Fee-paying systems and service patterns in a Hong Kong dental clinic

Int Dent J. 2002 Aug;52(4):261-7. doi: 10.1111/j.1875-595x.2002.tb00628.x.

Abstract

Objective: This study aimed to describe and compare patients' consumption of dental services and dentists' productivity in a university campus clinic before and after changing from a time-based to an item-based fee-paying system.

Method: Data were collected from the University of Hong Kong dental clinic which serves all university students and staff. A time-based fee-paying system had been in use up to February 1999 when it was switched to an item-based system. Computerised records of all patients in two 1-year periods starting from February 1996 and February 1999 were analysed.

Results: The percentages of eligible users who attended the University dental clinic were similar in the two study periods (30% in 96/97 vs 29% in 99/00). However, on average, patients consumed more dental service items in a year after the switch in fee-paying system (3.2 vs 4.1). There was also an increase in the mean number of dental service items provided by a dentist per working week after the change in fee-paying system (71.5 vs 99.4).

Conclusion: On switching from a time-based to an item-based fee-paying system, dentists in the UHS dental clinic became more productive and the consumption of dental services per patient also increased.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study

MeSH terms

  • Dental Care / classification
  • Dental Care / economics
  • Dental Care / statistics & numerical data*
  • Dental Clinics* / economics
  • Dental Hygienists / organization & administration
  • Dentists / organization & administration
  • Efficiency
  • Fee-for-Service Plans* / classification
  • Fee-for-Service Plans* / organization & administration
  • Health Behavior
  • Hong Kong
  • Humans
  • Retrospective Studies
  • Student Health Services / classification
  • Student Health Services / economics
  • Student Health Services / statistics & numerical data
  • Time Factors
  • Universities