• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.95-120
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• 2006

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the structure of cost-sharing for oriental medical services in the national health insurance. Out-of-pocket payment in ambulatory oriental medical care is a co-payment of KRW3,000 up to total expenses of KRW15,000, and co-insurance rate of 30% thereafetr. The empirical analysis based on medial claims data shows that the frequency of medical claims for outpatient care are mostly concentrated just below a total expenses of KRW15,000, and it decreases beyond a total expense of KRW15,000, while it rebounds between KRW17,000${\sim}$20,000. This means the current co-payment(KRW3,000) in oriental medical services should be applied up to a total payment of KRW17,000${\sim}$20,000, or the level of co-payment should be adjusted upward to KRW45,000 in order to be consistent in cost-sharing, between co-payment and co-insurance.

• The Korean journal of internal medicine
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.1160-1168
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• 2018

Background/Aims: The Republic of Korea is a country where the hemodialysis population is growing rapidly. It is believed that the numbers of treatments related to vascular access-related complications are also increasing. This study investigated the current status of treatment and medical expenses for vascular access in Korean patients on hemodialysis. Methods: This was a descriptive observational study. We inspected the insurance claims of patients with chronic kidney disease who underwent hemodialysis between January 2008 and December 2016. We calculated descriptive statistics of the frequencies and medical expenses of procedures for vascular access. Results: The national medical expenses for access-related treatment were 7.12 billion KRW (equivalent to 6.36 million USD) in 2008, and these expenses increased to 42.12 billion KRW (equivalent to 37.67 million USD) in 2016. The population of hemodialysis patients, the annual frequency of access-related procedures, and the total medical cost for access-related procedures increased by 1.6-, 2.6-, and 5.9-fold, respectively, over the past 9 years. The frequency and costs of access care increased as the number of patients on hemodialysis increased. The increase in vascular access-related costs has largely been driven by increased numbers of percutaneous angioplasty. Conclusions: The increasing proportion of medical costs for percutaneous angioplasty represents a challenge in the management of end-stage renal disease in Korea. It is essential to identify the clinical and physiological aspects as well as anatomical abnormalities before planning angioplasty. A timely surgical correction could be a viable option to control the rapid growth of access-related medical expenses.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2020

Objectives: This study investigated the financial performance of Korean Medicine hospitals in Korea in order to understand the current status of hospital management and improve its efficiency. Methods: Financial statements of 24 medical corporations, 19 juridical foundations and 18 school hospitals from 2016 to 2018 were obtained from the secondary data published by the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, the National Tax Service and the Korea Advancing Schools Foundation. Financial performance was measured on 6 dimensions: liquidity, profitability, activity, growth, cost and productivity (investment efficiency) by analyzing 8 financial indicators: Liability to Total Assets, Net Profit to Patient Service Revenues, Total Assets Turnover, Growth Rate of Patient Service Revenues, Operating Expenses to Patient Service Revenues, Value Added to Patient Service Revenues, Value Added to Total Assets, and Value Added to Personnel Expenses. Results: Korean Medicine hospitals showed lower Liability to Total Assets, Liquidity and Value Added to Total Assets than Western Medicine hospitals did. They also showed higher Value Added to Patient Service Revenues and Value Added to Personnel Expenses than Western Medicine hospitals did. They also showed higher Value Added to Patient Service Revenues and Value Added to Personnel Expenses than those of Western Medicine hospitals do. The net profit decreased significantly (-50.8%) in 2018 whereas Patient Service Revenues increased (6.9%) for the same period due to Operating Expenses increase and Non-Operating loss. Conclusions: These findings suggest that the Korean Medicine hospital sector in Korea needs to improve liquidity and financial structure and to enhance profitability by reducing Personnel Expenses and generating Non-operating revenues in order to improve its investment efficiency and competitiveness.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.129-140
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• 2002

This study intended to find out how the handicapped use medical aid, their satisfaction at using it and so on. First a preliminary survey(Apr. 20$\sim$24, 2002) was made for the handicapped who had been cured for rehabilitation by wearing medical aid at hospitals and welfare center in Jeonbuk region. Then total 120 subjects were asked to fill out a standardized questionnaire from May 15$\sim$22, 2002. Out of total 95 questionnaires collected, 84 questionnaires were analyzed except for 11 cases unsuitable for the intention of this study. The results can be outlined as follows: 1. In general characteristic, it was found that the causes of disability included disease(35 respondents; 41.7%), traffic accident(23 respondents, 27.4%) and so on. In addition, 1st handicap comprised the majority(32 respondents; 58.2%) in handicap grade and ankle foot orthosis(or b-k orthosis) was most often used as medical aid(28 respondents: 33.3%) 2. In particular, it was also shown that the 1st handicap mainly resulted from traffic accident(15 respondents, 27.3%) and post-disease disability (11 respondents, 20.0%). They wore medical aid for 1 year or less on the average, because they were hospitalized for cure, which showed statistically significant level(P<0.05). 3. It was found that total 69 respondents(82.1%) were more or less satisfied with their medical aids depending on the causes of disability, and total 46 respondents(83.6%) were satisfied with their aids according to their handicap grade, but there were no statistical significance. 4. Total 56(66.7%) respondents answered that they would purchase medical aid on their own expenses, when they became handicapped. And the price of medical aid ranged from $\300,000{\sim}400,000$(25 respondents: 29.8%) to \ 500,000 or more(24 respondents: 28.6%). It means that they purchased more or less expensive medical aid on their own expenses, which showed statistical significance(P<0.05). 5. If there was any failure of medical aid, 9 respondents(37.5%) answered that they would be serviced from medical companies, and 7 respondents(29.2%) would be serviced from medical aid manufacturers. Most respondents were serviced for their medical aids from related companies. For the question about the causes of dissatisfaction upon repair service, 11 respondents(45.8%) answered that existing service company provided unskilled repair services and other respondents answered that there was no spare part or higher service expenses than they thought. These answers had the statistical significance(P<0.05). However, 20 respondents(79.2%) answered that they were satisfied with the repair service, which means that most respondents are satisfied with the service. In view of the results as described above, it can be concluded that their handicap or disability results from disease or sequelae after traffic accident and most of the affected wear their own medical aid. In the future, it is required that the medical insurance should cover those medical aids, and the service for failed medical aids should be commissioned by technical serviceman to realize customized manufacture and repair service according to different causes so that the handicapped can enjoy more or less comfort and convenience in their daily lives without any extreme difficulty.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.332-338
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• 2003

Objective : To investigate the relationship between medical expenses and the burden of families caring for the elderly in the last 6 months of life, and to evaluate the factors relating to the burden of family caregivers. Methods : The families of 301 persons older than 65 years, who died between 1 July and 31 December 2001, and were registered in Resident-based- Health Insurance Programs in Seoul, were interviewed. The medical expenses and length of stay among the elderly were collected from Korean Health Insurance Corporations. Results : 31 percents of the elderly had no medical expenses in the last 6 months of life. On average, the objective burden (4.92) was higher than the subjective burden (3.35). Families caring for male elderly had a higher burden. With increasing age af death, the objective burden was significantly increased. The burden on a family seemed to be influenced more by the family income than the property of the elderly. With increasing total health care costs, the objective burden on the family caregivers was significantly increased, but with increasing medical expenses, the subjective burden was significantly decreased. Conclusion : An association between healthcare utilization and burden on families was observed. The reason for the decreasing subjective burden when medical expenses were decreased was unclear. Further research will be needed.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.1-23
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• 2000

This study was undertaken to develop performance measurement indicators in S Hospital, which is the largest component of Y Medical Center which implemented the Responsible Management System in 1993. To begin, strategic initiatives for S Hospital were reestablished based on Y Medical Center's goals and objectives. The BSC(Balanced Scorecard) was used to develop performance measurement indicators after validity checks by specialists. The results were that total 16 indicators were developed to measure performance for strategic initiatives. Those included the growth rate of patient revenues, operating profit to gross revenues, reduction rate in administrative expenses from a financial perspective; average medical expenses per adjusted patient, patient satisfaction survey for inpatients and outpatients and emergency room patients, return rate for treatment results from the customer's perspective; reduction rate in average length of hospital stay, expenses for lost cases of medical disputes, rate for contracted employees, the number of published reports per faculty member from an internal perspective; educational expenses for training medical staff and full time employees, adjusted patient per medical staff, and the number of cases implemented which were proposed by employees. Any organization needs to have its own explicit objectives to grow and develop and it is absolutely necessary to measure performance to accomplish them. The performance measurement indicators developed by this study are expected to be used as a tool to attain the objectives of S Hospital.

• Journal of Technologic Dentistry
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.395-403
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• 2013

Purpose: This article examined the affecting factors of a malocclusion status of a patient for orthodontic treatment, orthodontics medical expenses and oral health behavior on orthodontic satisfaction. Methods: This paper conducted a survey from the 15th of July to 30th of September 2012 for the patients who were under orthodontic treatment at three dental clinics where are in Deagu, and distributed a total of 210 questionnaires and analyzed 194 questionnaires, excepting for some questionnaires that were answered unfaithfully. Results: This study classified the related factors into a feeling of satisfaction with treatment and mental satisfaction for finding orthodontic satisfaction. There were the effect of the right tooth-brushing method, a periodic scaling and orthodontics medical expenses on a feeling of satisfaction with treatment, and power of explanation was 16.7%. Conclusion: There were the effect of a malocclusion status, matters that requires attention during orthodontic treatment, a periodic scaling during orthodontic treatment and orthodontics medical expenses on mental satisfaction, and power of explanation was 16.9%. Based on the result above, this paper concluded that preventive treatment and early treatment should be emphasized through developing a program for regular oral examination suited to each medical type, including the method for improving the medical treatment condition and care service for increasing orthodontic satisfaction, which the dental medical-service providers could consider the patients and secure trust.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.282-292
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• 2022

Background: Aging societies face social problems of increased medical expenses for older adults due to increased geriatric diseases. This study aims to analyze the relationship between the state change of multiple chronic conditions (MCC) and out-of-pocket medical expenses in the elderly aged 60 or older. Methods: The 2014-2018 Korean Longitudinal Study of Aging data were used for 2,202 elderly people. Four status change groups were established according to the change in the number of chronic diseases. The association between the change of MCC and the out-of-pocket medical cost was analyzed using the generalized estimating equation model analysis. Results: The average out-of-pocket total medical costs were 1,384,900 won for participants with MCC and 542,700 won for those without MCC, which was a statistically significant difference (p<0.0001). Compared to the reference group (simple chronic disease, SCD→SCD), the change in multiple chronic conditions significantly increased the total out-of-pocket medical expenses in MCC→MCC and SCD→MCC groups (MCC→MCC: 𝛽=0.8260, p<0.0001; SCD→MCC: 𝛽=0.6607, p<0.0001). Conclusion: In this study, it was confirmed that the prevalence of MCC increased with age, and the out-of-pocket medical cost increased in the case of MCC. Continuity of treatment can be achieved for patients with MCC, and the system and management of treatment for MCC are required to receive appropriate treatment.

• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.60-65
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• 2016

Objectives The purpose of this study is to emphasize the importance of preventing precocious puberty. This study assessed current number of the patients with early puberty and their medical expenses from 2010 to 2015. Methods Using the data from Korean Statistical Information Service and Heathcare Bigdata Hub, number of patients diagnosed with precocious puberty by gender, age, and year from 2010 to 2015 were reviewed. Also, annual medical insurance expenses and the incidence of leuprorelin use were reviewed. Results Number of the patients with precocious puberty has increased from 29,251 in 2010 to 75,945 in 2015. Total medical insurance expenses have increased from 25,716,431 won in 2010 to 56,367,981 won in 2015. The use of lueprorelin also has increased annually from 11,097,590,000 won in 2010 to 21,617,585,000 won in 2015. Conclusions As a result, the patients diagnosed with precocious puberty are increasing in number, and their medical costs have been rising as well. It may be necessary to control the environmental causes of precocious puberty to reduce not only the physical and psychosocial health problems, but also the social costs.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.257-262
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• 2018

This study reviews the advent of long-term care (LTC) hospitals and its key issues in Korea. For analysis, enforcement ordinances and enforcement rules related to LTC hospitals were reviewed. Official statistic data were used for quantitative analysis and Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development data were utilized for comparative analysis. Various references and expert interviews were conducted for status analysis. As of 2016, the number of LTC hospitals was 1,386 and the number of beds were 246,373. It showed the trend of increasing medical care costs and the cost of care at LTC hospitals increasing from 998.8 billion Korean won in 2008 to 4,745.6 billion Korean won in 2016, accounting for 7.3% of the total National Health Insurance expenditure. From the societal perspective, several issues were pointed out within the current health care system related to LTC hospitals: establishment of roles, concerns about the increase in medical expenses, and the quality of medical personnel.