Policy Spotlight Effects on Critical Time-Sensitive Diseases: Nationwide Retrospective Cohort Study on Taiwan’s Hospital Emergency Capability Categorization Policy

Abstract

BACKGROUND: Taiwan's categorization of hospital emergency capability (CHEC) policy is designed to regionalize and dispatch critical patients. The policy was designed in 2009 to improve the quality of emergency care for critical time-sensitive diseases (CTSDs). The CHEC policy primarily uses time-based quality surveillance indicators. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate the impact of Taiwan's CHEC policy on CTSDs. METHODS: Using Taiwan's 2005 Longitudinal Health Insurance Database, this nationwide retrospective cohort study examined the CHEC policy's impact from 2005 to 2011. Propensity score matching and difference-in-differences analysis within a generalized estimating equation framework were used to compare pre- and postimplementation periods. The study focused on acute ischemic stroke (AIS), ST-segment elevation myocardial infarction (STEMI), septic shock, and major trauma. AIS and STEMI cases, monitored with time-based indicators, were evaluated for adherence to diagnostic and treatment guidelines as process quality measures. Mortality and medical use served as outcome indicators. Major trauma, with evolving guidelines and no time-based monitoring, acted as a control to test for policy spotlight effects. RESULTS: In our cohort of 9923 patients, refined through 1:1 propensity score matching, 5566 (56.09%) were male and were mostly older adults. Our analysis revealed that the CHEC policy effectively improved system efficiency and patient outcomes, resulting in significant reductions in medical orders (-7.29 items, 95% CI -10.09 to -4.48; P