J Korean Med Sci.  2025 Apr;40(13):e120. 10.3346/jkms.2025.40.e120.

Variability in the Length of Stay and Daily Medical Expenses in Inpatient Care in Korea, 2010–2019: Hypertension and Pneumonia

• Lee H
• Noh JW
• Lee S
• Choi JK
• Lee JY
• Lee H
• Kim JH

• KMID: 2566819
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2025.40.e120

Abstract

This study examined the variability in the length of stay (LOS) and daily medical expenses (DME) for hypertension and pneumonia inpatient care. Using 10 years of National Health Insurance Service data (2010–2019), a multilevel analysis assessed variability at the patient and institutional levels. During the study period, the mean LOS decreased, whereas the DME increased for both hypertension and pneumonia. Institutional level variability in the LOS increased during the study period, demonstrating greater variability than that for pneumonia. For both conditions, institutional-level variability was more marked in smaller institutions (hospitals and clinics) than in larger institutions (general and tertiary hospitals). These findings indicate a need for standardized healthcare service protocols to promote consistent and efficient patient care.

Keyword

Hypertension; Pneumonia; Inpatient Care; Length of Stay; Daily Medical Expenses

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Box plots of the (A) length of stay and (B) daily medical expenses. Dots represent the mean, and boxes represent the median, 1st and 3rd quartile values.

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  Fig. 2 Plot of the intra-class correlation coefficients for length of stay. (A) Hypertension; (B) Pneumonia.

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  Fig. 3 Plot of the intra-class correlation coefficients for daily medical expenses. (A) Hypertension; (B) Pneumonia.

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