Journal List > J Korean Med Assoc > v.54(1) > 1042496

Im, Min, Choi, Lim, and Park: Financial state of primary care physicians under the Korean insurance system

Abstract

Greater than its influence on the medical practitioner's individual ability is the National Health Insurance System's influence on the management of medical practitioners' offices in Korea. However, despite the important effect health insurance exerts on the income of medical clinics, recently, the financial difficulties of medical clinics have often become an issue, and financial difficulty has been aggravated as much as a solution has been sought. The current state of the overall management of medical clinics was investigated to understand the factors influencing the sales and expenses in their management. A questionnaire was completed by 1,009 physicians registered in the Korean Medical Association who were participating in a statistical extraction course. As a result of the study, the factors influencing the total revenue and total expenditures of medical clinics, such as increases in the total number of doctors, increasing numbers of outpatients, the size of the medical office, medical disputes, and clinical specialties (based on the first medical treatment) showed statistical significance. In conclusion, in order to improve medical clinic management, a health insurance medical fee should be more reasonably fixed, a medical transfer system should be reestablished, and a cooperative strategy should be created for medical clinics and general hospitals in order to attract patients. As a result, low cost and highly efficient medical services could be provided and the satisfaction of patients improved.

Figures and Tables

Figure 1
Clinic operation performance from an investor's perspective (2008 fiscal year)
jkma-54-98-g001
Figure 2
Reason for fee reduction.
jkma-54-98-g002
Table 1
Distribution according to respondents' characteristics, clinic type per & clinical area of clinics
jkma-54-98-i001

a)Unlike other items, only 1,004 out of 1,009 answered the question on age.

Table 2
Clinic hours
jkma-54-98-i002
Table 3
Daily average number of outpatients per clinic or per doctor
jkma-54-98-i003

Values are presented as number (%).

Table 4
Percentage of clinics employing a graded fee system
jkma-54-98-i004
Table 5
Comparison analysis of 2008 sales per clinic (unit: KRW)
jkma-54-98-i005

KRW, Korean won; NHI, National Health Insurance; HIRA, Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service.

Table 6
Profit/Loss status of clinics for the 2008 fiscal year per subject
jkma-54-98-i006

KRW, Korean won.

Table 7
Comparison of fee reduction incidents per subject · open period · area
jkma-54-98-i007

Values are presented as number (%).

Table 8
Comparison of fee reduction amount per subject · open period · area
jkma-54-98-i008

Values are presented as number (%).

KRW, Korean won.

Table 9
Differences in total revenues and expenses according to clinic characteristics
jkma-54-98-i009

a)Internal, surgery, obstetrics & gynecology, pediatrics, family medicine, not indicated.

*P<0.05, **P<0.01, ***P<0.001.

Table 10
Interrelationship between total revenues/exp. according to clinic characteristics
jkma-54-98-i010

*P<0.05, **P<0.01, ***P<0.001.

Table 11
Factor analysis of influences on total revenue and expenses of clinics
jkma-54-98-i011

*P<0.05, **P<0.01, ***P<0.001.

References

1. National Health Insurance Corporation. 2010. cited 2010 Nov 20. Seoul: National Health Insurance Corporation;Available from: http://www.nhic.or.kr.
2. Im GJ. Management analysis of clinics in 2003. Healthc Policy Forum. 2003. 1:158–165.
3. National Health Insurance Corporation. 2005. cited 2010 Nov 20. Seoul: National Health Insurance Corporation;Available from: http://www.nhic.or.kr.
4. Oh CS. Status and vitalization plan of primary medical institutions. Healthc Policy Forum. 2003. 1:66–183.
TOOLS
Similar articles