• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제57권6호
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• pp.455-459
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• 2015

Objective : A cost comparison of the surgical clipping and endovascular coiling of unruptured intracranial aneurysms (UIAs), and the identification of the principal cost determinants of these treatments. Methods : This study conducted a retrospective review of data from a series of patients who underwent surgical clipping or endovascular coiling of UIAs between January 2011 and May 2014. The medical records, radiological data, and hospital cost data were all examined. Results : When comparing the total hospital costs for surgical clipping of a single UIA (n=188) and endovascular coiling of a single UIA (n=188), surgical treatment [$mean{\pm}$standard deviation (SD) : \$8,280,000{\pm}1,490,000$] resulted in significantly lower total hospital costs than endovascular treatment ($mean{\pm}SD$ : \$11,700,000{\pm}3,050,000$, p<0.001). In a multi regression analysis, the factors significantly associated with the total hospital costs for endovascular treatment were the aneurysm diameter (p<0.001) and patient age (p=0.014). For the endovascular group, a Pearson correlation analysis revealed a strong positive correlation (r=0.77) between the aneurysm diameter and the total hospital costs, while a simple linear regression provided the equation, y (\)=6,658,630+855,250x (mm), where y represents the total hospital costs and x is the aneurysm diameter. Conclusion : In South Korea, the total hospital costs for the surgical clipping of UIAs were found to be lower than those for endovascular coiling when the surgical results were favorable without significant complications. Plus, a strong positive correlation was noted between an increase in the aneurysm diameter and a dramatic increase in the costs of endovascular coiling.

• 한국농공학회지
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• 제27권4호
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• pp.31-41
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• 1985

This paper compares the estimated total construction and maintenance costs for irrigation canals in six irrigation districts near Pyongtaek. Three conventional canal types were considered: concrete bench flumes, concrete-lined canals, and earth canals. The total expenses for each type were grouped to four catagories: the net construction, land acquisition, maintenance, and other expenses. The construction costs included the assumed costs for conveyance losses from each type of canals. The results from this study support earlier studies that the bench flumes are economically feasible. Initially cheaper conveyance systems like concrete-lined and earth canals demand 'higher maintenance costs and thus, their total expenses are summed to exceed those for the bench flumes within a few years following the construction. Banch flumes are economically justifiable for the main canals of the studying districts. Sensitivity analyses were executed to evaluate the relative importance of each expense to the total cost. The analyses show that total expenses very significantly with the change of the following costs: cost for conveyance losses, net construction, maintenance, and land acquisition, in that order However, other expenses contribute little if not at all to the total. The results indicate that bench flumes should be adopted as main canal structures for most irrigation districts in the Republic.

• 산업경영시스템학회지
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• 제46권4호
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• pp.116-123
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• 2023

In supply chain, most partners except the top level suppliers have inbound and outbound logistics. For example, toll manufacturing companies get unprocessed materials from a requesting company and send the processed materials back to the company after toll processing. Accordingly, those companies have inbound and outbound transportation costs in their total logistics costs. For many cases, the company may make the schedule of distributions by considering only the due delivery dates. However, the inbound and outbound transportation costs could significantly affect the total logistics costs. Thus, this paper considers the inbound and outbound transportation costs to find the optimal distribution plans. In addition, we have considered the inventory holding costs as well with transportation costs. From the experimental results, we have provided the optimal strategies for the distributions of replenishment as well as deliveries.

• 기술혁신연구
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• 제5권2호
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• pp.155-177
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• 1997

Since 1995 the Korean Ministry of Science and Technology has introduced and implemented a project based system (PBS) for awarding R&D funds. While capital investments for national laboratories such as buildings and research facilities are supported by the government, normal operating expenses including personnel expenses should be earned by national laboratories through open competition under PBS. The project budget includes both direct research costs and indirect costs. The purpose of this paper is to examine the components of indirect costs and to examine determinants of indirect costs of national laboratories in Korea. The indirect costs of nineteen national laboratories are examined. The direct personnel costs and indirect personnel costs out of total personnel costs are 72% and 28%, respectively. The average indirect cost rate is 74.1% of direct personnel costs. Major components of indirect costs are general operating costs, indirect personnel costs, taxes and dues, and expenses related to the usage of equipment. The significant determinants of indirect cost are indirect personnel ratio. the ratio of unique projects, the type of national laboratories (pure research laboratories or other), and asset activity ratio measured as research divided by total assets. The high indirect personnel ratio, the high ratio of unique projects, the laboratories classified as other, the low asset activity ratio are related to high indirect cost rates.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제14권1호
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• pp.3-12
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• 1981

To identify the changes in professional care patterns after the introduction of medical insurance in Korea, professional care in hospitals and clinics of two succeeding years were compared. The hospitals and clinics selected for this study were those which located in Seoul city. Hospitals were classified into 3 categories: university hospital, general hospital and hospital. The diseases selected for this study were acute appendicitis and normal delivery. They were selected because their disease courses are considered to be fairly stable. The variables used for this study were length of stay, total hospital costs, costs of each components of cares. The information used for this study was obtained from the official forms requested by the medical facilities to the Korea Medical Insurance Corporation. The two periods studied were 3 months of each year from March 1st to May 31st in 1979 and 1980, The total number of normal delivery studied was 289 in 1979, 301 in 1980 respectively and the acute appendicitis was 92 and 111 respectively. In order to compare the quantity of medical care between 2 study periods the insurance price scores of 1979 were converted to prices of 1980. For statistical test of difference between 2 periods T-test and Welch's test were used. The result of the study were briefly summarized in below. 1. No significant difference was observed in the average length of stay of both disease between two study periods in all types of hospitals. 2. No significant difference was observed in the average total hospital costs of both diseases in all types of hospital, but in the private clinic the average clinic costs was rather decreased significantly in 1980. 3. More cost decrease were seen than cost increase in 1980 in all types of facilities, More cost changes by items were seen in acute appendicitis than in normal delivery between two study periods. The total hospital costs can be devided into 2 portions: charges for drug and material and for physician. In normal delivery, costs for physician's charges was significantly decreased in almost all the hospitals and costs for drug and material were not changed significantly in all the hospitals in 1980. In the university hospitals, however, the costs for drug and material were increased significantly in 1980. The cost decrease for physician's charge were mainly due to the decrease in the costs of laboratory test, treatment and physical therapy. The increase in the costs for the drug and material in the university hospitals was mainly due to the increase in the cost for drugs for oral administration and injection. 4. The proportion of components of medical care in the hospital has not been changed significantly, however, the cost for injection in normal delivery was characteristically increased in 1980 in all hospitals studied. In general the proportion of the costs for drug and material was tended to increase and the costs for physician was tended to decrease in 1980. The increase in the costs for drug and material were considered to be due to increase in the cost for drugs for oral administration and injection. The decrease in the costs for physician were due to decrease in the costs of laboratory test, treatment and physical therapy. Above mentioned changes in hospital and clinic care patterns are considered to be mostly influenced by the review criteria set by the K.I.C. for the assessment of the fee request made by clinics and hospitals.

• 한국병원경영학회지
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• 제11권1호
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• pp.54-90
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• 2006

Medical clinics are core institutes that cover the primary medical care in Korea. Financial viability of the clinics is essential for them to conduct their roles and functions, and can be improved by increasing their operating profitability. On this ground, this study aimed at finding important factors that affect the operating profitability, and thereby at suggesting strategic alternatives that can contribute to the improvement of the profitability. Operating margin was set as a dependent variable, and such factors as general management conditions, number of visits, medical revenue, marketing activities, input resources, medical cost as independent variables. Nineteen hypotheses related to the variables were established and tested using data collected from 138 sample clinics for the year 2003. The results of the study are as follows : Firstly, such variables as percent ratio of the depreciation plus rent costs to total administration costs, type of clinical department manifested whether medical, surgical, or quasi-surgical, percent ratio of the interior facility investment to total fixed assets, and total number of outpatient visit are important factors that affect, positively or negatively, the medical profitability of the clinics. Secondly, following measures are needed to be established and implemented to improve the medical profitability. (1) Administration costs share 53.2% of the total medical costs, and depreciation plus rent costs 16.3% of the total administration costs. This implies that such measures as reinforcement of marketing activities, establishment of the cooperative utilizing system of the facility and equipment, or group practice are needed to increase cost-effectiveness. (2) Occupancy rate of the clinics with inpatient bed is as low as 45.5%, causing high fixed costs and low medical profitability. For its improvement, the resource input structure should be reorganized. Thirdly, in the future, a study that can increase sample representativeness of the study and explanation power of the variables should be performed for each type of clinical department to find more specific determinant factors and to contribute to the improvement of the medical profitability of the clinics.

• 가족자원경영과 정책
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• 제16권4호
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• pp.131-152
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• 2012

The aims of this study were to analyze middle-aged households' financial preparation for retirement. Specifically, this study surveyed the relation between human capital investment for children and the middle-aged households' financial preparation for retirement and investigated factors influencing financial preparation for retirement. Data were obtained from the 3rd Korean Retirement and Income Study (KReIS) in 2009, and a sample of 757 households was selected. The statistical methods were frequency, percentile, mean, standard deviation, ${\chi}^2$, t-test, Pearson's correlation coefficient, and logistic regression analysis. The findings of this study are as follows. First, the percentile of preparation for living costs for old age was 49.9% for the middle-aged households. In terms of the types of preparation for living costs for old age, the results showed 61.6% of personal preparation, 33.9% of pension system, and 1.3% for children and relatives. In relation to the adequacy of the preparations for living costs for old age, preparations made by 57.4% of the middle-aged households were inadequate. Observing the minimum living costs for old age and adequate living costs after retirement for single and couple, the minimum living costs of the middle-aged households was 1.46 million won for couple and 0.91 million won for single. The adequate living costs for old age was 2.07 million won for couple and 1.34 million won for single. Second, there were 757 households with total education expenditure. Of these, 208 incurred annual expenditure on public education, and the annual expenditure for public education was 7.28 million won. There were 170 households with annual expenditure for private education, and the annual expenditure for private education was 2.50 million won. 243 households of middle-aged households had annual expenditure for human capital investment, including both public and private education, with annual expenditure for human capital investment for children of 7.82 million won. Furthermore, in the human capital investment factor, there was a difference in the middle-aged households' financial preparation for retirement according to their annual expenditure for human capital investment including both public and private education. In addition, there was a difference in financial preparation for retirement based on their public education expenditure. Third, in the logistic regression model 1, which included human capital investment, the significant variables affecting the preparation for retirement of the middle-aged households were as follows : annual household income, total amount of annual household income, experience of inadequate living costs, existence of financial assets, total amount of annual household savings, financial independence, adequate living costs (for single) for old age, and human capital investment. In the logistic regression model 2, which included annual expenditure for public education and annual expenditure for private education, the significant variables affecting the preparation for retirement of the middle-aged households were as follows : annual household income, total amount of annual household income, experience of inadequate living costs, existence of financial assets, total amount of annual household savings, financial independence, adequate living costs (for single) for old age, and annual expenditure for public education.

• 대한예방한의학회지
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• 제18권1호
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• pp.43-52
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• 2014

This study was conducted to analyze if there is a difference between the head hospital and branch hospital by comparing the profitability and operating expenses to patient revenue of oriental medicine hospitals affiliated with universities in order to find whether opening branch hospitals is an appropriate method to increase profitability. Profit indices used for the comparison of head hospital and branch hospital include ratio of operating profit on medical revenue, net-income on medical revenue, net profit to total assets, and operating profit to total assets; and cost indices included ratio of labor costs, material costs and administrative costs. In comparison of profit indices of head hospitals and branch hospitals, head hospitals displayed negative(-) in all four profit index averages while branch hospitals displayed positive(+), showing that branch hospitals have higher profitability. In particular, in the case of head hospitals, ratio of net profit to total assets was -13.6%, while that of branch hospitals was 12.9%, which was higher than 3.1%, the average of Korean oriental medicine hospitals in 2011. As a result of difference analysis between groups of head hospitals and branch hospitals, profit indices of ratio of operating profit on medical revenue, net-income on medical revenue, and ratio of net profit to total assets were found to vary by hospitals, but there was no statistically significant difference between head hospitals and branch hospitals(p<0.1). Only the ratio of operating profit to total assets of head hospitals and branch hospitals indicated significant difference between the two groups, showing that ratio of operating profit to total assets of branch hospitals is larger than that of head hospitals. Meanwhile, the cost indices of ratio of labor costs, material costs and administrative costs in the difference test results did not show significant difference between the head hospital and branch hospital(p<0.1). Thus, it cannot be said that a certain oriental medicine hospital's profitability is high or low depending on whether it is head hospital or a branch as profitability varies depending on the management environment of the hospital. Therefore, oriental medicine hospitals affiliated with universities would need to make efforts to increase their profitability as an individual hospital rather than focusing on whether they are head hospital or a branch.

• 한국병원경영학회지
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• 제20권3호
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• pp.45-55
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• 2015

While the influence of healthcare accreditation system to the quality improvement of hospitals has more increased, regarding the preparation costs for healthcare accreditation, it has never been empirically studied about the costs that are actually invested by hospitals. This study is going to determine the difficulties in the preparation process of accreditation and details of accreditation preparation costs for hospitals that participated in the healthcare accreditation system and acquired accreditation. The survey was performed in a self-reported form from February 28 to March 21 2014 for 189 acute hospitals accredited as a hospital from 2011 to February 2014. Of all questionaries of survey participants, 98 were recovered; the response rate was 51.9%. A total of 40 questionnaires were used except for 58 containing insincere answers. Main findings are followings: Firstly, findings showed that advanced general hospitals spent the most statistically significantly highest in terms of equipments and total costs among cost items for accreditation preparation. When accreditation preparation costs items were classified according to classification of hospitals, advanced general hospitals spent the most statistically significantly highest in the equipments and total costs. Also in terms of regional, Gyeonggi, Incheon regions were found to spend statistically significantly higher costs in the equipments costs. Secondly, as a result of the survey in the distribution of the total accreditation preparation costs, advanced general hospitals have disbursed the most out of all. However, the result in hospitals does not show significant difference to the expense of advanced general hospitals and that especially other regional hospitals spent higher costs. As such, all hospitals are under a heavy burden of higher costs on accreditation preparation, especially hospitals. The build-up of infrastructures by hospitals through an accreditation system consequently led to a higher initial investment; if the accreditation system is effective in improving the quality of health care and patient safety, appropriate responses are needed. In other words, financial support for investment costs needs to be given to allow hospitals to actively participate in the accreditation system.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제85권2호
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• pp.165-174
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• 2022

Background: One goal of the End tuberculosis (TB) Strategy is to see no TB-affected households experiencing catastrophic costs. Therefore, it is crucial for TB-elimination programs to identify catastrophic costs and their main drivers in order to establish appropriate health and social measures. This study aimed to measure the percent of catastrophic costs experienced by Egyptian TB patients and to identify its determinants. Methods: We conducted a prospective cohort study with 151 Egyptian TB patients recruited from two chest dispensaries from the Cairo governate from May 2019 to May 2020. We used a validated World Health Organization TB patient-cost tool to collect data on patients' demographic information, household income, and direct and indirect expense of seeking TB treatment. We considered catastrophic TB costs to be total costs exceeding 20% of the household's annual income. Results: Of the patients, 33% experienced catastrophic costs. The highest proportion of the total came in the pre-treatment stage. Being the main breadwinner, experiencing job loss, selling property, and the occurrence of early coronavirus disease 2019 lockdown were independent determinants of the incidence of catastrophic costs. Borrowing money and selling property were the most-often reported coping strategies adopted. Conclusion: Despite the availability of free TB care under the Egyptian National TB Program, nearly a third of the TB patients incurred catastrophic costs. Job loss and being the main breadwinner were among the significant predictors of catastrophic costs. Social protection mechanisms, including cash assistance and insurance coverage, are necessary to achieve the goal of the End TB Strategy.