Health Policy Manag.  2020 Sep;30(3):409-417. 10.4332/KJHPA.2020.30.3.409.

Price Analysis of Therapeutic Materials for General Spinal Surgery by the Type of Wholesalers

• Byeon J
• Lee J

• KMID: 2507310
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.4332/KJHPA.2020.30.3.409

Abstract

Background
It is well known that the distribution of therapeutic materials is very complex. However, it is not easy to demonstrate the concrete problems caused by distribution channels empirically. The purpose of this study was to investigate the differences in the price of therapeutic materials according to the type of purchasing agency and the way in which medical institutions purchase therapeutic materials.
Methods
This study compared the claimed prices and the maximum allowable prices for the items of therapeutic material used for general spinal surgery.
Results
Ilsan Hospital, which purchased directly without a purchasing agent, had the lowest claimed prices, followed by a large professional purchasing agency, a foundation-related purchasing agency, and a general purchasing agency. In addition, the difference between the claimed prices and the maximum allowable prices according to the purchase type was larger in the expensive treatment materials, and in the case of the lower price treatment materials, it tended to converge to the maximum allowable prices.
Conclusion
National health insurance spending for therapeutic materials are to be affected by the distribution channels of them. We proposed several ideas to rationalize the expenditure such as classification of therapeutic materials on the basis of price or other criteria.

Keyword

Therapeutic material; Medical supplies; Supply chain; Health expenditure