[Concept for Planning the Nurse-Patient Ratio and Nursing Fee Payment Linkage System].
This article describes the current situation in Taiwan with regard to the nurse-patient ratio and nursing fee payments, reviews the related policies and results in developed countries, and then proposes a plan for improving the domestic situation. Direct relationships exist between patient nursing quality and patient safety and the nurse-patient ratio as well as between nursing fee payments and the nurse-patient ratio. Therefore, in order to enhance the quality and safety of nursing care, it will be necessary to develop and institute a payment linkage system that links nursing fee payments to the nurse-patient ratio. This process requires public consensus and planning in order to institute an equitable and effective payment linkage system in the future.
Taipei Medical University, and Chairperson of Board of Controllers, Taiwan Union of Nurses Associations, Taiwan, ROC.
Meei-Shiow
MS
Lu
Taiwan Union of Nurses Associations, Taiwan, ROC.
Hsiu-Yi
HY
Tseng
Taiwan Union of Nurses Associations, Taiwan, ROC.
Shu-Yuan
SY
Liang
Department of Nursing, National Taipei University of Nursing and Health Sciences, and Nursing Consultant, Department of Nursing, Shuang Ho Hospital, Taipei Medical University, Taiwan, ROC. evalin@ntunhs.edu.tw.
Chiou-Fen
CF
Lin
D018588:Fee-for-Service Plans; D006801:Humans; D009723:Nurse-Patient Relations; D011787:Quality of Health Care
nurse-patient ratio; nursing fee; payment linkage