• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.78-86
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• 2020

Purposes: This study purposed to identify factors influencing the composite quality score from the quality assessment program for long-term care hospitals Methodology: The study variables was obtained from HIRA(Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service): the composite quality scores and hospital variables such as number of doctors, nurses, beds, medical technicians, medical equipments, administrative region, ownerships from 3rd (2010) to 7th (2018) quality assessment program. National Statistical Portal(www.kosis.go.kr) provided the number of senior citizens aged over 65 in city·county·district area. SAS 9.4 was used for the data processing and used to analyze the data. Findings: The results showed that composite quality score increased past 9 years. Hospital variables such as number of doctor, nurse, medical technicians, bed and public hospitals had significant positive relationship with the composite quality score. Administrative region(district) showed higher scores compare to that of city. Compare to the score of quality assessment year(2010), as the assessment year move to 2012, 2013, 2015, 2018, results showed higher significant positive coefficients. Practical Implication: Continuously improve the performance of long-term care hospitals, current quality assessment program are needed to update their system such as adopting indicators measuring the service process, or compensating the cost for quality assessment program. It will enable to provide more reasonable and accurate performance assessment scores.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.260-269
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• 2022

Background: Comprehensive medication management is essential to achieve safe and optimal drug use for the elderly in long-term care facilities (LTCF). This study aimed to develop eligibility criteria for "Comprehensive medication management program in LTCF" using the RAND/UCLA Appropriateness Method (RAM). Furthermore, we attempted to estimate the number of beneficiaries who met the criteria by analyzing the National Health Insurance claims data. Methods: Twelve criteria were selected initially. We composed a panel of 14 experts with expertise in long-term care. We conducted two survey rounds to reach a consensus. Rating for appropriateness and decision regarding agreement were applied per RAM. We analyzed the National Health Insurance data to estimate the number of LTCF residents who met each eligibility criterion. Results: Of the 11 items agreed upon, ten items were determined to be appropriate. In 2018, 83.6% of 165,994 residents of LTCF met one or more eligibility criteria. The largest number of subjects met the "New residents of LTCF" criterion, followed by "Take high-alert drugs" and "Chronic excessive polypharmacy." Since the items evaluated as most appropriate by the expert panel and those with a large number of subjects were similar, we confirmed the external validity of our criteria. Conclusion: It is worth noting that this is the first attempt to establish the eligibility criteria for medication management in LTCF. Further preliminary research is needed to identify the selected subjects' drug-related problems and revise the criteria according to the results.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.81-96
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• 2009

The expansion of long-term care hospitals (LTCHs) is expected to contribute to meeting the long-term care needs of the elderly with chronic diseases in a rapidly aging society. It is also expected to increase efficiency of health resource use and decrease elderly health expenditures by transferring patients from acute care hospitals (ACHs) to LTCHs. This study aimed to empirically examine how the expansion of LTCHs had influences on the length of hospitalization of the elderly in ACHs. Panel regression analysis was employed as an analytic tool using data of the National Health Insurance and the National Statistical Office from 2002 to 2006. The expansion of LTCHs was measured as location quotient (LQ) of LTCHs, denoting the share of LTCHs in a large city or province relative to the share of LTCHs at the national level. In addition, per capita GRDP (gross regional domestic product) and the proportion of population over 65 were included as control variables. The main findings are as follows. First, it was observed that LQ of LTCHs showed a statistically significant negative association with the length of hospitalization of the elderly in ACHs. Second, the negative correlation was evident among general hospitals with over 100 beds while it was not among hospitals with less than 100 beds. Third, LQ of LTCHs had more influences among the elderly over 85. In conclusion, the expansion of LTCHs seems to contribute to decrease in the inpatient cost of the elderly in ACHs and to increase efficiency in the utilization of health resources.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.12 no.10
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• pp.4493-4501
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• 2011

This study was performed to determine the levels of MMSE-K among the elderly people affiliated with long-term care insurance services in rural areas, and to reveal its association with related variables. The interviews were performed, during the period from March 1st, to May 31th, 2009, to 410 elderlies in rural areas. As a results, The prevalence of cognitive functions among all subjects were 80.5% of severe cognitive impairment, 11.7% of mild cognitive impairment, and 7.8% of normal. The prevalence of cognitive functions were lower according to the higher grade of long-term care insurance. And the prevalence of cognitive functions were lower in the group of lower educational level, unemployed, live alone, lower monthly income, bear for living expenses by sons and daughters and medical aid, lower visual acuity, with urinary incontinence, with amnesia, without regular exercise and lower frequency of going out than their respective counterparts. The hierarchial multiple regression analysis was used to reveal the explanatory powers of factors influencing on the cognitive functions level. Such factors as age, bear for living expenses, visual acuity, urinary incontinence, amnesia, regular exercise and grade of long-term care services were significantly influenced with cognitive functions. especially the factors of health status were significantly influenced with cognitive functions.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.53-60
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• 2016

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to examine the magnitude of and the factors associated with the downward mobility of first-episode psychiatric patients. Methods: This study used the claims data from the Korean Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service. The study population included 19 293 first-episode psychiatric inpatients diagnosed with alcohol use disorder (International Classification of Diseases, 10th revision [ICD-10] code F10), schizophrenia and related disorders (ICD-10 codes F20-F29), and mood disorders (ICD-10 codes F30-F33) in the first half of 2005. This study included only National Health Insurance beneficiaries in 2005. The dependent variable was the occurrence of downward mobility, which was defined as a health insurance status change from National Health Insurance to Medical Aid. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess factors associated with downward drift of first-episode psychiatric patients. Results: About 10% of the study population who were National Health Insurance beneficiaries in 2005 became Medical Aid recipients in 2007. The logistic regression analysis showed that age, gender, primary diagnosis, type of hospital at first admission, regular use of outpatient clinic, and long-term hospitalization are significant predictors in determining downward drift in newly diagnosed psychiatric patients. Conclusions: This research showed that the downward mobility of psychiatric patients is affected by long-term hospitalization and medical care utilization. The findings suggest that early intensive intervention might reduce long-term hospitalization and the downward mobility of psychiatric patients.

• Journal of Home Health Care Nursing
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.37-43
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• 2008

This paper provides the guidelines from which to develop a visiting health care program at the Public Health Center in Korea and involves an expanded payment compensation system of preventive services based on the new long-term health insurance system in Japan. The function and management methods to achieve the goals practiced in a community contact center for elderly support which have recently been established will guide the specific directions and strategies that the Public Health Center should pursue. That is to say, comprehensive and continuous efforts will be put forth in preventive home visiting care targeting the elderly in certain jurisdictions. At this point in time in which the visiting care nursing program has not yet started, visiting health care provided by the Public Health Center oversees chronic diseases of a vulnerable population. But after it has been developed nationwide, the visiting health care system at the Public Health Center will be distinctive and focused on health promotion and prevention.

• Journal of Legislation Research
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• no.41
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• pp.87-123
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• 2011

Korea is expected to become an 'aged society' with more than 14 percent of the public aged 65 years or more by 2018. The rapid aging is giving rise to various problems within the society along with falling birthrate in a short period of time. In this context, the role and function of laws on welfare for the aged must be particularly emphasized. Also the Senior Citizens Welfare Act is of great importance as it provides social welfare service on the basis of functional connection with social insurance and public assistance. First, this paper looks into the history of laws related to welfare for the elderly such as the Senior Welfare Act, the Act on Long-term Care Insurance for Senior Citizens and the Basic Old Age Pension Act as well as the findings of earlier studies. In the second place, it will break down such laws by main components aiming to examine details of the laws and questions raised regarding them and to seek ways to achieve improvement with an emphasis on health care, old age income security, housing welfare(assisted living facilities), job security for the aged. The Senior Welfare Act offers substance of social welfare service for the elderly. Income security, health and medical care, welfare measures through long-term care and assisted living facilities, social participation by working are the key elements and all of them should be closely associated to ensure citizens get sufficient public support in their old age. For this purpose, the Senior Welfare Act is under a normative network with laws such as Act on Long-term Care Insurance for Senior Citizens and Basic Old Age Pension Act. Current laws on welfare for the aged including Senior Welfare Act are not sufficiently responsive to the aged society of the 21st century. Income security combined with decent social participation, health and medical care closely connected with long-term care system, efficient expense sharing between government and local government, enhancement of effectiveness of welfare measures can be considered as means to improve current welfare system so that the elderly can enjoy their old age with dignity and respect.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.1-12
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• 2022

Purpose: This secondary data analysis study evaluated the effects of ICT enhanced home-visit nursing in long-term care insurance on health-related quality of life among community-dwelling older adults. Methods: This study included data of 131 older adults who had experienced a pilot service for ICT enhanced home-visit nursing. ICT enhanced home-visit nursing refers to a method of sharing health records and teleconference between a visiting nurse and a doctor during the home-visit nursing services to community-dwelling older adults. Health-related quality of life and influencing factors were analyzed by t-tests, logistic regression analysis using the Stata 17/SE program. Results: After a pilot service for ICT enhanced home-visit nursing, their health-related quality of life increased. The teleconferencing method had a significant effect on the increase in health-related quality of life. Conclusion: The findings indicate a pilot service for ICT enhanced home-visit nursing can be applied to the domestic community-based healthcare service model in terms of health management. In the future, the advanced service model of a pilot service for ICT enhanced home-visit nursing in which subjects conduct detailed for each health problem, and a well-designed evaluation system should be developed.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.24-41
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• 2008

This research is aimed at analyzing and understanding the perception and attitudes of inpatients in a general hospital in Seoul towards the activation of private health insurance. Survey was conducted against 231 inpatients, results of which were analyzed in the methods of frequency analysis, chi square test, and logistic regression. The results are summarized as follows; First, better-educated population who finished college education at least, higher-income population, and people who had more knowledge about private health insurance showed more perception about activation of private health insurance. Second, better-educated population who finished college education at least, higher-income population, those who are insured in existing private insurance, oncological patients, and people who had more knowledge about private health insurance showed more positive attitude towards private health insurance paying for actual damages, long-term care insurance, and income security insurance. Third, age and education were the factors affecting perception about activation of private health insurance. The older the age is, perception was 1.035 times positive towards activation of private health insurance, and those who finished college education or above showed 3.148 times positive perception towards the same. Forth, surgical patients showed 1.087 times more positive attitude towards private health insurance paying for actual damages than internal medicine patients, while oncological patients showed 2.314 times more positive attitude than internal medicine patients. Further, understanding on the activation of private health insurance was 6.014 times higher in the higher understanding group than in the lower understanding group. Intention to use long-term care insurance was 2.692 times stronger in the male group than in the female group, and 3.616 times stronger in the oncological patients group than in internal medicine patients group. Further, understanding on the activation of private health insurance was 3.881 times deeper in the higher understanding group than in the lower understanding group. Intention to use income security insurance was 3.185 times stronger in those who have academic background of under the high school than those over the college, and 4.175 times higher in the group those whose monthly average income is over 4 million won than those under 4 million won. Also, intention to use income security insurance was 4.323 times higher in the group those who are insured by existing private insurances than those who are not insured by those insurances and it was 5.234 times higher in the group of oncological patients than in the group of internal medicine patients. Further, intention to use income security insurance was 3.559 times higher in the group those who thought that out-of-pocket money of the National Health Insurance is too much to bear than those it is quite endurable. Understanding on the activation of private health insurance was 4.875 times deeper in the higher understanding group than in the lower understanding group. There were some suggestions could be made based on the results of this research. First, reinforced publicity and education is needed for the low-educated or low-income group, as there are gaps in the understanding on the activation of private health insurance depending on the degree of education and income. Second, government should prepare administrative complementary measures to solve the problem of adverse selection by the consumer which is foreseen when private health insurances are activated. Third, government should suggest the desirable course of development of private health insurance items to ensure efficient use of enormous fund of private insurance market for health security of the people. Further, institutional complementary measures are needed to convert existing cancer insurances or specific disease insurances to private health insurances paying for actual damages guaranteeing against every kind of disease. Forth, it judged that, not only private health insurances paying for actual damages, but also long-term care insurances and income security insurances are prospective as fields to create fresh demand for insurance industry.

• The Journal of the Korean dental association
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• v.57 no.11
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• pp.644-653
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• 2019

Since 2013, adults aged over 20 can receive national health insurance scaling once a year in South Korea. In this study, we analyzed the usage status of national health insurance care service for periodontal disease in 2010-2018 by using Healthcare big data of the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service. The increase rate of the dental care users was very high at 7.8 and 11.2% in 2013 and 2014, respectively. These are higher than the increase rate of all medical institution users, which is between -1.7 and 3.7%. In 2017, the rate of dental use was 44.4%, which has increased more than 10% compared to 2012. Percent receiver of national health insurance scaling was 19.5% in 2017. The 20s had the highest rate of 23.2%. The rate decreased with age. Based on these results, it can be evaluated that the expansion of national health insurance coverage for scaling improves accessibility to dental care. A more long-term assessment of the effect of periodic dental examination and scaling on reducing the prevalence of periodontal disease is needed. National health insurance coverage should be extended to oral hygiene education and supportive periodontal therapy in order to prevent periodontal disease.