• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.13
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• pp.5265-5270
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• 2014

Background: In Korea, the National Health Insurance program has initiated various copayment policies over a decade in order to alleviate patient financial burden. This study investigated healthcare spending and utilization in the last 12 months of life among patients who died with lung cancer by various copayment policy windows. Materials and Methods: We performed a retrospective cohort study using nationwide lung cancer health insurance claims data from 2002 to 2012. We used descriptive and multivariate methods to compare spending measured by total costs, payer costs, copayments, and utilization (measured by length of stay or outpatient days). Using 1,4417,380 individual health insurance claims (inpatients: 673,122, outpatients: 744,258), we obtained aggregated healthcare spending and utilization of 155,273 individual patient (131,494 inpatient and 103,855 outpatient) records. Results: National spending and utilization is growing, with a significant portion of inpatient healthcare spending and utilization occurring during the end-of-life period. Specifically, inpatients were more likely to have more spending and utilization as they got close to death. As coverage expanded, copayments decreased, but overall costs increased due to increased utilization. The trends were the same in both inpatient and outpatient services. Multivariate analysis confirmed the associations. Conclusions: We found evidence of the higher end of life healthcare spending and utilizations in lung cancer patients occurring as coverage expanded. The practice pattern within a hospital might be influenced by coverage policies. Health policy makers should consider initiating various health policies since these influence the long-term outcomes of service performance and overall healthcare spending and utilization.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.28-34
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• 2001

Objectives : To investigate the changing pattern of medical utilization claims following the economic crisis in Korea. Methods : The original data consisted of the claims of the 'Medical insurance program of self-employees' between 1997 and 1998. The data was selected by medical treatment day ranging between 8 January and 30 June. Medical utilizations were calculated each year by the frequency of claims, visit days for outpatients, length of stay for inpatients, total days of medication, and the sum of expenses. Results : The length of stay as an inpatient in 1998 was decreased 4.7 percent in comparison to 1997. However, inpatient expenses in 1998 increased 10.8 percent as compared to 1997. Inpatient hospital claims in 1998 increased 6.2 percent over 1997, although general hospital inpatient claims in 1998 decreased 3.3 percent in comparison to 1997. The outpatient claim frequency decreased 7.3 in 1998 percent as compared to 1997 Outpatient visit days of in 1998 were decreased 8.5 percent in comparison to that recorded in 1997. Outpatient claim frequencies of 'gu region' in 1998 decreased 10.5 percent comparison to that in 1997, but 'city and gun region' decreased less than 'gu region'. Conclusions : Medical utilization in 1998 deceased in relation to 1997 Medical utilization by outpatients decreased more than that of inpatients. Medical utilization by 'gu region' decreased mere than the other regions.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.23 no.3 s.31
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• pp.345-357
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• 1990

Accumulated data on medical care utilization among the insured in Korea Medical Insurance Corporation can explain the health status of the population. The purpose of this study was to analyze a change of the disease-mix and utilization pattern by controlling the size of the population enrollment. Major findings of the study are as follows : 1. The changes of inpatient disease-mix a. Utilization rate was 139.2% in 1988 against 1980. b. Disease groups higher than the average utilization rate included neoplasms, endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases and immunity disorders, mental disorders etc. Meanwhile, disease groups seen less often were infections and parasistic diseases, diseases of blood and bloodforming, diseases of the digestive system etc. c. Utilization rate was up 106.3% in 1988 compared to 1985, and diseases above that average level were ill-defined intestinal infections, chronic liver disease and cirrhosis, diabetes mellitus, essential hypertension, etc. d. The disease-mix by institution in 1988 compared to 1985 shows that chronic disorders rank high in general hospitals whereas opthalmologic, obstetric, and orthopedic diseases rank high in private clinics. 2. The changes of outpatient disease-mix a. Utilization rate was up 175.2% in 1988 compared to 1980. b. Disease groups higher than the average utilization rate included neoplasms, endocrine, nutritional and metabolic diseases and immunity disorders, mental disorders etc. And disease groups seen less often were infections and parasistic diseases, diseases of the respiratory system, diseases of the genitourinary system. etc. c. Utilization rate was up 104.0% in 1988 compared to 1985, and diseases above that average level were gastric ulcer, diseases of hard tissues of teeth, etc. And diseases seen below that average level were acute nasopharyngitis(common cold). acute upper respiratory infections of multiple or unspecified sites, etc. It was concluded that medical care utilization level was increased, and that, from 1980 to 1988, disease-mix shifted to the chronic disorders. Chronic disorders accounted for more medical care utilization in general hospitals.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.31 no.4 s.63
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• pp.814-827
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• 1998

In this study we analyzed the insurance claims data to investigate the medical care utilization pattern of tuberculosis patients in private sector. We selected the claims of principal or secondary diagnosis with tuberculosis from claims database of National federation of Medical Insurance, from December 1995 to November 1996. Both spell-based analysis and person-based analysis were carried out. In spell-based analysis, type and location of treatment facilities, distribution of diagnoses, number of outpatient/inpatient treatments were analyzed. Additionally in person-based analysis, number of tuberculosis patients, demographic characteristics, number of treatments per person, frequency and pattern of change in source of care were analyzed. The results were as follows 1. The number of treatments with tuberculosis was 863,641 from 1 December 1995 to 30 November 1996. The number of patients was 313.964. 2. Most of tuberculosis patients in private sector were treated in general hospital (45.8%) and clinics(42.2%) 3. About 77.7% of tuberculosis patients who were treated more than two times did not change the source of care. 18,9% of tuberculosis patients changed source of care only once. Even when we limited tuberculosis patient to those who were treated more than five times and whose treatment period were longer than six months, 94.7% of patients did not change source of care at all, or changed treatment facility only once. 4. The probability of change in source of rare was higher in pulmonary tuberculosis, in twenties, and in rural area respectively than other tuberculosis. In conclusion, healer shopping of tuberculosis patients was not serious as expected. However special attention is needed to pulmonary tuberculosis in twenties and rural area.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.13-28
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• 2020

Purposes: The purpose of this study is to analyze the institutional and personal factors that affect the medical utilization of patients transferred to tertiary medical institutions. Methodology: We retrospectively analyzed the 2 weeks electronic medical records of 1,556 patients, who were referred to the tertiary hospital, from June 15 to 26, 2015. The patient's personal characteristics, referral hospital, referral path, medical experiences and expenses were analyzed for 6 months after the patient's first visit. Findings: The largest proportion (848; 54.5%) of referrals was referred from primary clinic but the referrals of the same tertiary hospital level were one in seven (228; 14.7%) of the patients. Most patients (1,401; 90%) were referred from the clinics and hospitals directly and only one in ten (155; 10%) of the patients utilized the medical referral center. Patients who had been referred from tertiary care institutions had significantly higher medical costs than those referred to primary care (7,560,000 vs 2,333,000 won). The institutional factors including the numbers of visits to outpatient clinic, previous history of hospitalization and operation, consultation to other medical departments and hospitalization fee significantly influenced on medical utility pattern. Personal factors including patient's medical diagnosis and department of disease have a highly correlation with patient's referrals. Practical implications: The medical utilization of medical expenses and experiences is influenced by institutional and individual factors, and it is important to establish a referral system considering the institutional factors of the type of referral hospital.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.25 no.1 s.37
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• pp.88-100
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• 1992

This study was conducted to assess the effects of implementation of the patient referral system started July 1st, 1989. A comparison on the pattern of outpatient services of the Departments of Internal Medicine, General Surgery, and Pediatrics at the Yeungnam University Hospital was conducted for each one year period before and after implementation of the patient referral system. The pre-implementation period was from July 1, 1988 to June 30, 1989 and the post-implementation period was from July 1, 1989 to June 30, 1990. The information used for this study was obtained from official forms, prepared by the Yeungnam University Hospital, and submitted to the Korean Medical Insurance Cooperatives. After implementation of the patient referral system, the number of outpatient cases in the Department of Internal Medicine decreased 36.1% from 9,669 cases to 6,181 cases a year. Cases in the Department of General Surgery decreased 23.7% from 1,864 cases to 1,422 cases a year. The number of cases in the Department of Pediatrics decreased 36.9% from 3,372 cases to 2,128 cases a year. After implementation of the patient referral system, the average age of cases in the Departments of Internal Medicine and General Surgery was 52.5 and 49.7 years old, respectively. This was a significant increase in comparison with the pre-implementation period. After implementation of patient referral system, the proportion of new outpatients in the Department of Internal Medicine decreased from 24.1% to 14.6%, the Department of General Surgery from 36.0% to 23.4%, and the Department of Pediatrics from 15.5% to 8.3%. The number of visits per case decreased significantly in the Department of Internal Medicine(from 1.74 to 1.61), but there was no significant change in the Departments of General Surgery and Pediatrics. The length of treatment per case increased significantly in all three departments(from 16.1 days to 19.3 days in the Department of Internal Medicine, from 12.0 days to 15.2 days in the Department General Surgery, and 8.9 days to 11.2 days in the Department of Pediatrics). The number of clinical tests per case increased significantly in the Department of Internal Medicine (from 2.2 to 2.5), in the Department of Pediatrics(from 0.8 to 1.1) and increased in the Department of General Surgery(from 6.4 to 6.6). The average medical cost per case decreased from 43,900 Won to 42,500 Won in the Department of Internal Medicine, while the cost increased from 75,900 Won to 78,500 Won in the Department of General Surgery and from 12,700 Won to 13,500 Won in the Department of Pediatrics. In case-mix, the chronic degenerative disease(i. e. hypertension, diabetes mellitus, angina pectoris, malignant neoplasm, and pulmonary tuberculosis) ranked higher and acute infectious diseases and simple cases(i. e. gastritis and duodenitis, haemorrhoids, anal fissure, carbuncle, acute URI, and bronchitis) ranked lower after implementation of the patient referral system compared to before implementation.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.273-279
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• 2015

Objective: Codeine may result in death or respiratory depression in children, particularly who are rapid metabolizer of CYP2D6, therefore it should be used cautiously among children under 12 years of age. This study was to investigate the prescribing pattern of codeine among children according to the age group, prescribed diagnosis, type of medical service and medical specialties. Method: We used Korea Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service-National Patient Sample (HIRA-NPS) database. Study subjects included inpatients or outpatients, who were prescribed codeine between January, 1, 2011 and December, 31, 2011. Contraindicated use of codeine was defined as the use of codeine at least one times under aged 12. Age groups were subclassified according to the <2 years, 2-4 years, 5-8 years, and 9-11 years. Frequently prescribed diagnosis (ICD-10), type of medical service, and medical specialties were also described among codeine users under aged 12. Results: Codeine users were 6,411 inpatients (9,958 prescriptions), and 3,397 outpatients (6,258 prescriptions), respectively. Codeine prescription under 12 years of age were 2.1% (210 prescriptions) among inpatients, and 12.3% (776 prescriptions) among outpatients (p-value<0.05). Outpatient prescriptions of codeine under 12 aged were issued mostly from primary care clinics and frequent diagnosis were unspecified bronchopneumonia (51.6%), and vasomotor rhinitis (23.7%). Conclusion: This study found prescribing of codeine under 12 aged is common in outpatient and primary clinics. Nationwide and community-based efforts should be needed to reduce inappropriate prescribing among children.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.389-400
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• 2014

Objectives: Though there are many studies about sleep disorder, no research has been performed on the utilization of oriental medicine as a treatment. Therefore, the oriental medical treatment pattern of Korean patients with sleep disorders was examined herein using the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRAS). Methods: The medical records of patients with sleep disorders (G47) or nonorganic sleep disorders (F51) as a main diagnosis were adopted from the HIRAS database from 2011 to 2013. Analysis was performed on the number of patients and cost per patient, with comparison between oriental and western medicine in terms of gender, age, patient care service type, and hospital type. Results: 1) Regarding sleep disorders, the medical visits and insurance charges have been increasing. Western medicine was utilized 8 times more often than oriental medicine during 3 years. 2) There were 2.5 times more women than men. 3) Among all ages, the 50~59 year group had the highest representation. 4) In comparison of average portions of patient care type over 3 years, outpatients were the majority, while the number of visits of outpatients and hospitalization has been increasing. 5) Comparison of average portion of oriental hospital type over 3 years revealed oriental clinics to be used most. The use of general hospitals was higher in western medicine treatment, while public health centers used oriental medicine more. 6) Regarding average oriental medical cost per patient over 3 years, the total was 88,000 won, with 353,000 won for hospitalization and 85,000 won for outpatients. The outpatient cost has been increasing. 7) In line with 6, oriental medical hospitals cost 126,000 won, local clinics were 85,000 won, and etc. was 95,000 won. Average costs of all types have increased during 3 years, except oriental medical hospitals in 2013. Conclusions: This study provided objective information about the epidemiologic characteristic of oriental medicine used for treatment of sleep disorder. For expansion of oriental medical demand for sleep disorder, this study would be helpful in understanding the recent status.