Based on the diagnosis-related groups payment, China developed an innovative episode-based payment scheme, called "payment method by disease types with point counting", to control health expenditures inflation. This study aimed to investigate the impacts of this new payment method on volume, expenditures, and efficiency in Chinese public hospitals. Methods: The study sample consisted of 7 tertiary hospitals and 14 secondary hospitals in Jinhua (intervention group) and 4 tertiary hospitals and 14 secondary hospitals in Taizhou (control group). Monthly data points were collected for each sampled hospital from June 2016 to June 2019 using a self-administered questionnaire with impact evaluation indicators. Controlled interrupted time-series analysis was employed to estimate the effect of the new payment method. Results: The significant slowing trends in inpatient expenditures per visit (tertiary hospitals: β 7 =−123.16, p=0.042; secondary hospitals: β 7 = −89.24, p=0.021) and out-of-pocket payments (tertiary hospitals: β 7 =−4.18, p=0.027; secondary hospitals: β 7 =−4.87, p=0.019) were observed after policy intervention. However, outpatient expenditures per visit in tertiary (β 7 =1.67, p=0.018) and secondary hospitals (β 7 =1.24, p=0.003) rose faster with the new payment method. Additionally, payment reform also caused an increase in the number of inpatient visits (β 7 =100.01, p=0.038) and reduced the length of stay (β 7 =−0.10, p=0.036) in tertiary hospitals. Conclusion:The introduction of payment method by disease types with point counting causes the cost containment for inpatient care, whereas the increase in outpatient expenditures. The findings suggest this new payment scheme has the potential for rollout in other areas, but the cost-shifting from the inpatient to outpatient setting should be prevented.

ObjectivesPublic hospital reform is a key area in the Chinese healthcare system reform with the aim of controlling excessive growth of medical expenditures. This study aims to evaluate the impacts of two rounds of urban public hospital reforms respectively starting in 2018 and 2019.MethodA mixed-method method was conducted in Hangzhou. In the quantitative phase, monthly data covering 7 provincial, 12 municipal, and 35 district hospitals from March 2017 to June 2020 was analyzed using a panel-interrupted time-series. Thematic content analysis was conducted using qualitative data collected from 32 in-depth interviews.ResultsQuantitative data showed a considerable reduction in the proportion of drug revenue (provincial hospitals: −4.937%; municipal hospitals: −2.765%; district hospitals: −2.189%) and an increase in the proportion of consumable (provincial hospitals: β2 = 2.025; municipal hospitals: β3 = 0.206) and examinations (provincial hospitals: β2 = 1.354, β3=0.159; municipal hospitals: β2 = 1.179) revenue after the first reform. In post-reform 2, The respective instant decrease and increase in the proportion of consumable (provincial hospitals: −2.395%; municipal hospitals: −0.898%) and medical services (provincial hospitals: 2.115%; municipal hospitals: −2.604%) revenue were observed. Additionally, quantitative and qualitative data indicated inpatient expenditures dropped considerably after the reform. However, insufficient compensation for medical services and increased financial pressure on hospitals were repeatedly mentioned as unintended consequences in qualitative interviews.ConclusionsOverall, the urban public hospital reforms in China created positive effects in adjusting hospital revenue structure and constraining soaring medical expenditures. Unintended consequences remind policymakers to establish rational and dynamic compensation mechanisms for public hospitals.

Purpose China developed an innovative episode-based payment scheme for outpatient care, namely “Ambulatory Patient Groups (APGs) + capitation” payment, to constrain inflation in outpatient expenditures. This study aimed to assess the effects of this payment method on volume and expenditures in Chinese public hospitals. Methods A quasi-experimental study was conducted with 7 municipal and 12 county hospitals from Jinhua as the intervention group and 15 municipal and 24 county hospitals from three neighbouring cities as the control group. The payment reform was introduced to municipal and county hospitals in the intervention group in January 2020 and January 2021, respectively. Monthly data on volumes and outpatient expenditures were collected from each hospital from January 2019 to December 2021. Controlled interrupted time-series analyses were performed to determine the effects of the funding reforms. Results Outpatient visits in municipal hospitals decreased by 1417.54 (p=0.048) per month on average compared with control ones after the reform was implemented, whilst that in county hospitals increased by 1058.04 (p=0.041) per month on average. The trend of drug expenditures ( β 7 =−1.41, p=0.019) in municipal hospitals dropped, which was accompanied by an immediate reduction in consumable expenditures ( β 6 =−6.89, p=0.044). The funding reform also led to the significant declines in drug ( β 6 =−10.96, p=0.009) and consumable ( β 6 =−4.78, p=0.041) expenditures in county hospitals. Municipal hospitals experienced the drop in the trend of total outpatient expenditures ( β 7 =−3.99, p=0.018) over the same period. Conclusion The strength of the “AGPs + capitation” payment for outpatient care lies in its ability to control the excessive growth of medical expenses through correcting inappropriate incentives. However, minimising potential cost-shifting and risk-shifting to uninsured service items should be given attention.