Skip Navigation
Skip to contents

JPMPH : Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health

OPEN ACCESS
SEARCH
Search

Articles

Page Path
HOME > J Prev Med Public Health > Volume 44(1); 2011 > Article
English Abstract Impact of DRG Payment on the Length of Stay and the Number of Outpatient Visits After Discharge for Caesarean Section During 2004-2007.
Changwoo Shon, Seolhee Chung, Seonju Yi, Soonman Kwon
Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health 2011;44(1):48-55
DOI: https://doi.org/10.3961/jpmph.2011.44.1.48
  • 4,937 Views
  • 148 Download
  • 9 Crossref
  • 7 Scopus
1Seoul National University Graduate School of Public Health, Korea. kwons@snu.ac.kr
2Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, Korea.

OBJECTIVES
The purpose of this study was to examine the impact of Diagnosis-Related Group (DRG)-based payment on the length of stay and the number of outpatient visits after discharge in for patients who had undergone caesarean section. METHODS: This study used the health insurance data of the patients in health care facilities that were paid by the Fee-For-Service (FFS) in 2001-2004, but they participated in the DRG payment system in 2005-2007. In order to examine the net effects of DRG payment, the Difference-In-Differences (DID) method was adopted to observe the difference in health care utilization before and after the participation in the DRG payment system. The dependent variables of the regression model were the length of stay and number of outpatient visits after discharge, and the explanatory variables included the characteristics of the patients and the health care facilities. RESULTS: The length of stay in DRG-paid health care facilities was greater than that in the FFS-paid ones. Yet, DRG payment has no statistically significant effect on the number of outpatient visits after discharge. CONCLUSIONS: The results of this study that DRG payment was not effective in reducing the length of stay can be related to the nature of voluntary participation in the DRG system. Only those health care facilities that are already efficient in terms of the length of stay or that can benefit from the DRG payment may decide to participate in the program.

Related articles

JPMPH : Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health