Paju City Blocks Medical Aid Financial Leakage... Launches Long-term Hospitalization Survey

Survey of 388 Patients at 68 Medical Institutions In and Outside the City
Investigation of Long-term Hospitalization and Frequent Outpatient Visits
31 Billion KRW in Medical Benefit Expenses Saved Last Year

Paju City, Gyeonggi Province (Mayor Kim Kyung-il) will conduct an intensive survey on 388 long-term inpatients at 68 medical institutions (hospitals, clinics, nursing hospitals, etc.) inside and outside the city until July.

Paju City Hall exterior. Provided by Paju City

According to Paju City on the 10th, this survey aims to have medical benefit managers check the hospitalization details of the inpatients and reduce unnecessary hospitalizations based on health status, medical usage patterns, and medical staff opinions, thereby promoting the soundness of medical benefit finances while also examining whether there are any other difficulties.

Through surveys conducted via letters, phone calls, and visits, as well as medical staff opinions and analysis of survey results, the city will continuously assess whether hospitalization should continue. If additional verification and case management are needed, joint visits with the city and province, linkage with the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service reviews, and medical facility meetings will also be promoted.

In particular, for cases where discharge cannot be decided due to lack of caregivers, the city plans to provide and coordinate customized services for each patient, such as home medical care, housekeeping and nursing support, integrated care, and material donations, to ensure mental stability upon returning home and reduce hospitalization costs, managing these in parallel.

Paju City has been focusing on preventing unnecessary medical benefit expenditures and over-treatment through intensive case management of long-term hospitalization, frequent outpatient visits, and excessive medication days, and last year saved 3.1 billion KRW in medical benefit expenses.

Kwon Ye-ja, Director of Welfare Support Division, said, “As the number of medical beneficiaries is increasing due to physical function decline and rehabilitation treatment in the aging era, we will focus on case management by inducing appropriate medical use to prevent unnecessary hospitalization treatments and financial leakage.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.