Effect of the New Emergency Fee Schedule on the Pattern of Emergency Patients.
- Author:
Dong Woo SEO
1
;
Kyoung Soo LIM
;
Yi Sang MOON
;
You Dong SHON
;
Min Woo JO
;
Won KIM
;
Sang Il LEE
Author Information
1. Department of Emergency Medicine, University of Ulsan, College of Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Korea.kslim@amc.seoul.kr
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Emergency;
Crowding;
Korea
- MeSH:
Chungcheongnam-do;
Crowding;
Emergencies*;
Fee Schedules*;
Fees and Charges*;
Humans;
Korea;
National Health Programs;
Retrospective Studies
- From:Journal of the Korean Society of Emergency Medicine
2004;15(4):227-232
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
PURPOSE: This study was conducted to solve the problems due to overcrowding of emergency medical centers (EMC) and to help EMCs to improve their financial status. Korean government has implemented a new emergency fee schedule into National Health Insurance (NHI). This policy is aimed at reducing non-emergent visits to EMCs. METHOD: This study was conducted to analyze the impact of the new policy by using a before-after comparison of the patterns of patients' visit to an EMC, Asan Medical Center (AMC). Data electronically recorded at the EMC of AMC were reviewed retrospectively. RESULT: The new emergency fee schedule reduced the rate of increase of non-emergent visit to EMC. CONCLUSION: However, this policy could not succeed in limiting total number of EMC visits. It means that this pricing policy made a partial success in solving the problem of overcrowding of EMCs.
