• 보건행정학회지
• /
• 제31권4호
• /
• pp.508-517
• /
• 2021

Background: After the first case of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in January 2020, Korea has experienced three waves in 2020. This study aimed to analyze changes in health care utilization according to the period of the 1st to 3rd waves of the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: We analyzed 3,354,469,401 national health insurance claims from 59,104 medical facilities between 2017 and 2020. Observed-to-expected ratios (O:E ratio) with data from 2017 to 2019 as expected values and data from 2020 as observed values were obtained to analyze changes in medical utilization. T-test was used to test whether the difference of observed and expected values was statistically significant. Results: In 2020, the O:E ratio was 0.894, indicating a decrease in health care utilization overall during the pandemic. The O:E ratio of the 1st wave was 0.832, which was lower than those of the second (0.886) and third (0.873) waves. Health care utilization decreased relatively more among outpatient, women, children and adolescents, and health insurance patients. And health care utilization decreased more in small medical facilities and in Daegu and Gyeongbuk during the first wave. During the pandemic, the O:E ratios of respiratory diseases were 0.486-0.694, while chronic diseases and mental diseases were more than 1.0. Conclusion: Health care utilization decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic overall, and there were differences by COVID-19 waves, and by the characteristics of patients and medical facilities. It is necessary to understand the cause of changes in health care utilization in order to cope with the prolonged COVID-19 pandemic.

• 한국병원경영학회지
• /
• 제12권4호
• /
• pp.1-21
• /
• 2007

The relaxation of the regulation in selection of medical institution allows patients to use their own judgement in choosing proper institution for their diseases. Since the change of the regulation, there should have been many changes in medical institution selection behavior. The analysis of the change in disease specific selection pattern is critical because there be an optimal selection criteria that ensure the efficient and effective utilization of medical resources. This study analysis the institution selection factors by comparing the choice among the cases of acute diseases, the cases of chronic diseases, inpatient services, outpatient services, and emergency medical service. The comparisons performed in terms of size, class and other characteristics of medical institutions. For the study the nationally surveyed database was used and the data were analyzed using logistic regression procedure. The results indicates that the primary care facilities were not properly utilized. This study speculates that the reason for the undesirable pattern of utilization is that the roles of primary care facilities in the healthcare delivery system was not clearly defined. Based on the results, the medical policy implications are discussed.

• 보건의료산업학회지
• /
• 제5권4호
• /
• pp.177-192
• /
• 2011

The arguments exist that private health insurance(PHI) policy holders tend to use the health care services more than non-policy holders due to their little out-of-pocket spending, resulting in the adverse effects on the finances of National Health Insurance. This study aims to increase the objective understanding of the issue and to draw a direction of further research, by reviewing the articles, reports and statistics which examined the effects of purchasing PHI policies on health care utilization. Significant differences in healthcare utilization, except for the very partial increase of utilization in outpatient settings, have been not found. The similar trends of the results have existed in a few previous studies which tried to control the endogeneity of medical use and health insurance with latent variables which affect the decision on medical use and health insurance. However, we can not exclude the potential change of healthcare utilization patterns because the portion of the insured of indemnity PHI is becoming rapidly larger in the market. For further research, we should try to obtain the objective information of subjects' past medical history, health status, health related behavior, and income affecting purchase of PHI and utilization of healthcare services. And the efforts of controlling the endogeneity of medical use and health insurance with latent variables which affect the decision on medical use and health insurance, are very considerable.

• 보건의료산업학회지
• /
• 제10권1호
• /
• pp.39-51
• /
• 2016

Objectives : This study investigated the health care utilization patterns of workers' compensation insurance(WCI) pneumoconiosis patients with excessively long hospital stays. Methods : The discharge summary data of 3,094 WCI pneumoconiosis patients were analyzed. The study sample was divided into 3 groups based on the length of stay(LOS). Health care utilization patterns were compared among the groups with logistic regression analysis, and the LOS determinants were identified with linear regression analysis. Results : The average LOS of the 222 long stay group patients was 1,448 days. Patients in this group tended to use private general hospitals, were admitted through the emergency room and discharged without the consent of a doctor. Conclusions : Many of the long LOS patients will maintain their inpatient status for the rest of their lives. For quality of life and efficient use of health care resources, policy makers need to establish a policy that enables patients to receive outpatient care in appropriate living conditions outside the hospital.

• 보건행정학회지
• /
• 제34권1호
• /
• pp.68-77
• /
• 2024

연구배경: 우울은 저하된 기분이 비교적 경미한 수준인 일상 우울과 병적 상태인 임상적 우울로 구분할 수 있다. 우울 경험은 치료순응도 저하, 신체증상 등을 경험하게 하여 의료이용을 높일 수 있으나 우울 중 임상적 우울 집단은 질환에 대한 사회적 편견을 경험하여 의료이용이 제한될 수 있다. 의료이용은 개인 나아가 사회 문제의 원인이 되어 중요하다는 측면에서 본 연구는 임상적 우울 집단, 일상 우울, 비우울 집단의 의료이용을 비교하여 살펴보고자 한다. 방법: 일반화 성향점수(generalized propensity score) 기반 처치역확률가중기법(inverse probability of treatment weighting)을 이용하여 비우울, 일상 우울, 임상적 우울 집단 간 공변량의 불균형을 최소화하고 우울과 의료이용, 총진료비의 관계를 각각 음이항 회귀분석과 로그변환한 선형회귀분석을 통해 확인하였다. 결과: 우울은 여성, 소득이 낮은 집단, 교육수준이 낮거나 배우자가 없거나 건강보험에 가입되지 않았거나 경제활동을 하지 않은 집단에서 높았으며, 우울중 임상적 우울은 경제활동을 하지 않거나 민간의료보험에 미가입된 집단, 질환의 보유개수가 많은 집단에서 비중이 높았다. 의료이용 횟수는 우울 집단(일상 우울 집단 및 임상적 우울 집단)이 비우울 집단보다 유의하게 높았으며, 임상적 우울 집단이 일상 우울 집단보다 유의하게 높았다. 총진료비는 우울 집단이 비우울 집단보다 높았으나, 임상적 우울 집단과 일상 우울 집단 간에는 유의한 차이가 없었다. 결론: 의료이용은 비우울 집단보다 우울 집단(임상적 우울 집단 과 일상 우울 집단)에서 높았으며, 임상적 우울 집단보다 일상 우울 집단에서 높았다.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• 제42권6호
• /
• pp.416-423
• /
• 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.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
• /
• 제12권1호
• /
• pp.101-107
• /
• 1999

Background : In order to improve the quality of life of dying patients, they need to receive not only the physical, psychological, social, and spiritual care, but also systematic and continuous care to die with dignity. However, no adequate medical services are available for these terminal cancer patients. We studied their behavior patterns of health care utilization to understand more of their medical and social needs. Methods : We investigated 108 bereaved families through the telephone interview with structured questionnaires. They were randomly selected through the retrospective chart review of the terminal patients who passed away due to cancer. Results : Most of the terminal cancer patients received their care from proper medical services including admission to hospital (45.4%), outpatient clinic (22.2%), emergency room (16.7%), and oriental medicine (12.0%). But during the terminal phase of their illness, 32.4% of patients never received medical care including oriental medicine, and 28.7% received alterative natural care. 26 bereaved families (24.1%) pointed out the indifference of medical staff as a problem receiving proper hospital care, and 22 (20.4%) emphasized emotional strain of their helplessness with the patients' suffering as a problem of caring at home. Over 90% suggested availability of continuous care, hospice care, home care, and 24 hour telephone service to be improved. Conclusions : Due to various reasons, adequate medical care is not delivered to the terminal cancer patients in our present medical system. These problems can be approached with the establishment of proper education and medical delivery system. The role of comprehensive medical specialty cannot be overly emphasized to accomplish this most effectively.

• 한국임상약학회지
• /
• 제28권2호
• /
• pp.107-116
• /
• 2018

Objective: This study analyzed the national claims data of veterans to generate scientific evidence of the trends and appropriateness of their drug utilization in an outpatient setting. Methods: The claims data were provided by the Health Insurance Review & Assessment (HIRA). Through sampling and matching data, we selected two comparable groups; Veterans vs. National Health Insurance (NHI) patients and Veterans vs. Medical Aid (MAID) patients. Drug use and costs were compared between groups by using multivariate gamma regression models to account for the skewed distribution, and therapeutic duplication was analyzed by using multivariate logistic regression models. Results: In equivalent conditions, veteran patients made fewer visits to medical institutions (0.88 vs. 1), had 1.86 times more drug use, and paid 1.4 times more drug costs than NHI patients (p<0.05); similarly, veteran patients made fewer visits to medical institutions (0.96 vs. 1), had 1.11 times more drug use, and paid 0.95 times less drug costs than MAID patients (p<0.05). The risk of therapeutic duplication was 1.7 times higher (OR=1.657) in veteran patients than in NHI patients and 1.3 times higher (OR=1.311) than in MAID patients (p<0.0001). Conclusion: Similar patterns of drug use were found in veteran patients and MAID patients. There were greater concerns about the drug use behavior in veteran patients, with longer prescribing days and a higher rate of therapeutic duplication, than in MAID patients. Efforts should be made to measure if any inefficiency exists in veterans' drug use behavior.

• 디지털융복합연구
• /
• 제17권3호
• /
• pp.261-269
• /
• 2019

본 연구는 우리나라의 종합병원의 경영성과와 지역 의료이용 친화도를 알 수 있는 RI를 과학적인 방법으로 산출하여 지역의료이용량과 병원 경영성과의 인과 관계에 대한 연구결과를 바탕으로 효율적인 경영전략을 제시하는데 그 연구의 의의가 있다. 연구결과를 보면 첫째, 일반적 특성에 따른 지역친화도 차이에서는 도시구분별 병상 수, 경상이익에서 통계적으로 유의한 차이가 나타났다. 둘째, 지역 의료이용의 친화도(RI)와 변수들 간의 상관관계를 살펴보면, 경상수지비율, 외래환자 초진율, 의료수익의료이익률, 100병상 당 1일 평균 외래환자 수, 100병상 당 1일 평균 입원환자 수, 입원환자 1인 1일당 평균진료비와 유의한 상관관계를 나타냈다. 연구결과를 바탕으로 본 연구의 의의를 살펴보면, 첫째 지역 의료이용 지표인 지역 의료이용 친화도를 산출하여 경영성과와의 연관관계와 유의한 영향을 미치는 변수를 규명하였다는 점에서 본 연구의 의의가 있다고 할 수 있다. 둘째로는 도시규모, 병상규모 등 내,외부적 환경요인에 따라 비교분석하였으며, 향후 병원이 지역 의료이용률를 높이기 위한 병원경영 전략의 수립에 기초 자료를 제공하였다고 할 수 있다.

• 보건행정학회지
• /
• 제24권1호
• /
• pp.47-55
• /
• 2014

Background: Korea is considered to have an integrative health system where both western medicine and Korean (traditional) medicine are officially recognized and provided. Although Korean medicine has been covered by National Health Insurance over 20 years, equity in the utilization of Korean medical care has rarely been examined. Methods: We examined medical care utilization and expenditure of outpatient Korean medicine using panel fixed effects model to remove selection bias. Then we compared it with pooled ordinary least square (OLS) model. This study used Korea Health Panel data, which provides accurate information on out-of-pocket health care payment, including non-covered medical services. Results: Principal findings indicate that the frequency of the utilization of Korean medicine is related with unobservable individual choices different from western medicine, so the panel fixed effect model is appropriate. But pooled OLS model is better fitted for the expenditure of Korean medicine, after controlling for western medical care expenditure. After adjusting for the selection bias, socioeconomic status (income, education) was significantly associated with the expenditure of Korean medicine, but not with the frequency of the utilization of Korean medicine. Conclusion: This study shows that expenditure of Korean medicine utilization is inequitable across socioeconomic groups, which implies that health insurance coverage of Korean medicine is not sufficient.