• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.278-289
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• 2004

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to classify the elderly in long-term care facilities using the Resource Utilization Group(RUG-III) and to examine the feasibility of a payment method based on the RUG-III classification system in Korea. Method: This study measured resident characteristics using a Resident Assessment Instrument-Minimum Data Set(RAI-MDS) and staff time. Data was collected from 530 elderly residents over sixty, residing in long-term care facilities. Resource use for individual patients was measured by a wage-weighted sum of staff time and the total time spent with the patient by nurses, aides, and physiotherapists. Result: The subjects were classified into 4 groups out of 7 major groups. The group of Clinically Complex was the largest (46.3%), and then Reduced Physical Function(27.2%), Behavior Problems (17.0%), and Impaired Cognition (9.4%) followed. Homogeneity of the RUG-III groups was examined by total coefficient of variation of resource use. The results showed homogeneity of resource use within RUG-III groups. Also, the difference in resource use among RUG major groups was statistically significant (p<0.001), and it also showed a hierarchy pattern as resource use increases in the same RUG group with an increase of severity levels(ADL). Conclusion: The results of this study showed that the RUG-Ill classification system differentiates resources provided to elderly in long-term care facilities in Korea.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.275-283
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• 2003

Purpose: This study was to classify elderly in long-term care hospitals for using Resource Utilization Group(RUG-III) and to consider feasibility of payment method based on RUG-III classification system in Korea. Method: This study designed by measuring resident characteristics using the Resident Assessment Instrument-Minimum Data Set(RAI-MDS) and staff time. The data were collected from 382 elderly over sixty-year old, inpatient in the five long-term care hospitals. Staff time was converted into standard time based on the average wage of nurse and aids. Result: The subjects were classified into 4 groups. The group of Clinically Complex was the largest(46.3%), Reduced Physical Function(27.2%), Behavior Problem(17.0%), and Impaired Cognition(9.4%). The average resource use for one resident in terms of care time(nurses, aids) was 183.7 minutes a day. Relative resource use was expressed as a case mix index(CMI) calculated as a proportion of mean resource use. The CMI of Clinically Complex group was the largest(1.10), and then Reduced Physical Function(0.93), Behavior Problem(0.93), and Impaired Cognition(0.83) followed. The difference of the resource use showed statistical significance between major groups(p<0.0001). Conclusion: The results of this study showed that the RUG-III classification system differentiates resources provided to elderly in long-term care hospitals in Korea.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.148-166
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• 2001

The purpose of this study is to classify elderly patient in long-term care facilities using RUG(Resource Utilization Group)-III. It is designed by measuring patient medical characteristics and medical staff time. Elderly patients are classified into 7 categories by clinical(medical and behavioral) hierarchical typology of patients. Through the tertiary split, all 44 groups are formulated. This classification is explained by each patient resource(staff time) utilization level which is called CMI(Case-Mix Index). Major findings are as follows; 1. The objects in this study were classified into 35 groups out of 44 groups. The most frequent category is clinical complex category(CCC; 38.9%). And extensive service category(ESC; 18.8%), reduced physical function category(RPC; 13.1%), special rehabilitation category(SRC; 12.8%), and impaired cognitive category(ICC; 0.00%) are followed. 2. The mean of total CMI was $1.02{\pm}0.36$, ranging from 0.68 to 1.44(1 vs 2.12). The mean of CMI of SRC is only 1.17 which should be the highest. The means of ESC and see are equally 1.20. The means of CMI of CCI, ICC, BPC, and RPC were 0.90, 0.75, 0.83 and 0.96, respectively. 3. The validity of this classification was tested. Trend-test using Regression Analysis was done in the secondary split level. SCC, CCC, ICC, and RPC which covered 68.4% of this research objects showed linear trend of CMI in interim classification. This results were statistically significant. 4. In clinical hierarchy, the trend were showed linearity. But the multiple comparison of categories using Scheffe-test showed that SRC, ESC and see had same level of CMI means and CCC and ICC, too. This results were statistically significant. Classifying elderly patients with RUG-III, the results showed partly linear trend in clinical hierarchy and in interim classification in conclusion. But, in clinical hierarchy, it was failed to show the consistent order of CMI. It can be explained by two reasons. One is that this research subjects were overlapped in each clinical hierarchy group. And the other is that the some of the characteristics for clinical hierarchy is not appropriate for them. For the further study, it needs to have proper sample size and to modify RUG-III to K-RUG to consider our.. medical environment.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.21-53
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• 2002

The purpose of this study is to measure the resource use of the elderly in long-term care services and to examine the effects of patient and facility characteristics on their use of resources. The data were collected from 510 old people over sixty years of age, residing in five long-term care hospitals and two skilled nursing homes during the period between December 1, 2000 and February 28, 2001. For a full sample, when the first level of RUG(Resource Use Group)-III categories were employed as the proxy of patient severity, facility characteristics, such as location, size and ownership, have large effects on the resource use measured by service intensity, whereas patient characteristics such as severity have little or no effect. The resource use is significantly high if the facility: (1) is located in rural areas (gun): (2) has mare than 200 beds; (3) is a long-term care hospital; (4) is private; and (5) has a low percentage of medical aid patients. The analysis of the resource use in each RUG-III categories, for which ADL(Ability of Daily Living) were employed as the prosy of patient severity, shows a similar result. The loose relationship between the needs of residents and the resource use seems to be closely associated with the ineffective reimbursement system for providers. The current reimbursement system has no provision for quality improvement and reimburses facilities simply according to their types: fee-for-service for long-term care hospitals, and monthly-flat-rate or full-coverage-national-aid for skilled nursing facilities. It will be necessary to develop a more reasonable reimbursement system that takes patient's severity into account and gives incentives for long-term care providers to offer cost-effective services.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.463-472
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• 2010

Purpose: This study was done to develop a web-based education program for nurses working in nursing homes. The focus was on the rights of older adults. Methods: The program was designed based on the Network-Based Instructional System Design (NBISD) model and was operated and evaluated between July 2007 and June 2008. Results: Out of nursing records of 40 residents from a nursing home, the final 7 cases were deducted through classification using the Resource Utilization Group (RUG)-III. The data on needs for education was collected from 28 nurses working in 15 nursing homes located in Seoul and Gyeonggi Province, who agreed to complete a self-report questionnaire. A comprehensive review of the literature and two focus groups interviews were used to search for risk factors and guidelines for protection of human rights. The education program was developed based on Kolb's experiential learning model and composed of 5 units, which included content on types of human rights and rights to death with dignity, elder abuse, physical liberty, and self-determination. The program was positively evaluated showing a score of 3.35 (SD=0.37) out of 4. Conclusion: The educational program developed in this study should promote nurses' sensitivity to the rights of elders and improve nurses' behaviors in protecting the rights of elders residing in nursing homes.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.130-147
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• 2001

This study is about major symptoms of elderly and medical services for elderly in long-tenn care facilities. The subject of this study was 298 patients over 00 years old staying in two geriatric hospitals and two nursing homes. The symptoms and medical services were level of patient classification from RUG(Resource Utilization Group)-III which is applied for both Medicare and Medicaid for skilled nursing facilities reimbursement system in US and designed for measuring patient characteristics and medical staff time. This classification is explained by each patient resource(staff time) utilization level which is called CMI(Case-Mix Index). In this study, the symptoms and services were compared by facility type and they were categorized by level and compared by CMI. Major findings are as follows; 1. There were more elderly who have cognitive function problems in nursing homes than patients in geriatric hospitals. There were more patients with behavioral problems in geriatric hospitals than residents in nursing homes. These results were both statistically significant. 2. The patients in geriatric hospitals received significantly more nursing rehabilitation services, rehabilitation services and extensive services than residents in nursing homes. Other hands, special care services were provided significantly more to residents in nursing homes than elderly in geriatric hospitals. 3. ADL and depression variables had higher CMI when the symptoms were heavier condition. The CMI were not matched with levels of cognitive function problems and behavioral problems. 4. The CMI matched well significantly with levels of nursing rehabilitation services, special care services, and clinically complex services provided for the patient in geriatric hospitals and only nursing rehabilitation services in nursing homes. The CMI for rehabilitation services level and extensive services had regular trends. From the result of this study, the resource utilization level and services provided for elderly in each long-term care facilities were figured out. For the further study, it needs to have more concern about RUG-ill which classification variables were just analyzed.