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KMID : 0360220190600030261
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Journal of the Korean Ophthalmological Society
2019 Volume.60 No. 3 p.261 ~ p.267
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Effect Analyses of a Health Information Exchange in Ophthalmology: Evidence from a Pilot Program
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Kim Ju-Eun
Kim Hong-Kyu
Lim Hyung-Taek
Kim Young-Ah
Kim Sung-Soo
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Abstract
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Purpose: To estimate the impact of a health information exchange (HIE) pilot project on ophthalmology department care.
Methods: Study sites included 4 ophthalmic clinics in three regions participating in the HIE pilot project (group A), and 12 clinics with similar distances and numbers of patient referrals as group A but who were not participating in the HIE pilot project (group B). The mean wait time, total medical costs, and ophthalmic examinations of referral patients were analyzed.
Results: The mean wait times were 8.4 ± 8.0 days in group A, which included 83 patients, and 11.7 ± 15.4 days in group B, which included 417 patients. The wait time was significantly shorter in group A (p = 0.005). Sensitivity analyses also indicated shorter wait times in group A. In 247 patients in group B who were referred to tertiary referral hospitals automatically through the conventional clinical cooperation center with group A, the wait times were 8.4 ± 8.0 and 7.7 ± 8.8 days, respectively, and the total cost of medical care was 260.6 ± 271.4 and 257.0 ± 251.7 thousand Won, respectively. No differences in these factors were found between the groups (p = 0.503, 0.913, respectively). There were no significant differences in participation in the HIE pilot project regarding ophthalmic examinations conducted within 2 weeks since patient referral (p > 0.050 for all).
Conclusions: The HIE is advantageous because it results in shorter wait times to see an ophthalmologist, due to the automatic referral method based on medical records. However, there are no benefits in reducing total costs of medical care or the number of clinical examinations.
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KEYWORD
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Health communication, Health information exchange, Tertiary healthcare
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