Investigating Level and Reasons of Insurance Deductions of Hospitalization Bills in AL Zahra Academic and Medical Center of Isfahan in 2017

Background: Insurances are the most important financial sources of hospitals but sometimes insurance companies deduct amounts as deductions from the sum of requested amounts after investigating financial documents sent to hospitals monthly. The current study aims at determining the level and reasons for insurance bill deductions in AL Zahra Hospital in Isfahan. Methods: This applied study is descriptive-cross sectional in method and has been conducted retrospectively. The statistical population of this study contained file information of hospitalized patients who have been referred to Isfahan AL Zahra Hospital in 2016. The sample size determined by Cochran Formula and 400 files has been investigated. Random sampling employed. The information has been extracted from patients through a checklist whose reliability and validity has been confirmed by insurance experts and management specialists. Qualitative methods of interview used to identify the most important reasons for increasing the deduction sums and statistical indices and descriptive scales (frequency, percent etc) have been analyzed.  Results: The most and the least percent of insurance deductions are related to Armed Forces Insurance (36.8 %) and Social Security Insurance Organization (3.64 %) respectively. Also, the most deductions of hospitalized files were related to visiting deductions of hospitalized patients’ doctor and drug and consumables deduction, other services, surgeon and anesthetist commission, experiments and pathology, radiology and sonography are in next rates and the least deductions is related to doctors 2k visit cost, hoteling, and surgery room.  Conclusion: According to high percent of insurance deductions and investigation of its reasons, it has been revealed that hospitalized files related to visit by resident year 1 and 2 and absence of resident physician in center and the academic status of hospital that managers have to clarify this issue and use residents year 3 and 4, attending and resident physicians to reduce difference between hospitals and insurance companies and consider documentation as one of main elements of their agenda. So training all individuals who are influential on patients’ bills such as doctors and nurses is essential.