• Journal of Periodontal and Implant Science
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• 제48권1호
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• pp.3-11
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• 2018

Purpose: This study utilized a strong quasi-experimental design to test the hypothesis that the implementation of a policy to expand dental care services resulted in an increase in the usage of dental outpatient services. Methods: A total of 45,650,000 subjects with diagnoses of gingivitis or advanced periodontitis who received dental scaling were selected and examined, utilizing National Health Insurance claims data from July 2010 through November 2015. We performed a segmented regression analysis of the interrupted time-series to analyze the time-series trend in dental costs before and after the policy implementation, and assessed immediate changes in dental costs. Results: After the policy change was implemented, a statistically significant 18% increase occurred in the observed total dental cost per patient, after adjustment for age, sex, and residence area. In addition, the dental costs of outpatient gingivitis treatment increased immediately by almost 47%, compared with a 15% increase in treatment costs for advanced periodontitis outpatients. This policy effect appears to be sustainable. Conclusions: The introduction of the new policy positively impacted the immediate and long-term outpatient utilization of dental scaling treatment in South Korea. While the policy was intended to entice patients to prevent periodontal disease, thus benefiting the insurance system, our results showed that the policy also increased treatment accessibility for potential periodontal disease patients and may improve long-term periodontal health in the South Korean population.

• Clinical Endoscopy
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• 제55권5호
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• pp.630-636
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• 2022

Background/Aims: Transoral incisionless fundoplication (TIF) is an accepted anatomic treatment for gastroesophageal reflux disease in selected patients. In this report, we analyze our institution's programmatic allocation of resources during the safe implementation of TIF as a new procedure. Methods: A retrospective analysis of all patients who underwent TIF from January 2020 to February 2021 at our institution was performed. The process of initially allocating the operating room (OR) with overnight admission and postoperative esophagram for added safety, and subsequently transitioning TIF to the endoscopy suite (ES) as an outpatient procedure was described. Patient safety and outcomes were evaluated during transition. Results: Thirty patients who underwent TIF were identified. The mean age was 51.2±16.0 years. TIF was performed in an OR in nine patients (30%) and 21 (70%) in the ES. All the OR patients were admitted overnight and had routine esophagogram. In contrast, four (19%) from the ES group required clinically-indicated admission and three (14.2%) required esophagram. The mean procedure duration was significantly lower in the ES group (65.7 min vs. 84 min, p=0.02). Conclusions: A stepwise, resource-efficient process was described that allowed safe initiation of TIF as a new technique and its effective transition to a fully outpatient procedure.

• 보건행정학회지
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• 제32권2호
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• pp.154-163
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• 2022

Background: The costliness index (CI) is an index that is used in various ways to improve the quality of medical care and the management of appropriate treatment in medical institutions. However, the current calculation method for CI has a limitation in reflecting the actual medical cost of the patient unit because the outpatient and inpatient costs are evaluated separately. It is desirable to calculate the CI by integrating the medical cost into the episode unit. Methods: We developed an episode-based CI method using the episode classification system of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to the National Inpatient Sample data in Korea, which can integrate the admission and ambulatory care cost to episode unit. Additionally, we compared our new method with the previous method. Results: In some episodes, the correlation between previous and episode-based CI was low, and the proportion of outpatient treatment costs in total cost and readmission rates are high. As a result of regression analysis, it is possible that the level of total medical costs of the patient unit in low volume medical institute and rural area has been underestimated. Conclusion: High proportion of outpatient treatment cost in total medical cost means that some medical institutions may have provided medical services in the ambulatory care that are ancillary to inpatient treatment. In addition, a high readmission rate indicates insufficient treatment service for inpatients, which means that previous CI may not accurately reflect actual patient-based treatment costs. Therefore, an integrated patient-unit classification system which can be used as a more effective CI indicator is needed.

• 보건행정학회지
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• 제32권2호
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• pp.125-136
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• 2022

The costliness index (CI) is an index that is used in various ways to improve the quality of medical care and the management of appropriate treatment in medical institutions. However, the current calculation method for CI has a limitation in reflecting the actual medical cost of the patient unit because the outpatient and inpatient costs are evaluated separately. It is desirable to calculate the CI by integrating the medical cost into the episode unit. We developed an episode-based CI method using the episode classification system of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services to the National Inpatient Sample data in Korea, which can integrate the admission and ambulatory care cost to episode unit. Additionally, we compared our new method with the previous method. In some episodes, the correlation between previous and episode-based CI was low, and the proportion of outpatient treatment costs in total cost and readmission rates are high. As a result of regression analysis, it is possible that the level of total medical costs of the patient unit in low volume medical institute and rural area has been underestimated. High proportion of outpatient treatment cost in total medical cost means that some medical institutions may have provided medical services in the ambulatory care that are ancillary to inpatient treatment. In addition, a high readmission rate indicates insufficient treatment service for inpatients, which means that previous CI may not accurately reflect actual patient-based treatment costs. Therefore, an integrated patient-unit classification system which can be used as a more effective CI indicator is needed.

• 보건행정학회지
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• 제19권3호
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• pp.125-141
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• 2009

The purpose of this study was to examine the role of provider practice patterns in the difference in health expenditure between the two types of patients: Health Insurance and Medical Aid type 1. The study used the outpatient claim data for all Medicaid and health insurance patients of hypertension who received medical services from 8,454 primary care physicians during the first half of 2006. The data were stratified by patient's gender and age for the two groups of patients who received care from the same physician. The dependent variables were the differences in medical expenditure per case, patient days per case and medical expenditure per patient day between Medicaid patients and health insurance patients. Empirical results showed that physician characteristics, such as physicians under age 50, greater proportion of pediatric Medicaid patients, lower proportion of new Medicaid patients and the greater number of comorbidity of Medicaid patients are associated with the greater difference between the two types of patients (i.e., greater expenditure of Medicaid patients relative to health insurance patients). This study shows that factors associated with provider practice patterns need to be taken into account in Medicaid policy.

• 한국멀티미디어학회논문지
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• 제22권4호
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• pp.480-490
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• 2019

Nowadays, Electronic Medical Record (EMR) has just implemented at few hospitals for Outpatient Department (OPD). OPD is the diversified data, it includes demographic and diseases of patient, so it need to be clustered in order to explore the hidden rules and the relationship of data types of patient's information. In this paper, we propose a novel approach for unsupervised clustering of patient's demographic and diseases in OPD. Firstly, we collect data from a hospital at OPD. Then, we preprocess and transform data by using powerful techniques such as standardization, label encoder, and categorical encoder. After obtaining transformed data, we use some strong experiments, techniques, and evaluation to select the best number of clusters and best clustering algorithm. In addition, we use some tests and measurements to analyze and evaluate cluster tendency, models, and algorithms. Finally, we obtain the results to analyze and discover new knowledge, meanings, and rules. Clusters that are found out in this research provide knowledge to medical managers and doctors. From these information, they can improve the patient management methods, patient arrangement methods, and doctor's ability. In addition, it is a reference for medical data scientist to mine OPD dataset.

• 의료법학
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• 제19권1호
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• pp.23-80
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• 2018

정신질환자의 인권이라는 관점에서 우리나라의 정신질환자에 관한 법과 정책도 강제입원과 치료가 중심이 아니라, 정신질환자의 삶에 주목하여 그들의 회복(Recovery)과 사회통합(Inclusion)을 목표로 지역사회에서의 복지와 지원에 중점을 두어야 한다. 정신건강복지법으로의 개정으로 강제입원의 요건과 절차를 엄격하게 강화하였지만, 지역사회에서 정신질환자의 안정적 치료와 사회복귀를 지원할 서비스가 충분히 확보되어 있지 않다. 그 중에서도 지역사회에 복귀한 정신질환자들의 안정적인 치료의 유지와 위기상황에 빠졌을 때에 지원받을 수 있는 서비스 체계를 구축하는 것은 정신질환자의 회복과 지역사회에서 살아갈 권리를 실현하는 데에 매우 중요하다. 이 점에 있어서 미국의 외래치료명령제도와 위기대응프로그램이 많은 시사를 제공해 줄 수 있다. 먼저 미국에서의 외래치료명령제도의 발생과 최신 동향으로부터 다음과 같은 시사를 얻을 수 있다. 첫째, 미국의 AOT와 같이 외래치료명령 신청 주체를 넓게 확대하는 것, 둘째, 사법기관에 준하는 독립성을 갖춘 기관의 심의와 절차적 권리를 보장하는 것, 셋째, 실효성 확보를 위해 정신보건전달체계에도 동일한 내용의 명령을 하는 것, 넷째, 외래치료명령에서 반드시 사례관리를 포함하는 '치료계획'을 수립하는 것, 다섯째, 외래치료명령과 병행하여 동의에 기반한 외래치료지원제도를 시행하는 것, 여섯째, 대상을 자 타해행위의 이력이 있는 입원환자로 제한하지 않는 것에 주목할 필요가 있다. 나아가 지역사회에 복귀한 정신질환자가 병상(病狀)의 변화에 따라 겪게 되는 정신과적 위기상황을 안전하게 극복하기 위해서는 미국의 위기대응 프로그램과 같은 사회서비스의 제공이 반드시 필요하다. 특히 정신과적 위기상황에서 강제입원이나 자살, 중대범죄의 위험으로부터 본인과 타인을 보호하기 위해서 위기대응 프로그램은 중요한 역할을 할 수 있을 것이다. 이때 미국이 경험한 위기대응서비스 제공의 기본원칙과 다양한 형태의 위기대응 서비스가 우리나라의 제도 설계와 운영에 많은 참고가 될 것이다.

• 한국병원경영학회지
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• 제4권1호
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• pp.41-65
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• 1999

This study was attempted to identify the factors affecting profitability of general hospital in Kyung-In Region. Operating profit to gross revenues and net profit to gross revenues were used as a proxy indicator for profitability of hospitals. The unit of analysis was hospital, and the data were collected 5 years data from 20 hospitals. The major findings are as follows; (1) The average operating profit rate was 1.03% and the net profit rate was -5.00% in twenty hospitals in the Kyung-In Region for the last five years. In terms of maximum surplus, the operating profit rate was 14% and net profit rate was 3.40%. In terms of maximum loss revenue, the operating profit rate was -16.56% and the net profit rate was -22.83%. (2) Since the year 1993, which was the starting year of this study, the operating profits and the net profits consistently decreased. (3) Analyzing the difference in profits among various hospital groups, the tertiary hospital group and the 501-1000 beds group exhibited the highest in operating profit rate. Also, among the higher grade number of beds in hospital group, per 100 beds group, the 41-50 beds group exhibited the highest in operating profit rate. There is a statistically significant difference in those groups(p<0.05, p<0.01). (4) In the health care delivery system, the profit gain in the secondary hospital was 51.5% and in the tertiary hospital was 72.4%. Based on the number of beds in each hospital group, the highest profit gain was 75.0% in the over 1001 beds group, and 71.4% in the 501-1000 beds group. Also, among the higher grade number of beds in hospital group, per 100 beds group, the 41-50 beds group exhibited 88.6% surplus. (5) According to the surplus difference based on the analysis of health care utilization, a group with over 31 patients in bed turnover rate, a group with over 96% in bed occupancy rate and group with over 9% in emergency cases to outpatient visits exhibited the highest profit gains. In addition, a group with over 301 patients in daily outpatient visits per 100 beds and group with 11-12 days average length of stay exhibited the highest profit gains. These results are statistically significant(p<0.05, p<0.01). (6) According to a stepwise regression analysis, the variables measuring the bed turnover rate, number of licensed beds, and number of outpatient visits per specialist explain 34.1% of the variation in operating profits. In terms of net profits, the new outpatient visits, the bed turnover rates and the number of general bed variables explain 30.6%. These results are statistically significant(p<0.01).

• 보건행정학회지
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• 제30권2호
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• pp.164-177
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• 2020

This study aims to compare the experience of selected countries in operating separate payment system for new healthcare technology and to find implications for price setting in Korea. We analyzed the related reports, papers, laws, regulations, and related agencies' online materials from five selected countries including the United States, Japan, Taiwan, Germany, and France. Each country has its own additional payment system for new technologies: transitional pass-through payment and new technology ambulatory payment classification for outpatient care and new technology add-on payment for inpatient care (USA), an extra payment for materials with new functions or new treatment (C1, C2; Japan), an additional payment system for new special treatment materials (Taiwan), a short-term extra funding for new diagnosis and treatment (NUB; Germany), and list of additional payments for new medical devices (France). The technology should be proven safe and effective in order to get approval for an additional payment. The price is determined by considering the actual cost of providing the technology and the cost of existing similar technologies listed in the benefits package. The revision cycle of the additional payment is 1 to 4 years. The cost or usage is monitored during that period and then integrated into the existing fee schedule or removed from the list. We conclude that it is important to set the explicit criteria to select services eligible for additional payment, to collect and analyze data to assess eligibility and to set the payment, to monitor the usage or cost, and to make follow-up measures in price setting for new health technologies in Korea.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• 제59권1호
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• pp.30-34
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• 2016

Purpose: Although Bednar's aphthae are common and regress spontaneously, these lesions may lead to feeding intolerance and are often misdiagnosed, rendering examinations useless. This study sheds new light on the clinical features of Bednar's aphthae. Methods: Sixteen neonates and infants were newly diagnosed with Bednar's aphthae via routine health check-ups in an outpatient clinic. Medical records were retrospectively reviewed, and the following parameters were analyzed; sex, gestational age, birth weight, mode of delivery, and perinatal problems. A physical examination was carried out during the next outpatient visit to examine the healing process and check for the existence of scars or complications. Results: Initial presentation included changes in feeding habits (n=10), longer feeding time, reduced intake, and increased irritability. In 6 patients, Bednar's aphthae were discovered incidentally, without prior symptoms. Feeding posture and method of feeding are important causes of Bednar's aphthae. Eleven patients were fed in a horizontal position, whereas 5 patients were fed in a semiseated position. Fifteen patients were bottle-fed, whereas 1 patient was exclusively breastfed. After correcting the feeding position, the ulcerative lesions disappeared within 1 month of diagnosis. During the follow-up period, lesions did not recur in any of the patients. Conclusion: This study suggests that Bednar's aphthae are caused by mechanical pressure. A diagnosis of Bednar's aphthae should be considered when lesions are found on the palate of infants and when symptoms seem to be feeding related. Proper education of parents can both treat Bednar's aphthae and easily prevent its recurrence.