Studies from Ulsan University Hospital in the Area of Medical Research Reported (Clinical Guidance for Point-of-Care Ultrasound in the Emergency and Critical Care Areas after Implementing Insurance Coverage in Korea)

2020 FEB 28 (NewsRx) -- By a News Reporter-Staff News Editor at Insurance Daily News -- Current study results on Health and Medicine - Medical Research have been published. According to news reporting out of Ulsan, South Korea, by NewsRx editors, research stated, “Point-of-care ultrasound (POCUS) is a useful tool that is widely used in the emergency and intensive care areas. In Korea, insurance coverage of ultrasound examination has been gradually expanding in accordance with measures to enhance Korean National Insurance Coverage since 2017 to 2021, and which will continue until 2021.”

Financial support for this research came from The Society of Emergency and Critical Care Imaging.

Our news journalists obtained a quote from the research from Ulsan University Hospital, “Full coverage of health insurance for POCUS in the emergency and critical care areas was implemented in July 2019. The National Health Insurance Act classified POCUS as a single or multiple-targeted ultrasound examination (STU vs. MTU). STU scans are conducted of one organ at a time, while MTU includes scanning of multiple organs simultaneously to determine each clinical situation. POCUS can be performed even if a diagnostic ultrasound examination is conducted, based on the physician’s decision. However, the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service plans to monitor the prescription status of whether the POCUS and diagnostic ultrasound examinations are prescribed simultaneously and repeatedly. Additionally, MTU is allowed only in cases of trauma, cardiac arrest, shock, chest pain, and dyspnea and should be performed by a qualified physician. Although physicians should scan all parts of the chest, heart, and abdomen when they prescribe MTU, they are not required to record all findings in the medical record. Therefore, appropriate prescription, application, and recording of POCUS are needed to enhance the quality of patient care and avoid unnecessary cut of medical budget spending.”

According to the news editors, the research concluded: “The present article provides background and clinical guidance for POCUS based on the implementation of full health insurance coverage for POCUS that began in July.”

For more information on this research see: Clinical Guidance for Point-of-Care Ultrasound in the Emergency and Critical Care Areas after Implementing Insurance Coverage in Korea. Journal of Korean Medical Science, 2020;35(7):e54. Journal of Korean Medical Science can be contacted at: Korean Acad Medical Sciences, 302 75 Dong du Ichon, Dong Yongsan Ku, Seoul 140 031, South Korea.

Our news journalists report that additional information may be obtained by contacting W.J. Choi, Dept. of Emergency Medicine, Ulsan University Hospital, University of Ulsan College of Medicine, Ulsan, South Korea. Additional authors for this research include Y.R. Ha, J.H. Oh, Y.S. Cho, W.W. Lee, Y.D. Sohn, G.C. Cho, C.Y. Koh, H.H. Do, W.J. Jeong, S.M. Ryoo, J.H. Kwon, H.M. Kim, S.J. Kim, C.Y. Park, J.H. Lee, J.H. Lee, D.H. Lee, S.Y. Park and B.S Kang.

The direct object identifier (DOI) for that additional information is: https://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2020.35.e54. This DOI is a link to an online electronic document that is either free or for purchase, and can be your direct source for a journal article and its citation.

Publisher contact information for the Journal of Korean Medical Science is: Korean Acad Medical Sciences, 302 75 Dong du Ichon, Dong Yongsan Ku, Seoul 140 031, South Korea.

(Our reports deliver fact-based news of research and discoveries from around the world.)