BENCHMARK FOR THE TREATMENT OF PNEUMONIA AT DPC HOSPITALS FOCUSING ON THE USE OF ANTIMICROBIALS

Abstract

The status of the use of antimicrobials for the treatment of pneumonia was benchmarked by using diagnosis procedure combination (DPC) data, and the effects from the use of antimicrobials on the financial aspects of hospitals were examined. For each period of hospitalization, the percentage of patients who brought greater income to the hospital through the introduction of DPC, increase-decrease ratios (comprehensive payment/payment based on performance) and the percentage of payment for each medical action to the total payment based on performance were comparatively evaluated. Furthermore, a survey was made on the trends in the use of antimicrobials, payment based on performance and the average for the total expense for injections for each segment of hospitalization, the percentage of the total payment for injections to the total payment based on performance (hereafter “injection ratio”), and the increase-decrease ratio. The comparative evaluation covered the correlation between the use of antimicrobials and increase and decrease in hospital revenue.
When the trend in the use of antimicrobials was compared according to the length of stay at hospitals, changes were noted with the course of hospitalization in each hospital. It was also noted that the ratio in injections given is inversely related to the greater increase-decrease ratios in these hospitals. Thus, it was suggested that according to the DPC codes, the trends in the use of antimicrobials have effects on the financial management of hospitals.