Health Policy Manag.  2017 Mar;27(1):39-46. 10.4332/KJHPA.2017.27.1.39.

Analysis of New Patient's Willingness to Pay Additional Costs for Securing Satisfactory Consultation Time

Affiliations
  • 1Department of Internal Medicine, National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital, Goyang, Korea.
  • 2Research and Analysis Team, National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital, Goyang, Korea.
  • 3Office of Performance Improvement, National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital, Goyang, Korea.
  • 4Department of Nursing, National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital, Goyang, Korea.
  • 5Department of Preventive Medicine, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
  • 6Institute of Health Services Research, Yonsei University College of Medicine, Seoul, Korea.
  • 7Department of Surgery, National Health Insurance Service Ilsan Hospital, Goyang, Korea. kangski@nhimc.or.kr

Abstract

BACKGROUND
We evaluated new patient's satisfactory consultation time (SCT) and their willingness to pay additional costs (WPAC) for their SCT.
METHODS
We surveyed medical service satisfaction, SCT, WPAC for their SCT, and payable amount to 612 new patients of single general hospital and measured their real consultation time (RCT). To compare WPAC and payable amount, we divided RCT into 4 groups (≤3 minutes, 3-5 minutes, 5-10 minutes, and >10 minutes), and SCT into 3 groups (≤5 minutes, 5-10 minutes, and >10 minutes). On the basis of WPAC, we estimated new patient's SCT.
RESULTS
RCT was 6.2 minutes, SCT was 8.9 minutes, and medical service satisfaction score was 4.3 (out of 5). The number of patients having WPAC (payable group) was 381 (62.3%) and the amount was 5,853 Korean won. Their RCT and SCT were longer than non-payable group (6.4 minutes vs. 5.7 minutes, 9.3 minutes vs. 8.2 minutes). From multiple logistic regression analysis, WPAC of RCT 5-10 minutes was higher than that RCT ≤3 minutes (odds ratio=1.78). Payable amount was highest in RCT >10 minutes (6,950 Korea won) and SCT >10 minutes (7,458 Korean won). Intuitively we suggest 10 minutes as SCT, based on payable group's SCT (9.3 minutes) and cut-off time differentiating payable group with non-payable group (10 minutes).
CONCLUSION
We found that new patient had WPAC for their SCT and the longer the SCT, the greater the amount. From this, we hope that current simplified new patient consultation fee calculating system should be modified combining the consultation time factor.

Keyword

New patient; Satisfactory consultation time; Pay additional costs; Consultation fee calculating system

MeSH Terms

Fees and Charges
Hope
Hospitals, General
Humans
Korea
Logistic Models
Time Factors
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