Objective The study investigated to compare health care utilization and expenditures between diabetic patients with and without depression in Taiwan. Methods Health care utilization and expenditure among diabetic patients with and without depression disorder during 2000 and 2004 were examined using Taiwan's population-based National Health Insurance claims database. Health care utilization in...

This study assesses the cost-effectiveness of an insurance administration-free, hospital-based clinic designed to provide a full array of primary care services to low-income individuals at little or no cost. In addition to low/no-cost visits, individuals have the option to purchase a low-cost health insurance plan similar to any traditional health plan (eg, prescriptions, primary care, specialt...

In spring 1989, a random, Army-wide sample of 15,364 enlisted and 4,529 officer personnel was surveyed on dental utilization. Results show no difference in annual dental utilization between officer and enlisted personnel when age is controlled. Because annual dental utilization increases with age and enlisted ranks contain a disproportionately large number of younger personnel, a difference in ...

OBJECTIVE To study the effects of applying an emergency department (ED) triage system, combined with extensive publicity in local media about the "right" use of emergency services, on the division of work between ED nurses and general practitioners (GPs). DESIGN An observational and quasi-experimental study based on before-after comparisons. SETTING Implementation of the ABCDE triage system...

PURPOSE Seasonal variations in asthma-related hospitalizations and emergency department visits have long been recognized. This study aimed to investigate the seasonal patterns of asthma in children and adolescents who presented at emergency departments in Korea. METHODS We analyzed the National Emergency Department Information System records from 117 emergency departments in Korea that compri...

BACKGROUND This study determined incremental direct expenditures of treating hypertension in the United States population. METHODS Analysis of the 2001 Medical Expenditure Panel Survey (MEPS), a national probability sample survey of the civilian noninstitutionalized U.S. population, was conducted. Hypertensive patients were identified as those with a medical diagnosis for hypertension based o...

OBJECTIVES To determine whether the dose of inhaled corticosteroids can be stepped down in patients with chronic stable asthma while maintaining control. DESIGN One year, randomised controlled, double blind, parallel group trial. SETTING General practices throughout western and central Scotland. PARTICIPANTS 259 adult patients with asthma receiving regular treatment with inhaled corticost...

BACKGROUND Very frequent outpatient emergency department (ED) use-so called "superutilization"-at the state level is not well-studied. To address this gap, we examined frequent ED utilization in the largest state Medicaid population to date. METHODS Using Texas Medicaid (the third largest in the USA) claims data, we examined the variability in expenditures, sociodemographics, comorbidities, a...

BACKGROUND Universal Zero-Markup Drug Policy (UZMDP) mandates no price mark-ups on any drug dispensed by a healthcare institution, and covers the medicines not included in the China's National Essential Medicine System. Five tertiary hospitals in Beijing, China implemented UZMDP in 2012. Its impacts on these hospitals are unknown. We described the effects of UZMDP on a participating hospital, J...

A service evaluation of Chlamydia trachomatis (CT) and Neisseria gonorrhoeae (NG) testing and result notification in patients attending a rapid testing service (Dean Street Express [DSE]) compared with those attending an existing 'standard' sexual health clinic (56 Dean Street [56DS]), and modelling the impact of the new service from 1 June 2014 to 31 May 2015. PRIMARY OUTCOME time from patie...