Korean and United States: Comparison of Costs of Nursing Interventions

Abstract

Purpose:This study was performed to compare the costs of nursing interventions implemented for the obstetrical and gynecological patients using Korean Reimbursement System and ABC codes system developed in the US for costing out interventions performed by health care professional. Methods: First, the narrative data on nursing interventions were extracted from electronic medical record system of a tertiary university and mapped with Nursing Intervention Classification (NIC) by two researchers until 100% consent was reached. Narrative nursing interventions mapped with NIC were then remapped with ABC codes system using the electronic program developed in the research. The mapping data were analyzed with real numbers, frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation. Results: More nursing interventions were mapped with ABC codes than Korean reimbursement system. Total of 97 different types of narrative interventions could be mapped with NIC, 43 NIC interventions could be reimbursed by ABC code but only 16 NIC interventions were reimbursed by Korea Reimbursement System. Conclusion: Korean medical insurance fee system needs amendment to include more comprehensively interventions performed by nurses which are very important to patient outcomes. Further study is needed to develop strategies to costing out nursing interventions.

Effectiveness of Nursing Interventions using Standardized Nursing Terminologies: An Integrative Review

“…Identifying the cost of a specific nursing intervention with performance time will make it possible to visualize the value of nursing care and provide fundamental data for calculating the cost of nursing care. It is essential to establish reimbursement rates for implemented nursing care (Hong & Lee, 2012;Lee & Park, 2018). Further, these studies can provide objective and fair criteria for determining the cost of nursing care and can provide the foundation for highquality care (Hong & Lee, 2012).…”

“…It is essential to establish reimbursement rates for implemented nursing care (Hong & Lee, 2012;Lee & Park, 2018). Further, these studies can provide objective and fair criteria for determining the cost of nursing care and can provide the foundation for highquality care (Hong & Lee, 2012). Therefore, cost-effectiveness studies can be the next step after identifying the interventions that nurses perform.…”

“…Therefore, cost-effectiveness studies can be the next step after identifying the interventions that nurses perform. Analyzing SNTs being integrated in the EHRs may be one of most efficient ways to determine the value and cost-effectiveness of nursing care, nurse staffing and job satisfaction, patient outcomes and satisfaction (Hong & Lee, 2012;Lee & H. Park, 2018;Lee et al, 2014;Shever et al, 2007;Shever et al, 2008;Titler et al, 2005;Titler et al, 2008).…”

“…Approaches to charging for nursing care were available based on nursing intensity, including the amount of time nurses spent on specific nursing interventions (Lee & Park, 2018), mapping with reimbursement system (Hong & Lee, 2012), the use rates of nursing interventions (Titler et al, 2005;Titler et al, 2008), propensity score (Shever et al, 2008), or path modelling after controlling for multiple factors (Lee et al, 2014). One of the six studies compared the costs of nursing interventions implemented for the obstetrical and gynecological patients using the Korean Reimbursement System and ABC codes system developed in the United States (Hong & Lee, 2012).…”