convenience sampling and consisted of 35 clients who might be clients for Home Nursing Care and were presently admitted to a medical- surgical ward of Y University Medical Center located in Seoul, Korea. The data collection period was from September 1, 1991 to September 30, 1991. The research in strum nets utilized for the study were a client selection criterial for Home Health Care developed by Choo(l991) and a check-list of nursing activity developed by researcher. The results of the study were as follows : 1. There were 44 different nursing activities provided in the seven days but the time was calculated for only 25 of the nursing activities. 2. Fees for the 25 different nursing activities were calculated by multipling the median of the average wage of a staff nurse having five years experience in an A grade general hospital to the Lime of the nursing activity. The results were compared with the insurance fee which the government recognized as an appropriate fee for that activity. The nursing activities with a lower calculated fee than the insurance fee were suction, catheterization, exercise education and dressing change. The nursing activities with a higher calculated fee than the government recognized fee were 1M injection and vital sign check. 3. There was a range of 1-15 nursing activities provided daily to the client. For the average number of nursing activities per day of 6.26 events the nursing care fee was calaulated at W 6136 per day. 4. Based upon the results of the study, a recommentdation for a Home Health Care fee per visit based on the nursing activities provided could be formulated for a Home Health Care fee system. It could be formulated as following: 1) Home health Care fee per visit $=[(direct{\;} nursing{\;}fee(direct{\;}nursing{\;}care{\;}time{\;}per{\;}activity{\;}{\times}{\;}average{\;}nursing{\;}wage)+indirect fee]{\times}average$ nursing activity per visit]+management fee+ materials fee+a travel fee In this way a nursing fee could be calculated based upon the result of the study of the nursing fees per visit. 2) Nursing activity fees per visit. = $([direct nursing{\;}care{\;}fee+indirect{\;}nursing{\;}fee]{\times}average$ number of nursing activities provided per visit] (W 6, 136) + travel fee(\ 5, 542) +management fee material $fee({\alpha})\{\;}16, 436+{\alpha}$ The nursing fee per visit as calculated in this research of $\{\;}15, 0000+{\alpha}$ could be adjusted according to the patient's condition or the use of high technology nursing care or according to the amount of time spent for travel. The nursing care fee per visit presented in this study can be validated through a Home Health Care demonstration project.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.5-46
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• 1989

The current medical payment Insurance Rates in Korea stipulate charges for medical treatment by the doctor, pharmaceutist, medical technician and maternity nurse. But unfortunately didn't specify those charges for nursing done by the professional nurse. Only basic nursing fee is accounted insufficiently in current medical insurance fee schedule. therefore, Being face with covering entire people by medical insurance by 1991, It seems that the problems pertaining to operating the hospital and medical insurance system would be incessantly expanded in that no mention is made of medical charges rendered by major medical producer service in the current system, For that reason, this study made an attempt to clarify the importance the professional nursing puts of the current medical payment. The purpose of this study was to accounting nursing fee which diveded into the current medical fee schedule. (Method) 1. Data collection; Importance and difficulties in nursing activities was conducted in 'S' National University Hospital. Total nursing activities were selected 72 items which included direct care and indirect care. This study was conducted to evaluating the degree of importance and difficulties according to nursing activities through questionnaire to 204 RN. and so relative difficulties (acuity) were computered because the nursing cost level of each nursing service was differently established by the equivalent coefficient according to degree of relative difficulty and time required. 2. Calculation of cost according to nursing activities; After 47 nursing activities were selected in General surgery nursing units, calculation of nursing cost was as follows Cost of Nursing activity = (relative difficulty X Average hourly wage and benefits of nurse) + material cost of nursing -t- Average nursing administration cost So, Calculated cost by nursing activities was compared to current non-insured and insurance rate. 3. Calculation of nursing cost by K - DRG ; Total of 578 patients who were hospitalized in General Surgery units from January to March 1988 ware classified by K - DRG After estimation of total nursing cost based on the K-DRG, verified the appropriateness of basic nursing fee in medical insurance rate (Results) 1. Analysis of degree of importance and difficulties were 4.16 and 3.67 based on 5 point scale. This score were judged that it is worthy specifying the nursing fee 2. The nursing cost of 47 nursing service items in general surgery patients showed that the average cost of nursing activity was \1374.5 and The lowest cost was \217 of 'oral administration nursing' item, The highest cost was \11,025 of 'saline enematill clear' item 3. The result of comparison between the calculated cost by nursing activities against the current non-insured and insurance rate showed that 13 items(27.7%) involved to payment of insurance rate, 9 items(19.1%) involved to non-insured rate, remainder 25 items (53.2%) were not charged anywhere of total 47 nursing activities 4. When calculated cost by nursing activities was 100. current insurance rate was 62.3, non-insured rate was 176.6. Therefore this showed that most of non-insured rate were higher than calculated nursing cost. The insurance rate, however, were lower than it. Reim-bursement was imputed to non-insured patients. So the current rate system became estrainged from cost system. When Remainder 25 items of nursing activities compared' to \1390 of daily basic nursing fee per patient belonged to payment as a insurance fee schedule, basic nursing fee schedule was 1-2% of calculated cost of nursing activities. Therefore it showed that nursing fee was not counted adequately in it. 5. Nursing cost by K-DRG estimated in chart review based on counting number of nursing activities and length of stay The result showed that average amount of total nursing cost was \183828.1 Comparison of nursing cost calculated by K- DRG and basic nursing fee schedule showed that only 12.3% of nursing cost was charged (Conclusion) From the above research result, It is fact that nursing prime cost should be estimated more accurately and included adequately in current medical payment system. The payment system of nursing activities should be introduced not only nursing activities of drug administration and injection fee belonged to insurance fee schedule but also most nursing activities belonged not to mekical fee schedule. Even if introducing payment system of nursing activities, It should be estimated scientific method of Accounting nursing cost So nurses could offer nursing care of good quality, thereby they could make a great contribution not merely to the convalescence of the patient but to the promotion of the people's health.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.68-89
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• 1993

This study was conducted to develop a model of a fee schedule for nursing services.'Regardless of the demand for skilled and professional nursing service today, the Korean health insurance system does not furnish a chapter for the nursing service fee schedule. A nation-wide survey of hospital nursing service fee schedules was to provide practical and realistic data about how the variety of nursing services are being charged. From September 1990 to April 1991, data from the fee schedule used by twenty hospitals located in eight large cities which are designated large medical regions in the Korea Health Care and Patient Referral System were collected. Nursing services and the fees charged for them were analyzed. The nursing services were subjected to a secondary analysis with referrence to reports on “nursing services to be charged in Korea”. The total number of nursing services recommended by the literatures was 177 : finally 141 types of nursing services were selected by investigator as chargable nursing services. In addition, data on managerial characteristics of the hospitals were collected to discover influential variables for a nursing fee schedule model. Under the assumption that all the managerial characteristics of the hospitals influenced the fee schedule, the following model was tested : Fee of nursing services (C) = f(A₁, A₂, A₃, A₄, A/sub 5/, A/sub 6/, A/sub 7/, A/sub 8/,) When, A₁ = number of nurses A₂ = the first salary of a nurse educated in a four year A₃ = scale of nursing management division A₄ = location of the hospital A/sub 5/ = the type of hospital management (profit / non-profit) A/sub 6/ = number of hospital beds A/sub 7/ = years of hospital operation A/sub 8/ = number and kinds of clinical divisions The results showed that the model should be built as follows : C = f (A₁, A/sub 4/, A/sub 5/) Each nursing service was applied to the fee schedule with consideration for the professional level and time-taken to provide the services. Detailed fee schedules were presented in the related tables. Of the 141 kinds of nursing services, 24.8% were chargeble to the Korea Health Insurance, 32.6％ of the nursing services were being paid directly by the patienty. The rest of nursing services (42.6％) were not being charged to any source. It was recommened that the Korea Health Insurance Reimbursement system should add a classification system for nursing services that can be used in the national health care program. Further study is needed about how to include 32.6% of the nursing services now being paid for directly by the patients in the health insurance system.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.275-288
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• 2013

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to perform an economic analysis and estimate the fee for the practices that carried out by Emergency Nurse Practitioner (ENP) using relative value scale (RVS) and its conversion factor. Methods: First, we developed ENP's RVS for 25 advanced nursing services based on ENP's workload and its time spent by survey. A cost analysis was performed to evaluate the conversion factor of ENP's RVS. The share of ENP's contribution to fee-for-service in emergency setting was also analyzed. Results: Calculation of the RVS of 25 advanced nursing practices showed a range of points from 73.4 to 296.3 and an average of 145.1 points. The relevant conversion factor for advanced nursing practices among ENP was estimated at 12.2~15.9 won. The contribution rate of ENP's advanced nursing practices in the relative value scale of the national health insurance was estimated at 13.1~17.0%. Conclusion: The practices of ENP are not compensated separately and its reimbursement is usually included in physician fee. An estimation of nursing fee and an independent fee related to ENP's services shows the contribution rate to total revenue. It suggests that emergency nurse practitioners be considered as a revenue source the in emergency room.

• Journal of Korean Clinical Nursing Research
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.321-332
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• 2013

Purpose: Korean health insurance extended application of the Diagnosis Related Groups (DRG) payment system to tertiary and general hospitals from July, 2013. This study was done to develop a DRG fee adjustment mechanism applied to levels of nurse staffing to assure quality nursing service. Methods: Nurse stafffing grades among hospitals in Korea were analyzed. Differences and ratio of inpatient costs by nurse staffing grades in DRG fees and differences of DRG fee between tertiary and general hospitals were compared. Results: In 2013, nurse staffing grades in tertiary and general hospitals had improved, but other hospital nurse staffing grades remained at the 2001 level. Gaps of inpatient costs between first and seventh nurse staffing grades were over 10% in 4 out of 7 DRG diagnosis; However differences of DRG fee between tertiary and general hospitals were only 4.51% and 4.72% respectively. A DRG fee adjustment mechanism was developed that included nurse staffing grades and hospitalization days as factors of the formula. Conclusion: Current DRG fees motivate hospitals to decrease nurse staffing grades because cost reduction is bigger than compensation. This DRG fee adjustment mechanism reflects nurse staffing supply to motivate hospitals to hire more nurses as a reasonable compensation system.

• Journal of Korean Clinical Nursing Research
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.236-247
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• 2017

Purpose: This study was to present improvement strategy and the problems of the nursing fee in national health insurance system. Methods: A total of 23 nursing activities performed by nurses were selected. Data were collected the relative value score and criteria of the Health Insurance Review & Assessment Agency. Sixty clinical nursing experts panels were composed and nursing time surveyed self-reported method. The actual fee was calculated through the nursing time, relative value score and actual labor costs. Nextly, the labor costs analyzed was compared with that in the national health insurance. Results: Although the practices were mainly performed by the nurse, other occupations have been recorded as main practitioners and the time of the nursing activity is partially improperly reflected. Additionally, although the nurse practiced mainly in glucose (semi-quantitative) test, it was confirmed that the principal practitioner was described as a clinical pathologist. The the labor cost gap was estimated that is 9.3 times (median) and 11.9 times (average) in this analysis. Conclusion: This study suggests that it is necessary to legislate a policy that can improve the quality of clinical nursing by reinforcing the appropriateness and improving nursing fee through reflection of the actual time spent for nursing care.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing Administration
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.379-389
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• 2003

Purpose: The objective of our study was to figure out costs of nursing services in general nursing units based on the PCS in order to determine an appropriate nursing fee schedule. Method: The data were collected from 8 hospitals from September 9 to October 8, 2002. The costs of nursing services in general nursing units was analyzed by nursing hours based on the nursing intensity. The inpatient in the general nursing units were classified by Park's PCS tool(2000). Results: The distribution of patients by PCS ranged from class I to Class III in general nursing units. The higher PCS in general nursing units consumed more nursing hours. As a result, the higher nursing intensity, the more the daily average nursing costs in general nursing units. Conclusion: We found that the higher PCS, the more the daily average nursing costs in general nursing units. In conclusion, our study provides the evidence to refine the current nursing fee schedule that it does not differentiated from the volume of nursing services based on the nursing hours.

• Journal of Korean Clinical Nursing Research
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.5-14
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• 2008

Purpose: To examine the current fees for nursing care and propose the strategies for improvement. Method: The number of subjects for this study was 86, including 36 chief executives of the nursing department, 14 of the health insurance department and 33 nursing managers. Data were analyzed by SPSS WIN 12.0 program. A researcher-developed questionnaire with 30 items was utilized. Results: 61% hospital had improved the nursing management fee grade after adoption of the differentiated nursing management fee schedules. After grade improvement, the time for direct nursing care increased. Also, the patient health outcome, nurse's job satisfaction were improved and more nurses were employed in general nursing units. Many subjects addressed that ICU and more nursing units were needed to adopt the differentiated nursing management fee schedules and "bed to nurse ratio" needed to be changed to "patients to nurse ratio" and specialized by the nursing units. Conclusion: The health policy in reference to fees for nursing care needs to get improved further in order to provide the quality-assured nursing care.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.503-513
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• 2006

Purpose: This study focused on analysing costs per home health care nursing visit based on home health care nursing activities in medical institutes. Method: The data was collected in three stages. First, the cost elements of home health care nursing services were collected and 31 home care nurses participated. Second, the workload and caseload of home care nursing activities were measured by the Easley-Storfjell Instrument(1997). Third, the opinions on improving the home health care nursing reimbursement system were collected by a nation-wide mailing survey from a total of 125 home care agencies. Result: The cost of home health care nursing per visit was calculated as 50,626\. This was composed of a basic visiting fee of $35,090{\\}({\fallingdotseq}355$)$ and travel fee of $15,536{\\}({\fallingdotseq}15$)$. The major problems of the home care nursing payment system were the low level of the cost per visit, no distinction between first visit and revisits, and the limitations in health insurance coverage for home health care nursing services. Conclusion: This study's results will contribute as a baseline for establishing policies for improvement of the home health care nursing cost and for applying a community-based visiting nursing service cost.

• Perspectives in Nursing Science
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.77-83
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• 2009

The number of nurses per bed at acute-stage hospitals is quite low in Korea compared with other OECD countries. In order to prevent the degradation of the quality of inpatient nursing services due to insufficient nurse staffs, the national health insurance introduced the differentiated nursing care fee system. This did not work as a motive for inducing the employment of nursing staff due to insufficient cost compensation. Because of insufficient nursing staff, family members have to stay with the patient or patients have to hire a personal care attendant. This increases the burden and cost to families. For the activation of hospitals without guardians, there should be policies for raising additional nursing staff such as standardizing jobs among nursing staff, particularly between nurses and nursing assistants, setting adequate standards of staffing in nursing according to medical service, substantiating the cost of nursing under the differentiated nursing care fee system, improving the medical fee system of hospitals without guardians including health insurance payment, supplying nursing staff stably through improving their working conditions such as providing child rearing services and salary increase, clarifying the qualification of personal care attendants working at acute.stage hospitals, developing indexes for assessing the quality of nursing care services, and monitoring for the management of uniform quality.