• Journal of Korean Clinical Nursing Research
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.435-446
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• 2012

Purpose: This study was conducted to compare three discharge criteria; 1) discharge criteria of S Hospital determined by nurses, 2) discharge readiness determined by patients, and 3) the Modified Post-Anesthetic Discharge Scoring System (MPADSS). The usefulness of MPADSS as a discharge criteria for the patients'safe return to home after ambulatory surgery was also evaluated. Methods: A total of 370 day surgery cases were investigated. The MPADSS was employed in every 30 min. in parallel with discharge readiness assessment by nurses and patients. The percentage of the patients who were categorized as being ready to discharge were compared according to three discharge criteria. Results: The percentage of patients scored to be as MPADSS > 9 in 30 min, 60 min, 90 min were 96.5%, 99.5%, 100%respectively. Whereas 11.1%, 44.3%, 71.1%of patients rated themselves as being ready to discharge and 2.7%, 23.5%, 54.3% of patients actually discharged by nurses according to discharge criteria of S Hospital. Conclusion: Nurses tend to keep patients longer in the hospital when compared to the patient's own assessment about their readiness to home and to that of MPADSS. Faster discharge in the evening than day time suggests patient discharge can be influenced by nursing factors. This brings out the importance of scoring system to determine the safe discharge. The MPADSS could be a useful tool in evaluating patients for safe discharge.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics Engineers of Korea SC
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.132-140
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• 2008

Conventional rectal catheters which are used for the measurement of abdominal pressure can cause erroneous result affecting detrusor pressure, and the catheter itself is not comfortable to the patients. To reduce these problems, we invented a new method for measuring abdominal pressure in non invasive manner using surface electromyography (EMG) signals of the rectus abdominis muscle. Our results showed that the correlation coefficient and root mean square error (RMSE) between the measured abdominal pressures by the conventional rectal catheters and the estimated values by our proposed algorithm were $0.79{\pm}0.06$ and $0.10{\pm}0.07$, respectively. These findings suggest that the surface EMG of rectus abdominis muscle might be used indirectly for more convenient measurement of abdominal pressure on ambulatory urodynamic study.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.150-156
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• 2004

Objectives : To investigate the utilization patterns of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) among the elderly with osteoarthritis (OA) undergoing primary ambulatory care in Busan metropolitan city, Korea. Methods : OA patients, aged 65 years and over, were identified from the Korean National Health Insurance Review Agency drug prescription database. The subjects had at least one episode of claim for OA (ICD-10-CM: M15-M19) between August 1, 2000 and February 28, 2002. Trends in the determinations of NSAIDs utilization were identified using chi-squared tests for trend. Results : There were 47,711 osteoarthritic patients. The total number of visits by these patients was 177,443, with a total frequency for NSAID prescriptions of 214,952. Seventy-nine percent of the OA patients were female. NSAIDs were prescribed on 133,284 visits (75.1%) and the proportion of prescriptions was significantly increased with age. Only the proportion of visit when NSAIDs were prescribed decreased, from 65.1 to 43.5%, during the study period (p<0.001). However, the proportion of combined treatments with anti-ulcer drugs was increased. The use of NSAIDs injections was decreased. Of the individual NSAIDs, diclofenac (28.7% of total frequency of NSAID prescriptions), piroxicam (15.0%) and talniflumate (8.7%), were the most frequently prescribed. Among the NSAIDs prescribed OA visits, 45.7% used two or more NSAIDs. Conclusion : The total proportion of NSAIDs prescribed to the osteoarthritic patients was higher than in other studies. The decline in the use of NSAIDs during the study period, and the frequent selection of safer medications, such as combination therapy with anti-ulcer drug, may reflect the risk awareness of the use of NSAIDs.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.397-404
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• 2003

The present study was designed to compare the nutritional status of hemodialysis (HD) and continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD) patients. Subjects were 58 HD patients (male/female = 29/29) and 33 CAPD patients (male/female = 23/10) undergoing dialysis treatment in Artificial Kidney Unit of Chonbuk National University Hospital. For nutritional assessment, %IBW (ideal body weight), %TSF (tricep skin fold), %MAC (mid arm circumference), %MAMC (mid arm muscle circumference), serum albumin, serum transferrin, TLC (total lymphocyte count), SGA (subjective global assessment) and estimated energy and protein intakes by 1-month food frequency method were used. Between HD and CAPD group, mean age (50 $\pm$ 12 vs. 52 $\pm$ 12 yr), dialysis durations (37 $\pm$ 36 vs. 30 $\pm$ 26 mon), dietary energy intakes (28.3 $\pm$ 9.0 vs. 28.8 $\pm$ 8.6 kcal/kg/day), dietary protein intakes (1.1 $\pm$ 0.4 vs. 1.2 $\pm$ 0.3 g/kg/day) and incidence of co-morbid conditions (69.0% vs. 69.7%) were not significantly different. Data by using SGA showed a higher incidence of malnutrition in CAPD patients (45.6%) than in HD patients (36.2%). %IBW (p < 0.001), %TSF (p < 0.001) and %MAC (p < 0.001) were higher in CAPD patients than were in HD patients. But serum albumin (p < 0.001) and transferrin (p < 0.001) were significantly lower in CAPD patients than were in HD patients. A higher incidence of malnutrition was shown in CAPD Patients than in HD Patients due to different dialysis type. A significant finding was that CAPD showed protein deficient malnutrition and HD did calorie deficient malnutrition. It suggests that an adequate dietary intake considering dialysis type prevents a prevalence of malnutrition.

• Quality Improvement in Health Care
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.176-189
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• 1998

This study was conducted to evaluate the subjective ideas about the determinants of quality in ambulatory care unit among outpatients and medical staff of a university hospital, and to compare the differences of the ideas, between patients themselves and hospital staff. A self-administered questionnaire survey was conducted covering 799 outpatients and 190 hospital staff in March, 1998. The questionnaire included general characteristics and 26 determinants of ambulatory care quality. The following are summaries of the findings: 1. Both of outpatients and hospital staff perceived, "Physician's knowledge" as the most important determinant of medical care quality. 2. In respect of 7 determinants related to physician's knowledge and skill, both outpatients and hospital staff perceived "physician's knowledge and skill" as important determinants. The scores of determinants such as, "Not doing unnecessary examinations", and "Assignment of adequate number of patients and duty schedule for the physician" were significantly different between outpatients and hospital staff. 3. In respect of 4 determinants related to doctor-patient relationship, both outpatients and hospital staff perceived "attention to patient's complaints" as the most important determinant. The scores related to the determinants such as "kindness of physician" and "explanation of treatment outcome" were significantly different between outpatients and hospital staff. 4. Among the amenities related determinants, "Modern facilities and equipments" were perceived as the most important determinant in both group. 5. In respect of 8 determinants related to non-financial accommodation, outpatients perceived, "Waiting hours for treatment" as the most important determinant, and hospital staff perceived, "Kindness of hospital staff". 6. In respect of 4 determinants related to financial accommodation, outpatients perceived, "Fare account of medical cost" as the most important determinant, and hospital staff perceived, "Increasing reimbursements". Further comprehensive research should be made on the evaluation of perceptions of medical care quality, both of outpatient and inpatient care, among patients and hospital staff. So good quality in medical care will be achieved based on clients' needs.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.370-373
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• 2017

Sacroiliac dislocation is the separation of the iliac wing from the pelvic bone and needs to be repaired by surgery. Corrective surgical methods include open reduction and minimally invasive techniques. In the present study, we used a minimally invasive surgical technique in seven dogs with sacroiliac dislocation. Five cases had unilateral sacroiliac joint luxation and two cases had bilateral sacroiliac joint luxation; all were referred to hospital after being hit by an automobile. All cases were treated with a fluoroscope-assisted, minimally invasive technique. Patients were evaluated by measuring surgery time, postoperative ambulatory time, and calculating pelvic canal diameter ratios. Surgery time was measured from initial incision to completion of skin closure. Mean surgery time was 30.6 minutes in unilateral sacroiliac joint luxation and 68 minutes in bilateral sacroiliac joint luxation. Mean preoperative pelvic canal diameter ratio was 1.22 (${\pm}0.27$), immediate postoperative pelvic canal diameter ratio was 1.26 (${\pm}0.10$), and at 2 weeks after surgery, the pelvic canal diameter ratio was 1.37 (${\pm}0.22$). All cases were ambulatory within 1 week and mean postoperative ambulatory time was 5 days. Based on the results, the use of a minimally invasive technique for correction of sacroiliac dislocation can decrease surgical time, lessen operative and postoperative burdens on patients, and provide owners with a good prognosis.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.4-11
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• 2016

Background: Hospital admissions for ambulatory care sensitive conditions (ACSCs), which are widely used as an indicator of poor access to primary care, can be used as an efficiency indicator of healthcare use in countries providing good access to health care. Korea, which has a national health insurance (NHI) system and a good supply of health care resources, is one such country. To quantify admission rates of ACSC and identify characteristics influencing variation in Korean health care institutions. Methods: By using NHI claims data, we computed the mean ACSC admission rate for all institutions with ACSC admissions. Results: The average ACSC admission rate for 4,461 institutions was 1.45%. Hospitals and clinics with inpatient beds showed larger variations in the ACSC admission rate (0%-87.9% and 0%-99.6%, respectively) and a higher coefficient of variation (7.96 and 2.29) than general/tertiary care hospitals (0%-19.1%, 0.85). The regression analysis results indicate that the ACSC admission rate was significantly higher for hospitals than for clinics (${\beta}=0.986$, p<0.05), and for private corporate institutions than public institutions (${\beta}=0.271$, p<0.05). Conclusion: Substantial variations in ACSC admission rates could suggest the potential problem of inefficient use of healthcare resources. Since hospitals and private corporate institutions tend to increase ACSC admission rates, future health policy should focus on these types of institutions.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.85-107
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• 2008

This study aims to describe levels and distribution of the continuity of primary care among children and adolescent patients who are 2-19 years old, and analyze the effects of it on the risk of hospitalization. Study population was 2-19 year old child and adolescent patients as of 2002, who had more than three ambulatory care visits in the years of 2002-3 and whose most frequent provider was the primary care practices (189,660 persons). Association of levels of primary care with the risk of hospitalization was evaluated using multiple event survival analysis. Outcome variables were whether the patient had hospitalized or not, and whether the patient had hospitalized due to ambulatory care-sensitive conditions or not. Multiple event survival analysis revealed statistically significant association of the levels of primary care with the risk of hospitalization. Hazard ratio was 1.34 [1.27-1.41] at the medium level of continuity and 1.47 [1.39-1.55] at the lower level where outcome variable was whether the patient had been hospitalized or not. Hazard ratios were 1.35 [1.21-1.50] at the medium level of continuity and 1.60 [1.44-1.78] at the lower level, where outcome variable was whether the patient been had hospitalized due to ambulatory care-sensitive conditions or not. This study produced some evidences on the benefits of continuity of care, which will in turn support the introduction of personal doctor registration program in the future.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.57 no.9
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• pp.403-409
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• 2014

Purpose: Although high morning blood pressure (BP) is known to be associated with the onset of cardiovascular events in adults, data on its effects in children with hypertension are limited. Our retrospective study aimed to define the clinical characteristics of children with morning hypertension (MH) and to determine its associated factors. Methods: We reviewed 31 consecutive patients with hypertension, confirmed by the ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM). We divided these patients into 2 groups: the MH group (n=21, 67.7%), morning BP above the 95th percentile for age and height (2 hours on average after waking up) and the normal morning BP group (n=10, 32.3%). We compared the clinical manifestations, laboratory results, and echocardiographic findings including left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) between the groups. Results: The early/atrial (E/A) mitral flow velocity ratio in the MH group was significantly lower than that in the normal morning BP group. In addition, LV mass was higher in the MH group than in the normal morning BP group, although the difference was not statistically significant. The age at the time of hypertension diagnosis was significantly higher in the MH group than in the normal morning BP group (P =0.003). The incidence of hyperuricemia was significantly higher in the MH group than in the normal morning BP group. Conclusion: Older patients and those with hyperuricemia are at higher risk for MH. The rise in BP in the morning is an important factor influencing the development of abnormal relaxation, as assessed by echocardiography. Clinical trials with longer follow-up periods and larger sample sizes are needed to clarify the clinical significance of MH.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.207-224
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• 2012

This study estimates the total health expenditure of ambulatory dental care and explores the factors related to disbursements. The study used two waves of a 2008 Korea Health Panel (KHP) survey, of which each wave is composed of 7866 households and 24,659 persons. The KHP includes missing expanses of reimbursement data of the National Health Insurance (NHI), such as out-of-pocket, drugs, and private health insurance. The study estimates total monthly ambulatory dental expenditure and the sub-special categories of dental care. For influential factors analyses, the study exploits log-linear model with age, gender, education, job, equivalence income, the status of chronic diseases, means-tested benefit recipients, private insurance, and the composite deprivation index as independent variables. The total monthly outpatient health spending is estimated to be 102,468 won per household, and for dental, each household spends 31,115 won per month. Older age, means-test recipients, non-regular workers are more likely to spend less money on dental care, whereas private insurers, high income, and those who live in less deprived areas are more likely to spend more money for dental services. From the study we found that the KHP data are more suitable to estimate the total amount of health care markets, especially when the NHI coverage is low, such as for dental care in Korea.