Background : This study was conducted to investigate the current situation of medical supply purchasing and stock management at general hospitals having more than 150 beds in Korea and to find methods of effective purchasing and optimal stock management. Methods : Survey was done from staff at the purchasing departments of 229 general hospitals throughout Korea. Data collection was done using a structured questionnaire between January 3 to March 15, 2001. The survey form was returned from 88 hospitals (rate of return: 38.4%). Results : Firstly, 13.6% of the hospitals did not carry the optimal stock of medical supplies, the lead time optimal stock was 3 weeks or longer in 64.4% of the hospitals. Secondly, since 69.8% of the hospitals showed passive attitude toward training on purchasing management and stock management techniques. Thirdly, as for the question on the presence or absence of a deliberation committee for purchasing of new medical supplies, 60% of the hospitals with less than 300 beds did not have one, and 9.4% of the hospitals opened the deliberation committee less than twice a year. Conclusion : At the time of purchasing new medical supplies, purchasing should be done according to the decision by the deliberation committee so that no deduction is made at the time of claiming insurance, and by setting a certain period of time, purchasing of those medical supplies that were not purchased during this period needs to be done according to the decision by the deliberation committee.

Background : We developed a model for predicting premature discharge and identifying related factors. Methods : Prediction model was developed by data mining techniques. Basic data were collected from the total discharge data base of a university hospital in Chungnam Province during the period from July 1, 1999 to June 30, 2000. Results : 1. Among 22,873 patients, the number of patients discharged with usual discharge orders were 21,695 or 94.8%. The number of the prematurely discharged patients were 1,178 or 5.2%. 2. The primary reason for unusual discharge was transfer to other hospital. Move to a local hospital closer to their home and burdensome medical expenses were main reasons. 3. Predictability of each model was tested using the top 10 percent of patients with the highest probabilities of premature discharge. The neural network model was chosen as the most appropriate model for predicting prematurely discharged patients. 4. Ten percent of the total number of patients had been selected randomly to test the effectiveness of the neural network model. We have chosen the threshold of the neural network model as 0.7. The number of patients who were expected to discharge prematurely was 312. Among them, 241 had been discharged prematurely (77.2%). Conclusion : Of the several data mining techniques used, the neural network model was the most effective, It can be used to identify and manage the patients who are expected to discharge prematurely.

Background : The purpose for this study is to develop a critical pathway of bullectomy for spontaneous pneumothorax patients. Methods : For this study a conceptual framework of critical pathway was developed through a review of the literature including five critical pathways which are currently being used in USA, and opinions of the critical pathway development team members at Y university hospital. In order to identify the service contents required by these patients and to draw up a preliminary critical pathway, 33 cases of medical records of patients who had received bullectomy for spontaneous pneumothorax between September, 2000 to August, 2001 at the Respiratory Center of Y university hospital in Seoul was analyzed. Results : In order to test the clinical validity of the preliminary critical pathway, it was applied to ten patients who had received bullectomy for spontaneous pneumothorax from October, 2001 to December, 2001. The average discharge day was 4.89th post operation day, six patients discharged on the fourth post operation day which was the expected day, one patients discharged one day earlier than the expected day, one patient discharged three days later than the expected day, and one patient discharged six days later than the expected day. There were variances between the critical pathway and the actual practice. The variances came from tests, medications, and treatments. One item that showed variance in clinical applications was complemented, and three items were decided not to be corrected for the final determination of the critical pathway. Conclusion : This critical pathway is applicable to the care of patients with bullectomy for spontaneous pneumothorax, but it needs more clinical applications to grasp varied variances.

Background : Coding of principal diagnosis is essential component for producing reliable health statistics. We performed this study to evaluate the current practice of principal diagnoses determination and coding, and to give some basic data to improve coding of principal diagnosis. Method : Nineteen medical record administrators (MRAs) of 3 university hospitals participated in coding principal Dx. from August 1, 2001 to August 31, 2001. From each hospital, 10 medical records of patients with high frequency disease were selected randomly. Each 10 medical records were grouped into three (A. B, C). Then, these 30 medical records were given to each MRAs for coding. At the same time questionnaire was given to each of them. Questions were to prove how they decide and code the principal diagnosis among many current diagnoses; how they decide and code the principal diagnosis when they see irrelevant diagnosis recorded as the principal diagnosis in medical record, when only tentative diagnoses were recorded without final diagnosis, and when different diagnoses were recorded in different sheets of same record. Agreement of coding among 3 hospitals were compared and survey results were analysed with SAS 6.12. Results : Agreement of coding was found in medical records 5-6 of each 10 medical records. Causes of disagreement were as follows. Difference of clinician's opinion from each hospital; mixed use of guideline from KCD-3 and guideline from DRG; difference in 4th digit classification according to the absence of pathology report in the medical record; difference of abbreviations among hospitals. 57.9% of MRAs selected the principal diagnosis recorded by physician, 42.1% of MRAs decided principal diagnosis after consulting to KCD-3 guideline. When there were difficulties in determining the principal diagnosis, 42.1% of MRAs decided principal diagnosis after discussion with the physician, 26.3% after discussion with fellow MRAs. Conclusion : There were differences in codings among hospitals. To minimize the difference, we suggest the development of disease-specific guidelines for coding in addition to the current general guideline such as KCD-3. To do this, Coding Clinic which can produce guidelines is needed.

The current health care system demands provisions for patient care in perspectives of a cost-effectiveness and patient satisfaction. Critical pathway implementation facilitates optimal sequencing and intervention timing of patient care, and makes medical team and patients participate in a treatment actively. In this study, a critical pathway was developed and implemented to patients with osmidrosis who undertake operation. Sixty patients were included in the study. The critical pathway was implemented for care of 26 patients while the traditional care was implemented for 34 patients. In the critical pathway implemented group, time needed for charting and unessential working was reduced. Mean time amount of time for patient nursing was increased. The critical pathway implementation is an effective method to utilize time of medical team. Also it increases the satisfaction index of patients and medical team simultaneously.

Background : The purpose of this study was to investigate the incidence of unplanned endotracheal extubation and to identify the influencing factor of unplanned extubation in ICUs for providing baseline data in developing prevention strategies and administrative standards. the medical records and hospital information system. In order to analyze factors related to unplanned extubation, the subjects of this study were divided by unplanned extubation group and planned extubation group and were matched by its sex, age, and disease groups in a ratio of one to two. The data were analyzed by descriptive statistics, ${\chi}^2$- test, t-test, Fisher's exact test, and logistic regression analysis with SPSSWIN 10.0 program. Result : 1) Forty-seven(4.99%) of 942 intubated patients experienced unplanned extubation 65 times during the twelve-month period. Thirtyfour( 72.34%) of 47 unplanned extubated patients required reintubation, whereas thirteen patients(27.66%) did not. 2) About half of unplanned extubation(46.8%) occurred during the night shift. 3) As for the nursing activity, respiratory nursing activity score(P=.0.06) and total nursing activity score(P=.011) showed statistically significant differences between unplanned extubation group and planned extubation group. 4) As for the patient status, unplanned extubation group showed more lower consciousness level(P=.000), more irritable or agitated behavior(P=.000), and had more applied physical restraints(P=.000) than planned extubation group. 5) As for the intubation related variables, unplanned extubation group revealed more intubated with respiratory failure(P=.000), more dependent on mechanical ventilation(P=.015) than planned extubation group. 6) Factors affecting unplanned extubations in intensive care unit patients were irritable or agitated behavior(odds ratio=13.757), night shift(odds ratio=7.166), and mechanical ventilation(odds ratio=6.257) from conditional logistic regression analysis. Conclusion : The most affecting factor of unplanned extubation was agitated or irritable behavior. Therefore the results of this study could be helpful to ICU nurses for meticulous care, decision making, timely intervention, and development of intervention strategies for preventing unplanned extubation.

Background : This study was attempted to provide us with basic data on how to environmental improvement with patients for examination, and to offer them better treatment. This study was performed to compare the patients, perception between before and after improvement in the diagnostic radiography room. Methods : The data was collected by interviewing 75 patients who underwent the radiography under the diagnostic radiology at Seoul National University Hospital in Korea. The interview ran from August 9 to October 18, 1999. Data were analyzed by percentage and paired t-test. SD(Semantic Differential) method was composed of adjective 13 words. Results : Patients were attending the elementary schools in the Seoul residents. There was no significant difference in kindness unkindness dimension and were significant differences in other dimensions. The mean score of response level to present room was 3.67 and that of improvement room was 2.16. Conclusions : The results of this study suggest a radiography room plan which is considering emotional aspect of children.