Association between the implementation of a laboratory information system and the revenue of a general hospital.
BACKGROUND
A laboratory information system (LIS) is a useful tool for the management of laboratory processes and data, as well as for improving quality.


OBJECTIVE
To examine the association between the implementation of a LIS with the outpatient and inpatient revenues of a general hospital.


METHODS
This study analyzed the outpatient and inpatient revenue data of all 212 general hospitals in South Korea; data were obtained from the Korean National Health Insurance Corporation during the period from 1996 through 1999. The mixed model was used for the repeated measure data. The following listed variables were used in the analysis: LIS implementation status, the population size, the state of competition, average local income, the hospital location, the hospital size, whether or not the hospital was a teaching hospital, whether the hospital was private or public, and the effect of the implementation time.


RESULTS
The revenues from both the outpatient and inpatient departments were significantly higher 1 year after implementing a LIS, even after controlling for confounding variables.


CONCLUSIONS
Although the causality needs to be clarified, the implementation of a LIS was found to be significantly associated with higher outpatient and inpatient revenues.
Park
Woong-Sub
WS
Department of Preventive Medicine & Public Health, College of Medicine, Kwandong University, Gangneung, South Korea.
Yi
Sang Yeop
SY
Kim
Sang-A
SA
Song
Jae-Seok
JS
Kwak
Youn Hee
YH
D005377:Financial Management, Hospital; D017722:Hospital Charges; D006751:Hospital Information Systems / Q000191:economics* / Q000458:organization & administration*; D006769:Hospitals, General / Q000191:economics*; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D007723:Korea