• Acute and Critical Care
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.230-237
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• 2018

Background: Socioeconomic status (SES) is closely associated with health outcomes, including mortality in critically ill patients admitted to intensive care unit (ICU). However, research regarding this issue is lacking, especially in countries where the National Health Insurance System is mainly responsible for health care. This study aimed to investigate how the SES of ICU patients in South Korea is associated with mortality. Methods: This was a retrospective observational study of adult patients aged ${\geq}20$ years admitted to ICU. Associations between SES-related factors recorded at the time of ICU admission and 30-day and 1-year mortalities were analyzed using univariable and multivariable Cox regression analyses. Results: A total of 6,008 patients were included. Of these, 394 (6.6%) died within 30 days of ICU admission, and 1,125 (18.7%) died within 1 year. Multivariable Cox regression analysis found no significant associations between 30-day mortality after ICU admission and SES factors (P>0.05). However, occupation was significantly associated with 1-year mortality after ICU admission. Conclusions: Our study shows that 30-day mortality after ICU admission is not associated with SES in the National Health Insurance coverage setting. However, occupation was associated with 1-year mortality after ICU admission.

• Advances in pediatric surgery
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.87-91
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• 2004

As prenatal ultrasonography becomes popular, the number of prenatal diagnosis of congenital surgical diseases is also increasing. To evaluate the impact of antenatal ultrasonography on outcome the mortality rate in neonatal surgical emergencies was studied. The authors retrospectively reviewed 281 patients (congenital diaphragmatic hernia: 44, tracheoesophageal fistula: 78, intestinal atresia: 98, omphalocele: 28 and gastroschisis: 33 who had been managed at Seoul National University Childrens Hospital, from January 1991 to December 2000. The patients were divided into two groups; group A (1991 to 1995; 139 patients) and group B (1996 to 2000; 142 patients). These two groups were subdivided into prenatally diagnosed subgroup and postnatally diagnosed subgroup. We analyzed the changes of prenatal diagnosis rate, total mortality rate, and mortality rate of subgroups. Prenatal diagnosis rate was increased significantly in group B (Group A: 24.5 % and Group B: 45.1 %). Total mortality rate of group A was 21.6 %, and that of group B was 10.6 %, showing a significant decrease in group B. However, in both group A and B, when compared antenatally diagnosed subgroup with postnatally diagnosed subgroup, the mortality rate was lower in postnatally diagnosed subgroups but statistically not significant. The authors conclude that although prenatal diagnosis rate has been increased, prenatal diagnosis itself has not resulted in significant improvement in outcome.

• The Korean journal of internal medicine
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.110-122
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• 2024

Background/Aims: Due to limited real-world evidence on the association between time to presentation (T2P) and outcomes following acute myocardial infarction and diabetes (AMI-DM), we investigated the characteristics of patients with AMI-DM and their outcomes based on their T2P. Methods: 4,455 patients with AMI-DM from a Korean nationwide observational cohort (2011-2015) were divided into early and late presenters according to symptom-to-door time. The effects of T2P on three-year all-cause mortality were estimated using inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW) and survival analysis. Results: The incidence of all-cause mortality was consistently higher in late presenters than in early presenters (11.4 vs. 17.2%; p < 0.001). In the IPTW-adjusted dataset, the incidence of all-cause mortality was numerically higher in late presenters than in early presenters (9.1 vs. 12.4%; p = 0.072). In the survival analysis, the cumulative incidence of all-cause mortality was significantly higher in late presenters than in early presenters before and after IPTW. In the subgroup with ST-elevation myocardial infarction, late presenters had a higher incidence of cardiac death than early presenters before (4.8 vs. 10.5%; p < 0.001) and after IPTW (4.2 vs. 9.7%; p = 0.034). In the initial glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c)-stratified analysis, these effects were attenuated in patients with HbA1c ≥ 9.0% before (adjusted hazard ratio [HR]: 1.45, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.80-2.64) and after IPTW (adjusted HR: 0.82, 95% CI: 0.40-1.67). Conclusions: Late presentation was associated with higher mortality in patients with AMI-DM; therefore, multifaceted and systematic interventions are needed to decrease pre-hospital delays.

• The Korean journal of internal medicine
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.295-305
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• 2024

Background/Aims: The prognosis of patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and respiratory failure requiring mechanical ventilation is poor. Therefore, mechanical ventilation is not recommended. Recently, outcomes of mechanical ventilation, including those for patients with IPF, have improved. The aim of this study was to investigate changes in the use of mechanical ventilation in patients with IPF and their outcomes over time. Methods: This retrospective, observational cohort study used data from the National Health Insurance Service database. Patients diagnosed with IPF between January 2011 and December 2019 who were placed on mechanical ventilation were included. We analyzed changes in the use of mechanical ventilation in patients with IPF and their mortality using the Cochran-Armitage trend test. Results: Between 2011 and 2019, 1,227 patients with IPF were placed on mechanical ventilation. The annual number of patients with IPF with and without mechanical ventilation increased over time. However, the ratio was relatively stable at approximately 3.5%. The overall hospital mortality rate was 69.4%. There was no improvement in annual hospital mortality rate. The overall 30-day mortality rate was 68.7%, which did not change significantly. The overall 90-day mortality rate was 85.3%. The annual 90-day mortality rate was decreased from 90.9% in 2011 to 83.1% in 2019 (p = 0.028). Conclusions: Despite improvements in intensive care and ventilator management, the prognosis of patients with IPF receiving mechanical ventilation has not improved significantly.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.87-105
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• 2007

The purpose of this study was to analyze whether nonemergency, isolated coronary artery bypass graft (CABG) surgery for high- or low-risk patients biases the assessment of the risk-adjusted mortality rates of hospitals. This study used 2002 National Health Insurance claims data for tertiary hospitals in Korea. The study sample consisted of 1,959 patients from 23 tertiary hospitals. The risk-adjustment model used the patients' biological, admission, and comorbidity data identified in the claims. The subjects were classified into high- and low-risk groups based on predicted surgical risk. The crude mortality rates and risk-adjusted mortality rates for low-risk, high-risk, and all patients in a hospital were compared based on the rank and the four intervals defined by quartile. Also, the crude mortality rates of the three groups were compared with their 95% confidence intervals of predicted mortality rates. The C-statistic (0.83) and Hosmer-Lemeshow test ($X^2$=11.47, p=0.18) indicated that the risk-adjustment model performed well. Presenting crude mortality rates with their 95% confidence intervals of predicted rates showed higher agreements among the three groups than using the rank or intervals of mortality rates defined by quartile in the hospital performance assessment. The crude mortality rates for the low-risk patients in 21 of the 23 hospitals were located on the same side of their 95% confidence intervals compared to that for all patients. High-risk patients and all patients differed at only one hospital. In conclusion, the impact of risk selection by hospital on the assessment results was the smallest when comparing the crude inpatient mortality rates of CABG patients with the 95% confidence intervals of predicted mortality rates. Given the increasing importance of quality improvements in Korean health policy, it will be necessary to use the appropriate method of releasing the hospital performance data to the public to minimize any unwanted impact such as risk-based hospital selection.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.24 no.11
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• pp.1045-1057
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• 1991

Over the past four decades after World War II a great deal of data and clinical experiences have been accumulated relating to the diagnosis and surgical treatment of cardiovascular diseases in Korea. Clinical data after the first open heart surgery by Professor Yung Kyoon Lee on August 7, 1959 up to 1984 revealed the total number of cardiovascular surgery in Korea as 13,100 cases performed in 22 institutes with overall hospital mortality of 7.7%[Cardiovascular Surgery in Korea 1985], Publishing committee of the Korean Thoracic and Cardiovascular Surgical Society collected the data of cardiovascular surgical cases in Korea again in between 1985 and 1990 from 38 institutes out of total 42 institutes of open heart centers in Korea. The results are: 1. The survey reply ratio was 90.5%[38 out of 42 institutes]. 2. Of the total 30,061 cases of cardiovascular surgery reported from 38 institutes 1,402 cases were failed as hospital mortality of 4.7%[4.5% of the 21,761 operations for congenital, and 5.2% of the 8,300 operations for acquired heart diseases]. Out of the total congenital cases, 17,303 cases were acyanotic group with a operative mortality as 2.0%, and 4,458 cases were cyanotic group with a hospital mortality as 14.le The incidence of corrective operations for complex congenital cardiac anomalies were increasing recently with decreasing age group. 3. During the year in 1990, 38 institutes performed 5,427 cardiovascular surgery with a hospital mortality of 3.4%. 4. Of the total cumulative 6,458 cases for cardiac valve surgery more than 90% cases were put to prosthetic valve replacement with hospital mortality as 4.8%. And the incidence of re-Do valve surgery was increasing recently as 13.1% in 1990. 5. Coronary artery bypass graft was increasing recently with 7.9% of hospital mortality in total 440 cases. Intracardiac operation for intractable arrhythmia was started since 1987 as 49 cases in total. Experiences on VAD and ECMO were also reported sporadically in recent year. 6. Home made oxygenator[OXYREX] is now in clinical use, and under animal experiment for clinical trial in near future.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.47-55
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• 2005

Purpose: This study was to evaluate the validity of the Pediatric Index of Mortality Ⅱ(PIM Ⅱ). Method: The first values on PIM Ⅱ variables following ICU admission were collected from the patient's charts of 548 admissions retrospectively in three ICUs(medical, surgical, and neurosurgical) at P University Hospital and a cardiac ICU at D University Hospital in Busan from January 1, 2002 to December 31, 2003. Data was analyzed with the SPSSWIN 10.0 program for the descriptive statistics, correlation coefficient, standardized mortality ratio(SMR), validity index(sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value, negative predictive value), and AUC of ROC curve. Result: The mortality rate was 10.9% (60 cases) and the predicted death rate was 9.5%. The correlation coefficient(r) between observed and expected death rates was .929(p<.01) and SMR was 1.15. Se, Sp, pPv, nPv, and the correct classification rate were .80, .96, .70, .98, and 94.0% respectively. In addition, areas under the curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic(ROC) was 0.954 (95% CI=0.919～0.989). According to demographic characteristics, mortality was underestimated in the medical group and overestimated in the surgical group. In addition, the AUCs of ROC curve were generally high in all subgroups. Conclusion: The PIM Ⅱ showed a good, so it can be utilized for the subject hospital. better.

• Quality Improvement in Health Care
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.164-175
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• 2003

Objectives: To evaluate the performance of models to predict AMI patients death using severity adjustment measures in Korea. Methods: Medical records of 861 patients treated by AMI in 7 general hospitals during 1996 and 1997 were reviewed by trained nurses. We measured the severity of patients by APACHE III, MedisGroups, CSI and DS. Using each severity method a predictive mortality for each patient was calculated from a logistic regression model including the severity score. The statistical performance of each severity method model was evaluated by using c-statistics and R2. For each hospital, z scores compared actual and expected mortality rates. Results: The overall in-hospital mortality was 14.5%, ranged from 10.0% to 22.2%. The distributions of severity scores for each method was significantly different by hospitals. The four severity-adjusted models to predict AMI patients death varied in their statistical performance for discrimination power of patients death. Order of Severity-adjusted mortality rates and z scores by four severity measures was different. Conclusion: Severity-adjusted mortality rates of AMI patients might be applied as an indicator for hospital performance evaluation in Korea. Because different severity methods frequently produce different impressions about relative hospital performance, more studies has to be done to use it as quality indicator and more attention should be paid to select appropriate severity measures.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.53-69
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• 2018

Background: This study investigates association modified category medical specialization (CMS) and hospital charge, length of stay (LOS), and mortality among lumbar spine disease inpatients. Methods: This study used National Health Insurance Service-cohort sample database from 2002 to 2013, using stratified representative sampling released by the National Health Insurance Service. A total of 56,622 samples were analyzed. The primary analysis was based on generalized estimating equation model accounting for correlation among individuals within each hospital. Results: Inpatients admitted with lumbar spine disease at hospitals with higher modified CMS had a shorter LOS (estimate, -1.700; 95% confidence interval [CI], -1.886 to -1.514; p<0.0001). Inpatients admitted with lumbar spine disease at hospitals with higher modified CMS had a lower mortality rate (odds ratio, 0.635; 95% CI, 0.521 to 0.775; p<0.0001). Inpatients admitted with lumbar spine disease at hospitals with higher modified CMS had higher hospital cost per case (estimate, 192,658 Korean won; 95% CI, 125,701 to 259,614; p<0.0001). However, inpatients admitted with lumbar spine surgery patients at hospitals with higher modified CMS had lower hospital cost per case (estimate, -152,060 Korean won; 95% CI, -287,236 to -16,884; p=0.028). Inpatients admitted with lumbar spine disease at hospitals with higher modified CMS had higher hospital cost per diem (estimate, 55,694 Korean won; 95% CI, 46,205 to 65,183; p<0.0001). Conclusion: Our results showed that increase in hospital specialization had a substantial effect on decrease in hospital cost per case, LOS, and mortality, and on increase in hospital cost per diem among lumbar spine disease surgery patients.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.20-30
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• 2022

Purposes: This study purposed to evaluate the effect of a value incentive program(VIP) on the in-hospital mortality of acute stroke. Methodology: Study period was from January 2010 to December 2018. This study included 63 hospitals for acute hemorrhagic stroke that the mortality rate per month was more than one during study period. Independent variables were time variables and hospital characteristics such as hospital type, district and bed number. Interrupted time series analysis was applied to analyze the data. Findings: In case of general hospitals, the in-hospital mortality rate per month for acute hemorrhagic stroke tends to be increased by 0.03% in overall study periods but decreased by 0.32% after the implementation of the policy. On the other hand, tertiary hospital changes are not statistically meaningful. Conclusion: This study provides evidences how the VIP was effective in improving quality of acute hemorrhagic stroke care. General hospitals showed higher policy effect compare to that of tertiary hospitals.