Kyung Hee University, Seoul, Republic of Korea.
Inquiry. 2024 Jan-Dec;61:469580241304244. doi: 10.1177/00469580241304244.
This study analyzes hospital bed capacity and resource allocation using inflow and outflow indices to identify disparities in bed utilization. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the need for effective healthcare management, particularly in the allocation of specialized beds such as those in intensive care units (ICU). Despite a high bed-to-population ratio, South Korea faces regional disparities in bed distribution, especially in Seoul, which accounts for 12.4% of the nation's hospital beds. Hospital beds were categorized based on the Medical Service Act, and the Relevance Index (RI) and Commitment Index (CI) were used to assess patient flow in 2019 across different bed types and functions. Data from the "Statistical Yearbook on the Usage of Medical Service by Region" provided insights into utilization patterns in tertiary referral hospitals, general hospitals, hospitals, and long-term care facilities. The analysis revealed high RIs for tertiary referral hospitals, indicating strong patient retention and minimal outflow, whereas lower RIs for long-term care hospitals suggested underutilization. Regional analysis within Seoul found a concentration of tertiary referral hospitals in the Southeast and a shortage of ICU beds in the Northwest and Southwest regions. The Inflow and Outflow Index confirmed significant patient inflow into tertiary referral hospitals, with some areas experiencing higher outflows, particularly for long-term care beds. These findings underscore the need for strategic hospital bed capacity management, prioritizing essential beds in underserved regions. Future research should incorporate more recent data and employ direct patient flow analysis to optimize resource allocation, addressing evolving healthcare demands, such as an aging population and new infectious diseases. This study offers valuable insights for regional health policy, aiming to enhance functional hospital bed management and improve overall healthcare resource utilization.
本研究通过流入和流出指数分析医院床位容量和资源分配，以确定床位利用的差异。COVID-19 大流行凸显了有效医疗保健管理的必要性，特别是在重症监护病房（ICU）等专科床位的分配方面。尽管床位与人口的比例很高，但韩国在床位分配方面存在地区差异，特别是在首尔，首尔占全国医院床位的 12.4%。根据《医疗服务法》对医院床位进行分类，并使用相关指数（RI）和承诺指数（CI）评估 2019 年不同床位类型和功能的患者流动情况。来自“按地区使用医疗服务统计年鉴”的数据提供了关于三级转诊医院、综合医院、医院和长期护理机构利用模式的见解。分析显示，三级转诊医院的 RI 较高，表明患者保留能力强，流出量最小，而长期护理医院的 RI 较低，表明利用率较低。首尔地区的分析发现，东南部集中了三级转诊医院，西北部和西南部地区 ICU 床位短缺。流入和流出指数证实了大量患者流入三级转诊医院，一些地区的流出量较高，特别是长期护理床位。这些发现强调了战略性医院床位容量管理的必要性，优先考虑服务不足地区的基本床位。未来的研究应纳入更近期的数据，并采用直接的患者流动分析来优化资源分配，以应对不断变化的医疗保健需求，如人口老龄化和新的传染病。本研究为区域卫生政策提供了有价值的见解，旨在加强功能医院床位管理，提高整体医疗资源利用效率。
