말기 환자에서 사망 전 의료비 지출 현황과 환자관리 대책

Purpose: To know for what the medical expenditure had been used and to seek the way how it can be efficiently redistributed, I investigated total medical expenditure according to the time period to death in the expired patients for recent 2 years. Methods: 21patients were enrolled in this study. Total medical expenditure including benefit charge and non-benefit charge charged to patients in in-patient department(IPD) and out-patient department(OPD) was counted according to the period for one year by death. Results: 94.7% of the total medical expenditure had been payed for admission-related expenditure and 89% during period 3 and 4 for 6months before death, which may be due to the more days of admission during those periods. 70.1% of the total expenditure had been charged on the admission-fee, room charge, diet, and administration of the fluid, medicines, and blood etc. Conclusion: Majority of medical expenditure has been used in the affairs being unable to improve the survival or quality of life of patients and during the periods closer to death. Here, it would be needed heartily to look for the best ways in detail how the idea of hospice can come true through nation-wide and social consensus.