• The Journal of the Korean dental association
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• v.49 no.9
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• pp.511-518
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• 2011

Policy of for-profit hospitals permission has provoked debate on how to enhance health care system and medical service industry. The government says that for-profit hospitals could help improve the quality of medical care and develop medical tourism. On the other hand, Medical care related NGO insist that for-profit hospitals will not fix the existing medical problems in Korea, only create new ones. Recently, a type of for-profit hospitals emerged in dentistry and caused much trouble. Accordingly, We try to carefully look at for-profit hospitals related policy and debate.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.43-52
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• 2014

This study was conducted to analyze if there is a difference between the head hospital and branch hospital by comparing the profitability and operating expenses to patient revenue of oriental medicine hospitals affiliated with universities in order to find whether opening branch hospitals is an appropriate method to increase profitability. Profit indices used for the comparison of head hospital and branch hospital include ratio of operating profit on medical revenue, net-income on medical revenue, net profit to total assets, and operating profit to total assets; and cost indices included ratio of labor costs, material costs and administrative costs. In comparison of profit indices of head hospitals and branch hospitals, head hospitals displayed negative(-) in all four profit index averages while branch hospitals displayed positive(+), showing that branch hospitals have higher profitability. In particular, in the case of head hospitals, ratio of net profit to total assets was -13.6%, while that of branch hospitals was 12.9%, which was higher than 3.1%, the average of Korean oriental medicine hospitals in 2011. As a result of difference analysis between groups of head hospitals and branch hospitals, profit indices of ratio of operating profit on medical revenue, net-income on medical revenue, and ratio of net profit to total assets were found to vary by hospitals, but there was no statistically significant difference between head hospitals and branch hospitals(p<0.1). Only the ratio of operating profit to total assets of head hospitals and branch hospitals indicated significant difference between the two groups, showing that ratio of operating profit to total assets of branch hospitals is larger than that of head hospitals. Meanwhile, the cost indices of ratio of labor costs, material costs and administrative costs in the difference test results did not show significant difference between the head hospital and branch hospital(p<0.1). Thus, it cannot be said that a certain oriental medicine hospital's profitability is high or low depending on whether it is head hospital or a branch as profitability varies depending on the management environment of the hospital. Therefore, oriental medicine hospitals affiliated with universities would need to make efforts to increase their profitability as an individual hospital rather than focusing on whether they are head hospital or a branch.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.148-169
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• 2008

As the Korean Government began to perceive healthcare as one of foundational industries for national dynamics, there has been mounting advocacy for the introduction of for-profit hospitals with a view to bringing efficiency in healthcare services industries and improvement of their international competitiveness. The Government is now considering the issue from all angles in favor of permitting for-profit hospitals. However, There have been few precedent studies on this subject to provide helpful data for the discussion and in the health policy making. This study used private hospitals - for-profit and nonprofit - in Florida, USA as study subjects to accumulate basic data that may be utilized for those involved in debates and health policy making relating to the introduction of for-profit hospitals in Korea. Among all the private general hospitals in Florida, those surveyed by AHA(American Hospital Association) for four consecutive years from 2001 and 2004 and others reported about to MCR(Medicare Cost Report) included in the collected data for analysis. In total 139 private general hospitals consisting of 73 for-profit hospitals and 66 nonprofit hospitals were included in the collected analysis data. Results of analysis revealed no significant difference between for-profit hospitals and nonprofit hospitals in the usage aspects of healthcare services including the average length of stay and the ratio of Medicare vs Medicaid patients. However, financial performances indicated by such factors. as the pre-tax return on assets and the pre-tax operating margin showed to be significantly higher in for-profit hospitals compared with nonprofit hospitals. And the ratio of personnel expenses and the turn period of total assets showed to be significantly lower in for-profit hospitals. Based on the hypothesis that arguments about the introduction of for-profit hospitals have considerably different viewpoints depending on the size of hospital represented by the number of bed, these two hospital types were compared again using the number of beds as a controlled factor, but the results were similar. We, therefore, could conclude that the for-profit hospitals in Florida included in this study could, in their for-profit operation, improve their financial performance by pursuing cost reduction and effectively utilizing their assets without limiting the amount and the range of their services or avoiding less medically protected groups such as Medicare and Medicaid patients.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.156-172
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• 2001

Financial ratio indicators of the 73 sample hospitals provided by the Korea Hospital Association in 1998-1999, together with the data by the Korea Health Industry Development Institute in 1007, were analysed to identify the financial structure and managerial performance of the profit/loss-making hospitals under the IMF. The major findings of this study were as belows. 1. Among the general characteristics, there was a statistical significance in the hospital location and the number of operating beds between profit-making hospitals and loss-making hospitals. 2. Financial ratio indicators of the profit-making hospitals were better than those of the loss-making hospitals. 3. Financial ratio indicators, including Liquidity, Performance Indicators and Growth Rate Indicators of profit-making hospitals, were better than those of loss-making hospitals except for Turnover Ratios under the IMF economic impasse.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.138-155
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• 2001

This study was designed to find out the factors which influence on the financial performance of the hospital. Out of 32 provincial hospitals which were established by the government, 10 hospitals were selected as sample hospitals. Ten hospitals were divided into two groups(5 hospitals each), one of which was profit-making and the other loss-making. The criteria in selecting profit or loss-making hospitals was net profit to total revenue. The major finding of the study was as follows; 1. Whether or not a hospital had specialized in certain departments was proved to be the major factor influencing on the financial performance. Three out of five profit-making hospitals could harvest following results by operating specific departments. (1) Man powers needed for the operation of specific departments were 14.6 persons per 100 bed, which was only 1/7 of the general hospital. (2) The number of doctors has not increased in proportion to the increase of the number of beds. (3) Ratio of total revenue to MD.'s payroll expenses of the profit-making hospitals was 75.0% higher than the loss-making hospitals. (4) The average length of stay of specific department was very long(388.1 days). However, the specific departments were found to have contributed much to the financial performance because the occupancy rate of such departments was very high(94.5%). 2. The headcount per 100 bed of the profit-making hospitals was 23.9 persons(24.0%) less than the loss-making hospitals and the ratio of payroll expenses to total revenue 15.1% less. 3. Averagel revenue per specialist of the profit-making hospitals was 100 million(25.1%) more than loss-making hospitals and the ratio of total revenue to MD's payroll expenses of profit-making hospital was 75.0% higher. 4. Profit-making hospitals have introduced new systems or renovation in 36 fields, such as incentive payment system, utilization of contracted man powers, change of the payroll structure of the nurses, specialization in certain departments, etc; however, loss-making hospitals introduced only 25 new systems or renovations. These kind of renovation could not be achieved without the cooperation of the labor union and the strong will of the top management. Therefore, it could be said that the labor union of the profit-making hospitals seems to have been very cooperative compared with that of loss-making hospitals.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.118-142
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• 2003

This study is aimed at evaluating the financial structure of hospitals before and after the separation of prescription and drug dispensing policy started to be implemented in July 2000 and at making a suitable hospital managerial strategy through the verification of the factors which have effect on their profitability. This study investigated the hospitals which have passed the accredition review to be designated as a accredited training hospital each year for three years from 1999 to 2001. Those hospitals were selected from members of the Korea Hospital Association. 106 hospitals were targeted for analysis except for the hospitals whose financial statements and managerial performance were not reported faithfully. The financial indicators used in this study were stability indicators(liability to total assets, ratio of debt to fund balance, fixed ratio), liquidity indicators(current ratio, quick ratio), activity indicators(total assets turnover, fixed assets turnover), profitability indicators(net profit to total assets, net profit to net worth, operating margin), and operating expenses to patient revenues indicators(drug and supplies costs/payroll/overhead expenses). The result of this study are as follows: First, the analysis of the increase of loss-making hospitals before and after. The separation of prescription and drug dispensing policy shows that the number of loss-making hospitals increase after the separation(22.6% before the separation; 31.1% after the separation). However, there was no significant statistical difference. Second, the analysis of operating expenses to patient revenues indicators showed that the ratio of drug and supplies cost became lower in all hospitals but the ratio of payroll/overhead expenses became higher. Additionally, the factor which have the greatest effect on profitability was operating expenses to patient revenues indicators (drug and supplies costs/payroll/overhead expenses). Third, the analysis of managerial performance by four types of loss-loss, loss-profit, profit-loss and profit-profit compared the results before the separation with those after the separation revealed as follows : Reliance on liability to total assets became higher in the profit-loss type($56.2%{\rightarrow}66.4%$), lower in the loss-profit type($82.7%{\rightarrow}74.5%$). Total assets turnover became higher in the profit-profit type($1.3{\rightarrow}1.5$), but lower in the loss-profit type($0.8{\rightarrow}0.7$). Operating margin decreased to minus 5.9% from 4.3% in the profit-loss type, but increased to 7.2% from minus 7.8% in the loss-profit type. Forth, operating expenses to revenues indicators showed that the increase of payroll was the biggest in the profit-loss type($39.2%{\rightarrow}49.9%$) and that overhead cost decreased in the loss-profit type but that rather increased in other types.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.1-16
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• 2017

1) Purpose: The goal of this study is to examine the association between independent external financial audits and uncompensated care. Not-for-profit hospitals are required to provide uncompensated care in return for tax exemption. These tax exemption benefits are applied to all activities that contribute to the enhancement of uncompensated care. However, some researchers argue not-for-profit hospitals do not provide uncompensated care as expected by their tax exemption. Thus, this paper examines whether independent external financial audits can help the not-for-profit hospitals to function as designed and ultimately for meeting the objectives of the not-for-profit organization, which are the clearest examples of charitable activities performed by not-for-profit hospitals. 2) Methodology: Panel data analysis was utilized with fixed effect using California hospital financial data from 2002 to 2011. 3) Findings: We found that hospitals receiving independent external financial audits provide more uncompensated care than their counterparts which do not receive audits. 4) Practical Implications: Not-for-profit hospitals provide uncompensated care to people in welfare blind spots. Therefore, they fulfill what governments cannot afford, and play a social role as a ʻnonprofitʼ organization with independent external financial audits.

• The Korean Journal of Health Service Management
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.15-27
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• 2020

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to compare analysis of financial performance in university hospitals. Methods: Data from 2005 to 2017 were collected from income statement, balance sheet, and annual reports in 23 university hospitals. The dependent variables are used financial performance, namely, medical profit to total assets, medical profit to medical revenue, and net profit to medical revenue. The independent variables are establishment type, hospital province, bed, open liquidity, stability, and activity. Results: From 2005 to 2007, university hospitals steadily increased medical revenues, nonmedical revenues, medical profit, net profit, and reserve fund for essential business by investing fixed assets using financial leverage. From 2015 to 2017, the debt ratio was minimized based on existing management performance. Results showed that university hospitals maintained high profitability by actively investing in medical equipment, medical environment, and facilities using reserve fund for essential business. Conclusions: Results suggest that this will be the basic data for efficient management of university hospitals.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.102-127
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• 2004

The objective of this study is to analyze a current trend of and relating factors on profitability of the Korean Public Corporation Medical Centers(KPCMCs, hereinafter, hospitals) in Korea. There are 34 hospitals in Korea as of 2004. Among these hospitals some are red ink hospitals, others are black inks in terms of profitability. Data were collected by Korea Health Industry Development Institute(KHIDI) Statistics for Hospital Management 2000-2002 and Ministry of Health and Welfare(MOHW) financial data of public hospitals which was planned to coordinate public health care services roadmap in the long run. The samples are 32 hospitals. Profitability was measured in the aspect of profit rate with normal profit to total assets, and normal profit to gross revenues as dependent variables in respective. Independent variables were classified by general factors, i.e., location, intern/resident training, period of opening, number of beds, and managerial factors(current ratio, fixed ratio, liability to total assets, total assets turnover, personnel costs, materials cost, administrative cost), and finally factors related to patient treatment(average length of stay, bed occupancy rate, admission ratio of outpatients). The methods of analysis are correlation and multiple regression analysis. This study shows firstly, a lot of hospitals are optimal current ratio. Hospitals in upper 100% current ratio are 81.2%. And the personnel cost in total costs are high. Secondly, the trend of normal profit to gross revenues of hospitals are deteriorating gradually. And lastly, as a result of multiple regression analysis, the factors had on significant effect on normal profit to total assets are fixed ratio(+), liability to total assets(-), bed occupancy rate(+), admissions of outpatients(+), etc. And the factors had on significant effect on normal profit to gross revenues are current ration(+), fixed ratio(+), personnel cost(-), administrative expenses(-), admissions of outpatients(+), etc. In conclusion, to improve the profitability of hospitals, the efforts to reduce personnel cost and average length of stay might be needed. And also beds utilization rate need to be increased.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.35-66
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• 2011

This study analyzed efficiency by utilizing DEA analytical technique centering on materials for 2009 of 20 major university hospitals in capital area. Input variables were utilized professor & full-time doctor, resident, nurse & number of bed hospitals. Output variables were analyzed by dividing number of annual outpatients & number of annual inpatients, and annually total outpatient profit & inpatient profit into a model of the standard for number of patients and the standard for medical profit. DEA analysis was elicited efficiency score by applying CCR, BCC, BFG, scale profit, and SE model. Through t-test after eliciting efficiency score, the implications were suggested by comparing efficiency between DMU in Seoul and DMU in capital area, by comparing between high-class general hospitals and general hospitals, and by comparing between high-class general hospitals in Seoul and 5 big hospitals. As a result of analysis, the major university hospitals in capital area showed high efficiency as a whole close to "1," but indicated low efficiency relatively in CCR field. Thus, the expansion in scale within capital area was indicated to reach the limit. Second, in a model of analyzing the standard for number of patients, the medical institutions, which are being operated efficiently, were indicated to be 10 DMUs. In the standard for medical profit, 12 DMUs were analyzed to be operated efficiently. Third, the efficiency in general hospital was higher than high-class general hospital. Thus, the efficiency of operation was indicated to be more important than scale. Also, large high-class hospitals(big 5) where are located in downtown Seoul showed the higher efficiency than other general high-class general hospitals, but were indicating very low efficiency in some DMUs. Fourth, as a result of generalizing and evaluating the number of patients and the medical profit, the efficient DMU was indicated to be more when analyzing on the basis of medical profit than the standard for number of patients. Thus, major university hospitals in capital area were indicated to make more effort for section in medical profit. Based on the analytical results of efficiency, a strategy for reinforcing efficiency in inefficient DMU was indicated to be needed a strategy of creating customers for promoting number of patients and a strategy for making operation efficient for increasing profitability.