• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.50 no.6
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• pp.393-400
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• 2017

Objectives: To relieve the financial burden faced by households, the Korean National Health Insurance (NHI) system introduced a "copayment ceiling," which evolved into a differential ceiling in 2009, with the copayment ceiling depending on patients' income. This study aimed to examine the effect of the differential copayment ceiling on financial protection and healthcare utilization, particularly focusing on whether its effects varied across different income groups. Methods: This study obtained data from the Korea Health Panel. The number of households included in the analysis was 6555 in 2008, 5859 in 2009, 5539 in 2010, and 5372 in 2011. To assess the effects of the differential copayment ceiling on utilization, out-of-pocket (OOP) payments, and catastrophic payments, various random-effects models were applied. Utilization was measured as treatment days, while catastrophic payments were defined as OOP payments exceeding 10% of household income. Among the right-hand side variables were the interaction terms of the new policy with income levels, as well as a set of household characteristics. Results: The differential copayment ceiling contributed to increased utilization regardless of income levels both in all patients and in cancer patients. However, the new policy did not seem to reduce significantly the incidence of catastrophic payments among cancer patients, and even increased the incidence among all patients. Conclusions: The limited effect of the differential ceiling can be attributed to a high proportion of direct payments for services not covered by the NHI, as well as the relatively small number of households benefiting from the differential ceilings; these considerations warrant a better policy design.

• The Korean Journal of Health Service Management
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.39-52
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• 2012

Main purpose of this study is to provide some managerial suggestions for local small and medium-sized hospitals that are in poorer business environment than large hospitals such as university hospitals, in managing the manpower efficiently, improving business performance and enhancing competitiveness, by empirically investigating the relationship among competency, organizational structure and business performance. Major results are as follows: First, regression analysis for the effects of hospital competency on nonfinancial performance revealed that marketing competency, intangible resource competency and financial resource competency, in that order of importance, had significant influence on nonfinancial performance. Second, regarding the analysis of the effects of hospital competency on financial performance, financial resource competency, marketing competency and intangible resource competency, in that order of importance, significantly affected financial performance. Third, as for the moderating effect, significant result was obtained in an interaction between hospital competency and organizational structure. Financial resource competency had a positive significant impact on nonfinancial performance. However, it had negative significant impact on it by interactive effect with organizational structure.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.31-40
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• 2022

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to understand the impact on accident reduction by analyzing the policy effectiveness of an industrial accident prevention clean workplace support project targeting the construction industry. Methods: In this study, DID and PSM models were used to analyze workplaces receiving and not receiving financial support based on the status of industrial accidents in recent years and the status of the workplaces by year. Results: The research results show that meaningful effects continued to occur in terms of reducing accidents and increasing employment. Conclusions: In this study, we show the effectiveness of the clean workplace support project, one of the South Korean government's financial support projects in the field of occupational safety and health focusing on the construction industry. Financial support projects such as clean projects should be further expanded based on the results of this study.

• Journal of Information Technology Applications and Management
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.119-147
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• 2024

This study aims to analyze older adults's intention to use digital financial services. To verify the purpose, the '2022 Korean Senior Technology Acceptance Panel Survey' data were used. And a shortened Senior Technology Acceptance Model(STAM) reflecting the characteristics of older adults was applied. The results of Structural Equation Model analysis are as follows. First, the lower gerontechnology anxiety, the higher control beliefs reflecting perceived ease of use, self-efficacy and facilitating conditions and the intention to use digital financial services. Second, the health factor had a positive effect on the control beliefs. Third, the higher the control beliefs, the higher the attitudinal beliefs reflecting perceived usefulness and attitude and the intention to use digital financial services. Lastly, the higher attitudinal beliefs, the higher the intention to use digital financial services. The results suggest the need for interventions that can relieve gerontechnology anxiety and strengthen positive perceptions about control beliefs and attitudinal beliefs in order to increase older adults's intention to use digital financial services.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.175-190
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• 1996

The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationships of resource financial events coping strategies and family financial satisfaction. The data were collected from 499 housewives in Seoul. The major findings: 1. The financial events were categorized into 6 factors. The factors were named as related to 'Family' 'Health' 'Money' 'Car & durables' 'Job', 'Housing'. Among these events respondents who had exprienced housing-related event reported the highest level of financial stress. 2. The coping strategies were categorized into 4 factors: 'Delaying payment' 'Borrowing' 'Economical purchasing' 'Using Worth' The most frequently used 'Economic purchasing' strategy. 3. Various coping strategies were differently used depending on financial events. For example the housewives used 'Economical purchasing' strategy to cope with family-related events and used 'Borrowing' strategy to housing-related events. Housewives who had less income and less net-worth used ' Economic purchasi g' strategy. 4. Job-related events were negatively effect to family financial satisfaction but car & durables-related event were positively effect to family financial satisfaction. Housewive who the more income and the less age had the high satisfaction. 'Delaying payment' and 'Economical purchasing' strategies were negatively related to family financial satisfaction.

• The Journal of Korean Society for School & Community Health Education
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• v.6
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• pp.75-87
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• 2005

The purpose of this study was to describe elementary school students' health communication needs based on school-based health fairs by students' demographic characteristics and school health education experiences. A self-administered survey was conducted to a total of 851 fifth-grade students in 8 elementary schools in Seoul. For survey participant sampling, Seoul area was divided into four districts: north, south, east, and west, and two elementary schools were selected from each district by the stratified convenient sampling process. Three class 5th-grade students in each selected school finished the survey. Questionnaires and survey instruction letters were delivered to vice-principals in the designated schools and the vice-principals managed the survey process. The survey Questionnaire included demographic characteristics (sex, parent's marital status, parents' educational status, famil financial status, the person whom was with after school, and daily computer hour), health education experiences (health education at school, and school health education satisfaction), and health communication types. The health communication types were reorganized into eight types based on comprehensive literature review on health fairs (or child and adolescence. The health communication types were 'health exam and advice fair,''health promotion advertising and campaign,' 'health-related exhibition and experience fair,' 'profession visit-in-school education,' 'health-related VCR or movie festival,' 'health-related institute visits,' 'internet health counseling,' and 'telephone health counseling.' Regarding demographic characteristics, sex, family financial status, and academic performance were significant factors related to health communication need scores (p <.05). Girl, high level of family financial status, and excellent academic performance score were related to high score of health communication need. In terms of school health education experience, taking regular class for health education and satisfaction with school health education were linked to higher health communication need scores. This result discusses that experience and satisfaction with school health education largely contribute to building participants' health communication concepts and needs.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.191-210
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• 1996

This study purported to acquire information necessary to improve the operational efficiency of general hospitals. It tried to determine major indices which represent managerial performance of general hospitals and to identify the managerial characteristics of general hospital which affect the major financial indices. 201 hospitals which were subject to standardization audit by the Korean Hospital Association were investigated and 80 hospitals were finally chosen for this study. Their financial and managerial data during the period between January 1991 and December 1991 were collected. Considering financial indices in this study were the ration of net income to total asset, income growth rate, and quick ration. The results of study are summarized as followings. First. The ration of net income to total assets and quick ration were highly related to managerial characteristics of general hospitals. Therefore, the standardization of three financial indices should be needed to systematically check the operational efficiency of general hospitals. Second, the sample hospitals can be classified as four groups on the basis of their financial indices' level. 4 of those hospitals(5.0%) showed high level of performance in terms of three financial indices and 27 of them(33.7%) showed that they are highly related to only two financial indices. 34 hospitals(42.5%) showed they have high level of relationship with only one indices and 15 hospitals(18.8%) showed very weak performance level with three indices. In addition, there is no hospitals to show mid-range level of managerial performance in relation to all three financial indices. Third, there is no significant relationship between three financial indices and the managerial characteristics of hospitals such as the number of beds, type of operation, location of hospitals, and etc. However, in the case of hospitals which have high level of managerial performance, they have more specialists and medical support personnel in comparison to low performance hospitals. They also have high level of bed occupancy rate and average length of stay(ALOS). In conclusion, the study showed the standardization of 3 financial indices are necessary to systematically evaluate the managerial performance of general hospitals and provide more accurate operational information for each hospital. To do so, it is necessary to focus on management side of hospital such as the effective human resource management and quality enhancement of medical treatment.

• Journal of Family Resource Management and Policy Review
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.17-34
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• 2019

Older women who live alone are among society's most vulnerable people, since they experience increased risk of multiple chronic diseases and have limited financial protection. This can lead older women living alone to catastrophic health expenditure(CHE), which is defined as a healthcare expenditure that exceeds a certain portion of a household's ability to pay. Using the Korean Longitudinal Study of Ageing(KLoSA), this study investigated the incidence of CHE among older women living alone and identified the factors related to this incidence. Applying health expenditure thresholds of 10%, 20%, 30% and 40% of ability to pay, the proportions of those with CHE were 41.3%, 22.9%, 14.6%, and 9.4%, respectively. Logistic regression models were used to identify factors related to CHE incidence, which include demographics, income, the number of chronic diseases, perceived health status, and health insurance type. The results show that the health care safety net in South Korea is insufficient for older women living alone. The findings can guide policymakers in improving healthcare and welfare policies to protect people from catastrophic payments. Particularly, welfare policies should be established for poor non-recipients who are not included within the benefits scope of the National Basic Livelihood Security System due to the unrealistic criteria of income recognition and family support obligation.

• Journal of Korean Clinical Health Science
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.276-289
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• 2015

Purpose. To efficiently manage hospitals, this study aims to analyze the general characteristics, common-type balance sheet, common-type profit and loss statement and financial ratio of a tertiary general hospital and use the results as basic data for future hospital development by comprehending causes for problems and analyzing hospital management. Methods. By using information about a tertiary general hospital, located in A Metropolitan City, provided through Alio (www.alio.go.kr), a public organization information provider, Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service, and Ministry of Health and Welfare, this study used data during 3 years(2011 to 2013) by analyzing the general characteristics, common-type balance sheet, common-type profit and loss statement, industrial mean ratio and financial ratio of hospitals. Results. This study came to the following conclusions through the general characteristics, common-type balance sheet, common-type profit and loss statement, industrial mean ratio, financial ratio, circular chart and ROI by analyzing the data from 2011 to 2013. Conclusions. Overall, A Tertiary General Hospital showed an increase in fixed cost due to the construction of J Hospital and even in the size of capital and assets. It also showed an increase in medical profit, but the increase of its medical cost was higher, resulting in a financial loss. Especially, this hospital showed a slight decrease in net profit, featuring a reduction in inventory turnover. When the management of A Tertiary General Hospital was predicted based on such features, this hospital is expected to improve its profit structure through the opening of J Hospital, and it is necessary for this hospital to increase and sustain the turnover rate of inventories accumulated by managing them better.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.226-232
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• 2016

Background: This study was conducted to analyze the influence of socioeconomic characteristics of community on the food insecurity under the control of personal socioeconomic factors which may be influence to the food security. Methods: Food insecurity and individual socioeconomic characteristics were obtained from 2012 community health survey. Socioeconomic characteristics of communities were extracted from the data of Statistics Korea and local governments. Personal socioeconomic factors were sex, age, educational status, job, and monthly family income. Socioeconomic characteristics of communities were administrative district (urban vs. rural), senior population rate, degree of financial self reliance, degree of financial independence, portion of welfare budget, number of welfare facilities, and unemployment rate. We analysed the relationships between the food insecurity and socioeconomic characteristics of community using multi-level analysis under the control of personal characteristics. Results: On personal level age, sex, education status, and monthly family income were related with food insecurity. On community level administrative district (urban vs. rural), degree of financial independence, unemployment rate, and proportion of welfare budget among local general government accounts were related to individual food insecurity. Rural area, district with low levels of financial independence, low portion of welfare budget, and greater unemployment rate showed a higher level of food insecurity. Conclusion: To reduce the level of food insecurity in a community it is necessary to decrease the unemployment rate, in addition to providing support from the central government by increasing the proportion of the welfare budget so that both factors contribute to raising the degree of financial independence.