진료비 확인 민원신청 경험과 의사 및 의료기관에 대한 신뢰도와의 관련성

Abstract

Background: Patients’ trust in their physicians or hospitals is important to guarantee the effectiveness of care and to encourage revisits. This study aimed to identify the relationship between the experience of requesting verification of healthcare benefit coverage via the Health Insurance Review Agency (HIRA) and patients’ trust in their physicians or hospitals. Methods: For this population-based study, 800 adult respondents aged 20 to 65 years were recruited using random sampling and telephone surveys. Respondents were divided into two groups: 1) 400 people had experience in requesting the HIRA verification service for the purpose of confirmation of whether the costs they paid were appropriate among metropolitan habitants, and 2) 400people comprised members of the public who had no experience requesting the verification service. Results: Experience with requesting verification services was likely to lower the patients’ trust in medical institutions, but not in their physicians (p<0.05). In addition, patients who were satisfied with their physicians and hospitals were more likely to trust the physicians and hospitals than dissatisfied patients. Conclusion: Patients’ trust might be an important factor influencing hospital success. Patients’ trust in medical suppliers, such as physicians and hospitals, encourages a positive relationship between medical suppliers and patients. Therefore, medical suppliers must provide appropriate care to patients to improve patients’ trust in them.