A Study on the Competitive Strategy of Dialysis Clinics

• Main Authors: Sophie Lee, 李素慧
• Other Authors: Tang, Ming-Je
• Format: Others
• Language: zh-TW
• Published: 2003
• Online Access: http://ndltd.ncl.edu.tw/handle/91824964024476838656

碩士 === 國立臺灣大學 === 國際企業學研究所 === 91 === Dialysis therapy is an important treatment for end-stage renal disease. The number of dialysis patient is around 36,000 in Taiwan and its prevalence rate is only second to Japan in the world. However, the treatment of dialysis patients costs substantial amount of money, which is around NT＄20 billion (6.18﹪of total National Health Insurance medical reimbursement). Due to the budget deficiency of National Health Insurance, the global budget system has been implemented in 2001, which will significantly squeeze the reimbursement for dialysis therapy by local nephrologists. In addition, the new budget system has changed the competitive dynamics in dialysis industry, which further challenges local dialysis clinics. To provide strategic recommendation for local dialysis clinics, this thesis firstly undertook a structural analysis on the dialysis industry in Taiwan followed by a business analysis by utilizing the framework of value net and game theory to evaluate proper competitive strategies of dialysis clinics. Major findings of our research include: (1) Implementation of global budget system reduces the reimbursement for dialysis therapy and squeezes the profits of equipment providers. Coping with uncertainty, equipment providers undertook vertical integration by acquiring dialysis centers, which in turn changes the industry landscape; (2) High entry and exit barriers in dialysis industry induce the horizontal acquisition and alliance with other clinics; (3) The implementation of global budget system and the formation of provider-owned chain stores result in alliance among physicians, pooling dialysis equipment procurement and realizing flexible manpower transfer; (4) Utilize knowledge management to create new market, develop differentiation products, transform the dialysis clinic to universal and comprehensive health care center in order to increase revenue sources; (5) Enforce alliances with hospitals and clinics, modernize IT system, implement referring system. Sharing medical records and laboratory data could help overcoming prisoner dilemma situation and improve cost benefit. Implications of this study results and suggestions to policy makers are discussed.