Current Status of Sialoscintigraphy in Taiwan by Analyzing the Systematic Sampling Cohort Database of Bureau of National Health Insurance from 1997 to 2008

摘要

Background: The increasing demand for the medical care of nuclear medicine, including the sialoscintigraphy, after the execution of the National Health Insurance (NHI) program in Taiwan has been founded. The sialoscintigraphy plays an important role to early diagnose and monitor the progress of the Sjogren's syndrome. The aim is to investigate the current status of sialoscintigraphy by analyzing the systemic sampling cohort database of 500,000 insureds in Taiwan.Methods: This study used the Longitudinal NHI Database, including registration files and original claims data for reimbursement for 500,000 enrollees (LHID2005) from 1997 to 2008. The demographic characteristics of sialoscintigraphy, physician specialty, cause of disease, district hospitals, hospital ownership, and hospital characteristics were carried out to explore the current status of sialoscintigraphy in Taiwan.Results: At the frequency of the sialoscintigraphy, the prevalence of outpatients is larger than that of inpatients. As for the age and the gender, the top one is the woman with 40-59 years old. The physician specialty reported more frequently as the section of rheumatology in department of internal medicine, followed by the radiation oncology. The diseases of outpatients reported more frequently as the Sjogren's syndrome, followed by the malignant neoplasm of nasopharynx, unspecified. The diseases of inpatients reported more frequently as the Sjogren's syndrome, followed by the systemic lupus erythematosus. The ownership of the hospital reported more frequently as foundation hospitals of in inpatients and veterans hospitals of outpatients. The Taipei branch of the NHI bureau is the top one of the frequency of the sialoscintigraphy. Among the hospital characteristics, the medical center is the top one.Discussion and conclusion: Sialoscintigraphy was performed more frequently at the medical centers, followed by district hospitals, at least the regional hospitals. Most hospitals with the department of nuclear medicine are situated in the urbanized areas. It is worth to set up the department of nuclear medicine at the non-urban regional hospitals, and to provide the sialosicintigraphy in patients with suspected salivary gland disease to get accurate diagnosis and the favoable therapy.