• 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.