PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to estimate nursing costs and to establish appropriate nursing fees for long-term care services for community elders. METHODS: Seven nurses participated in data collection related to visiting time by nurses for 1,100 elders. Data on material costs and management costs were collected from 5 visiting nursing agencies. The nursing costs were classified into 3 groups based on the nurse's visit time under the current reimbursement system of long-term care insurance. RESULTS: The average nursing cost per minute was 246 won. The material costs were 3,214 won, management costs, 10,707 won, transportation costs, 7,605 won, and capital costs, 5,635 won per visit. As a result, the average cost of nursing services per visit by classification of nursing time were 41,036 won (care time <30 min), 46,005 won (care time 30-59 min), and 57,321 won (care time over 60 min). CONCLUSION: The results of the study indicate that the fees for nurse visits currently being charged for long-term care insurance should be increased. Also these results will contribute to baseline data for establishing appropriate nursing fees for long-term care services to maintain quality nursing and management in visiting nursing agencies.
Costs and Cost Analysis ; Humans ; Insurance, Health, Reimbursement/economics ; Insurance, Long-Term Care/economics ; Long-Term Care/*economics ; Nursing Services/*economics ; Time Factors

PURPOSE: This study was conducted to examine whether the level of classification for long-term care service under long-term care insurance reflects resource utilization level for residents in nursing homes. METHODS: From 2 long-term care facilities, the researchers selected 95 participants and identified description and time of care services provided by nurses, certified caregivers, physical therapists and social workers during a 24-hr-period. RESULTS: Resource utilization level was: 281.04 for level 1, 301.05 for level 2 and 270.87 for level 3. Resource utilization was not correlated with level. Differences in resource utilization within the same level were similar with the coefficient of variance, 22.7-27.1%. Physical function was the most influential factor on long-term care scores (r=.88, p<.001). The level for long-term care service did not reflect differences in resource utilization level of residents on long-term care insurance. CONCLUSION: The results of this study indicate that present grading for long-term care service needs to be reconsidered. Further study is needed to adjust the long-term care classification system to reflect the level of resource utilization for care recipients on the long-term care insurance.
Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Health Resources/economics/*utilization ; Humans ; Insurance, Long-Term Care/economics ; Long-Term Care/*classification ; Middle Aged ; *Nursing Homes ; Resource Allocation ; Time Factors

With the rapid aging of the population, Korea introduced public long-term care insurance for older people in 2008. The long-term care insurance was designed as a separate scheme from the national health insurance, with eligibility qualifications and the certification process based on functional disability, benefits and coverage of community-based and institutional care, and a financing structure through multi-party contributions. Delivering appropriate health services to long-term care beneficiaries who manifest a high prevalence of comorbid chronic conditions with rising healthcare costs, however, presents a particular challenge. The lack of coordination between the health and long-term care sectors, limited consideration of physicians' assessments in the certification process, inadequate provision of health services in long-term care facilities, and overlapping and inefficient use of care resources act as barriers to providing comprehensive healthcare for older beneficiaries. Through active participation in the long-term care system, health professionals can help older patients navigate through the complex long-term care terrain to obtain quality healthcare.
Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; Delivery of Health Care/*economics ; Disability Evaluation ; Humans ; Insurance, Long-Term Care/*economics ; Middle Aged ; National Health Programs/economics

PURPOSE: This study aimed to evaluate economic viability of public health center visiting nurse services for the low-income elderly with long-term care needs. METHOD: The sample consisted of 252 community dwelling elderly who enrolled in public health center visiting nurse services for three months or more. Data was collected on physical (ADL and IADL) and cognitive impairments of the elderly, contents and frequency of visiting nurse services, cost per visit, and costs of alternative services for long-term care. RESULT: The mean score of ADL and IADL levels of the elderly was 2.80.4904, which indicated these patients were mostly independent. Eighty four percent of the elderly subjects were cognitively intact. Among visiting nurse services supplied, providing assessment was 34%, followed by education and counseling 26%, medication 22%, and referral. The mean cost per visit was 17,824.1 won, which transformed into a total cost per person per year of 161,130.2 won. Comparing the cost of a visiting nurse service with those of other long-term care alternatives, the visiting nurse service was the least costly alternative, followed by an outpatient clinic, hospital based home care, and nursing home. CONCLUSION: Overall, the results of the study provide evidence of the economic viability of visiting nurse services for the low-income elderly among long-term care alternatives.
Aged ; Community Health Nursing/*economics ; Female ; *Health Care Costs ; Health Services for the Aged/*economics ; Humans ; Korea ; Long-Term Care/*economics ; Male ; *Poverty

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-III classification system differentiates resources provided to elderly in long-term care facilities in Korea.
Aged ; Female ; Health Resources/*utilization ; Homes for the Aged/*economics ; Humans ; Korea ; Long-Term Care/*economics ; Male ; Nursing Homes/*economics ; Patients/*classification ; *Prospective Payment System

OBJECTIVETo evaluate long-term cost effectiveness of telbivudine and lamivudine for the treatment of CHB.

METHODSCost effectiveness was conducted from social health insurance perspective. A Markov model was established based on disease progression pattern and the data from the 2 years GLOBE clinical trial. The information of annual medical expenditure and quality-of-life assessment for different CHB-related diseases was obtained from literature. Incremental cost per life year or quality-adjusted life year gained was measured.

RESULTSCompared with lamivudine, the incremental cost for 1 additional QALY gained with telbivudine in treating HBeAg-positive and -negative CHB were 5403 yuan and 28239 yuan in Beijing, as well 4916 yuan and 29618 yuan in Guangzhou, respectively. According to national economic burden of CHB-related diseases, the ICER with telbivudine vs lamivudine were 1282 yuan and 31565 yuan for HBeAg-positive and -negative CHB.

CONCLUSIONAccording to WHO recommendation for ICER threshold, telbivudine is cost effective in treating HBeAg-positive and -negative CHB, as compared to lamivudine.

Adult ; Antifungal Agents ; economics ; therapeutic use ; China ; epidemiology ; Cost-Benefit Analysis ; DNA, Viral ; blood ; Drug Costs ; statistics & numerical data ; Economics, Pharmaceutical ; Female ; Hepatitis B e Antigens ; blood ; Hepatitis B, Chronic ; complications ; drug therapy ; economics ; epidemiology ; Humans ; Insurance, Long-Term Care ; Lamivudine ; economics ; therapeutic use ; Liver Cirrhosis ; etiology ; prevention & control ; Male ; Markov Chains ; Middle Aged ; Models, Economic ; Nucleosides ; economics ; therapeutic use ; Prescription Drugs ; economics ; Pyrimidinones ; economics ; therapeutic use ; Quality-Adjusted Life Years ; Thymidine ; analogs & derivatives