• Health Policy and Management
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.77-106
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• 1994

This study attempts to evaluate the beneficial equity and operational efficiency of the three Korean medical insurance programmes and thereby suggest directions for their policy improvement. Concepts of the equity and effciency were reviewed to develop indicators for comparative analysis. For the analysis, statistical and financial accounting data for 1991, issued by the National Federation of Medical Insurance and the Korea Medical Insurance Corporation, on the operational status and performances of the programmes, were collected and rearranged to be suited to the purpose of the study. The analysis reveals that beneficial inequity exists between self-employed and employee programs. and that operational inefficiency is prominent in both programms for self-employeds and for Government employees and private school teachers. In order to improve the beneficial inequity of the self-employed program, it is suggested that policies be formulated and implimented toward increasing the program revenue through increasing subsidies from the Government, and through inter- program finance adiustment. For the operational inefficiency of the two programs, it is judged that, toghether with the administrative support and control from the Government and the insurance society bodies, self- efforts be initiated to improve the internal mangement styles and systems of the insurance societies. Finally, from the viewpoint of the structural efficiency, expansion of the preventive insurance benefits by the insurance soceties is recommended both for beneficial equity and operational efficiency.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.124-135
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• 2002

The purpose of this study is to analyze a case of unit management system introduced and operated in a university hospital. The system was designed and applied to six clinical departments and centers to help to achieve the medical revenue and profit targets. The case hospital is now in the second year of the system operation. Major findings of the study are as follows; Firstly, the leadership style of the unit manager is the most important factor in management of the unit. The transformational leadership style was more effective than the transactional one. Secondly, unit manager's managerial ability is another key factor to the success or failure in achieving the responsibility targets. Thirdly, the degree of divisionalization and responsibility should be strengthened to activate both unit managers and medical specialists.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.152-171
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• 2002

The research objective is segmenting outpatients for CRM(Customer Relationship Management) in medical service. Using modified RFM(Recently, Frequency, Monetary) method based on frequency and profitability in the hospital, the data were analyzed with the data mining technique. The result can be summarized as follows : The outpatients were semented into the four groups: 1) the loyal patient group, who have kept visiting until recently and give high profitability; 2) potential loyal patient group, who give lower profitability but high frequency of use, 3) potential withdrawer patient group, who have lower frequency of use but give high profitability and; 4) withdrawer patient group, who give low frequency of use and have not visited recently.

• International Journal of Reliability and Applications
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• v.4 no.4
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• pp.183-190
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• 2003

Rail breaks and derailments can cause a huge loss to rail players due to loss of service, revenue, property or even life. Maintenance has huge impact on reliability and safety of railroads. It is important to identify factors behind rail degradation and their risks associated with rail breaks and derailments. Development of mathematical models is essential for prediction and prevention of risks due to rail and wheel set damages, rail breaks and derailments. This paper addresses identification of hazard modes, estimation of probability of those hazards under operating, curve and environmental condition, probability of detection of potential hazards before happening and severity of those hazards for informed strategic decisions. Emphasis is put on optimal maintenance and operational decisions. Real life data is used for illustration.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.71-82
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• 2021

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to estimate incomes and costs of the medical clinics by using secondary data. Methodology: The medical incomes and costs were estimated from 405 clinics operated by sole practitioner providing out-patient services among all clinics subject to the Medical Cost Survey on National Health Insurance Patients in 2017, excluding dental clinics and oriental medical clinics. The incomes and costs of the medical clinics were reflected with incomes and costs of health insurance benefits and were calculated by types of medical services (i.e., basic care, surgery, general treatment, functional test, specimen test and imaging test). The costs were classified as follows: labor costs, equipment costs, material costs and overhead costs. Secondary data was used to estimate the incomes and costs of the medical clinics. For allocation bases for costs for each type of the medical service, the ratio of revenue from health insurance benefits by types of medical services was applied. However, labor costs were calculated with the activity ratio by types of medical services and occupations, using clinical expert panel data. Finding: The percentage of health insurance income for all medical income was 73.1%. The health insurance cost per clinic was 401,864 thousand won. Labor cost accounted for the largest portion of the health insurance income was 191,229 thousand won (47.6%), followed by management cost was 170,018 thousand won (42.3%), materials cost was 35,434 thousand won (8.8%), and equipment costs was 5,183 thousand won (1.3%). Practical Implications: This study suggests a method of estimating incomes and costs of medical clinic services by using secondary data. It could efficiently provide incomes and costs to assess an appropriate level of the health insurance fee to the clinics.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.21-31
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• 2012

This is a case study of Gangnam S University Hospital applying a par level transfer system for reagent materials. The purpose of this study is evaluated on the cutting down on inventory expenses and medical service revenue in the point of resource based view. The data was acquired through the financial statement of Gangnam S Hospital for the fiscal year 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011, and compared with the Korea health industry statistics index for hospital accounts based on the materials in Korea Health Industry Development Institute. The results of the study are as follows. Medical reagent materials expenditure cut down as 305 million won through 2009 fiscal year. Medical profits for the Gangnam S University hospital's income statement in 2011 show well over acquired 3.37 billion won through the enlarged diagnostic test numbers. In conclusion, Gangnam S University Hospital health statistics's index shows very high profits. The results of this study have some limitations in terms of generalization as only one hospital in Seoul. Further studies with relationship inventory performance and enlarged reagent materials are expected in this area.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.54-90
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• 2006

Medical clinics are core institutes that cover the primary medical care in Korea. Financial viability of the clinics is essential for them to conduct their roles and functions, and can be improved by increasing their operating profitability. On this ground, this study aimed at finding important factors that affect the operating profitability, and thereby at suggesting strategic alternatives that can contribute to the improvement of the profitability. Operating margin was set as a dependent variable, and such factors as general management conditions, number of visits, medical revenue, marketing activities, input resources, medical cost as independent variables. Nineteen hypotheses related to the variables were established and tested using data collected from 138 sample clinics for the year 2003. The results of the study are as follows : Firstly, such variables as percent ratio of the depreciation plus rent costs to total administration costs, type of clinical department manifested whether medical, surgical, or quasi-surgical, percent ratio of the interior facility investment to total fixed assets, and total number of outpatient visit are important factors that affect, positively or negatively, the medical profitability of the clinics. Secondly, following measures are needed to be established and implemented to improve the medical profitability. (1) Administration costs share 53.2% of the total medical costs, and depreciation plus rent costs 16.3% of the total administration costs. This implies that such measures as reinforcement of marketing activities, establishment of the cooperative utilizing system of the facility and equipment, or group practice are needed to increase cost-effectiveness. (2) Occupancy rate of the clinics with inpatient bed is as low as 45.5%, causing high fixed costs and low medical profitability. For its improvement, the resource input structure should be reorganized. Thirdly, in the future, a study that can increase sample representativeness of the study and explanation power of the variables should be performed for each type of clinical department to find more specific determinant factors and to contribute to the improvement of the medical profitability of the clinics.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.340-350
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• 2016

The Medical Service Act of Korea describes a clinic as providing services primarily to outpatients, while a large general hospital provides specialized medical services requiring a high level of expertise for treating serious diseases. The portion of medical revenue for clinics has been decreasing gradually compared with large hospitals. This article proposes two fundamental medical policies to fix the distorted medical delivery system of Korea. Firstly, uniform additional medical remuneration rates based on the type of medial institution should be divided into outpatient additional rates and inpatient additional rates. Secondly, to normalize the function of clinics and large general hospitals, an outpatient medical target budget system should be introduced. Finally, to properly implement the proposal, it is important to establish healthcare policy-making governance. The success of policy implementation strongly depends on the participation and incentives of the government, suppliers, and patients. Healthcare policy-making governance must be designed to encompass this fact and improve quality of care.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.1-17
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• 2001

According to the increase of the proportion of aged people, the medical demand for a senile chronic disease has been increased; therefore, aged people call for a geriatric hospital for special geriatric medical service. The main purpose of this study was to analyze the general characteristics and financial status of geriatric hospitals. For the study, a questionnaire was designed and sent to the geriatric hospitals to fill out the patient statistics, number of headcount by department, etc. to find out the stability, profitability, activity and so on financial statements of the hospitals were analyzed. The major findings of this study were as belows. 1. The ratio of the medical expenses to the revenue of the geriatric hospitals is much lower than acute care hospitals. But the probability of bankruptcy is higher due to the high ratio of the liabilities therefore it is required to stabilize the financial position by donating more money. 2. Government budget for the elderly people is not enough. To support the geriatric hospitals by going subsides, government should increase the budget. 3. Portion's of the patient of the geriatric hospitals are government support patient. Since the government doesn't pay the medical charges quickly, geriatric hospitals have a serious cash flow problem. Therefore, it is required that government is to prepay the bill. 4. Since geriatric hospitals treat elderly patient and most patients are government support patients, geriatric hospitals can be said to operate under the strict. 5. When we introduce the daily medical charge, the self-liability will be reduced on approximately 50% of current. This affection will bring a huge progressing financial structure to the medical profit of the geriatric hospital, and also patient family will feel less economical burden.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.100-112
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• 2008

Objectives: The purpose of this survey is to monitor the changes that have occurred in the business environment surrounding Oriental medicine clinics, with the focus on their facilities, staff, patients, and service fee revenue. Method adopted: A questionnaire was sent in December 2006 to 1,000 Oriental medicine clinics nationwide, of which 122 (or 12 percent of them) replied. Previous questionnaires similar to this one in nature were checked for comparison. Results: As a result of analyzing the aforesaid replies, the average Oriental medicine clinic appears to have a floor size of 156 square meters (= 47.2 pyeong) and is equipped with 6.6 beds. The number of helpers and nurse's aids at each Oriental medicine clinics comes to 3.2 and 1.58, respectively. The number of patients coming to see a practitioner of Oriental medicine stands at 36.3 persons per day, of whom 32.06 come for acupuncture treatment. 50.2 percent of the Oriental medicine clinics' service fee revenue is paid from the health insurance. Each clinic spends on average 2.42 million won per month on the purchase of medicinal substances and so forth. The foregoing indicates a 27 percent increase from 1999 in terms of floor size, a 30 percent increase in the number of beds, a 47 percent increase in the number of helpers, a 45 percent increase in the number of nurse's aides, and an 11 percent increase in the number of patients who visit a practitioner of oriental medicine. As for the latter figure, there was an increase of 3.64 over a seven-year period. The number of patients coming for acupuncture treatment increased by 7.06 in the same period, whereas the number of those coming for medication treatment decreased by 4.28 percent. Health insurance payments as a proportion of Oriental medicine clinics' service fee revenues increased by 23.9 percentage points from 26.29 percent in 1997 to 50.2 percent in 2006. The amount that a clinic spends on the purchase of medicinal substances, etc, decreased by 250,000 won or by 9.3 percent from 1999. The estimated value of the domestic Oriental medical service market for 2006 stood at 2,422.2 billion won in total. Conclusion: Oriental medicine clinics in Korea appear to be getting larger, with an increase in the number of beds and helpers. Health insurance payments now account for a greater proportion of Oriental medicine clinics' service fee revenues, and management conditions at the clinics are deteriorating.