• The Korean Journal of Health Service Management
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.131-144
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• 2015

Objectives : This study investigated the health care utilization patterns and length of stay (LOS) determinants of fracture patients with workers' compensation insurance (WCI) and national health insurance (NHI). Methods : The discharge summary data of 4,394 WCI fracture patients were compared to 28,874 NHI patients. Health care utilization characteristics were compared with a logistic regression analysis, and the LOS determinants were identified with linear regression analysis. Results : The average LOS of the WCI fracture patients was 2.4 times higher than that of the NHI patients. WCI patients used more small or medium sized hospitals, and were more frequently admitted through the emergency room. Females, older patients and patients admitted through emergency room had a significant positive impact on LOS. Conclusions : Healthcare utilization by the WCI fracture patients may include medically unnecessary hospital stays. Therefore, policy makers need to respond appropriately to the inefficient use of health resources by WCI patients.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.185-206
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• 2008

The National Health Insurance (NHI) has been the main body of health care system in Korea for the last 30 years since the NHI was founded. However, the inefficient management and strong regulations of the NHI have hindered the development of health care industry. The establishment of the MB government, whose interest lies on economic growth rather than equity, is expected to help the health care services gain a momentum. The essential measures that can step up public health care services overall are the following: the introduction of competition within NHI, the activation of private health care insurance, and the allowance of for-profit hospital. The private-public mix with market mechanism would level up the health care service for the public.

• Quality Improvement in Health Care
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.5-20
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• 2011

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.285-301
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• 2010

Purpose: The study was aimed at qualitatively enhancing and promoting a home visiting nursing program established in Korea on July 1, 2008, as part of the Long-Term Care Insurance for the Elderly program. Methods: Structural, procedural and consequential aspects of home visiting nursing care wereclassified on the horizontal axis by applying the standard notions for the evaluation of medical care (Donabedian, 1998). At the same time, the home visiting nursing care service support system and the service provision system weredivided on the vertical axis with reference to the accreditation standards for home visiting nursing care organizations suggested by the Joint Commission on the Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO, 2008). The data were collected from June 4, 2008 to October 27, 2008, and were analyzed using SPSS ver. 15.0. Results: Twenty-two (proposed) standards, centered on the standard elements under the conceptual framework of the study, were developed, and comprised structural aspects (n=10), procedural aspects (n=6) and consequential aspects (n=6). Those criteria and indicators underwent two content validity surveys among groups of home visiting nursing care research and training experts. The research produced 22 proposed standards, 50 proposed criteria and 166 proposed indicators. Conclusion: The home visiting nursing care standards developed pursuant to the Long-Term Care Insurance for the Elderly Act and the applicability of these standards need to be verified by home visiting nurses. These proposed standards should prove useful in developing an assessment tool to encourage the qualitative enhancement of visiting nursing care in Korea.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.45 no.5
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• pp.742-751
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• 2015

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the current status of home care nursing services provided by community health nurses and to identify barriers to the services. Methods: A cross-sectional survey was conducted with three types of community health care nurses. Participants were 257 nurses, 46 of whom were hospital based home care nurses, 176 were community based visiting nurses, and 35 were long term care insurance based visiting nurses. A structured questionnaire on 7 domains of home care nursing services with a 4-point Likert scale was used to measure activities and barriers to care. Data were analyzed using SPSS WIN 21.0 program. Results: Hospital based home care nurses showed a high level of service performance activity in the domain of clinical laboratory tests, medications and injections, therapeutic nursing, and education. Community based visiting nurses had a high level of service performance in the reference domain. Long term care insurance based visiting nurses showed a high level of performance in the service domains of fundamental nursing and counseling. Conclusion: The results show that although health care service provided by the three types of community health nurse overlapped, the focus of the service is differentiated. Therefore, these results suggest that existing home care services will need to be utilized efficiently in the development of a new nursing care service for patients living in the community after hospital discharge.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.49-61
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• 2009

Background: The appropriate management of diabetes mellitus(DM) can help reduce its relapse and economic burden, but the level of management of DM in Korea is reported to be insufficient. This study aims to identify the management level of DM by figuring out the HbA1c examination performance rate of the diabetics and analyzing the variation according to the characteristic of a diabetic. Methods: This study used the Korean National Health Insurance Database which includes E10-14(ICD-10 code) as a primary or secondary disease as of 2006. Study population is 1,892,062 diabetics excluding 393,784 patients with the first attack of DM in 2006, 33,440 diabetics who died in 2006, and 21,299 patients with DM having no record of ambulatory care among the 2,340,585 DM patients in total. Results: The HbA1c examination performance rate of all DM patients in our country is estimated to be 41.5% as of 2006 and shows variation according to the characteristic of individual DM patients. The highest performance odds was shown by the patients who were below 19 of age, insured for health insurance, attended more than 3 ambulatory care providers, made ambulatory care visits more than 10 times annually, attended a specialized general hospital as their main attending medical institution, had a record of hospitalization or had co-morbidity. Conclusion: This study propose that is necessary to make politic preparations for the appropriate management of diabetes at a national level, and particularly, the patients with advanced age, the ones dependent on Medical Aid, and the ones using hospitals or clinics, whose appropriate management seems vulnerable, demand a careful management.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.80-89
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• 2022

Purpose: In Japan, the long-term care insurance and health insurance acts have stipulated the visiting rehabilitation system to provide support at the national level. The prior case of Japan would provide guidelines for seeking a suitable policy direction in South Korea. This study aims to examine the historical transition process of the visiting rehabilitation system in Japan, and the issues that emerged in the process of the institutionalization of this system. Methods: To examine the historical transition process of the system, the regulations announced by the government and their reports were reviewed. The relevant issues were qualitatively analyzed based on the opinions of scholars, therapists, and interested organizations that were reported in published papers on the topic. Result: The visiting rehabilitation system has been implemented in the following chronological order: The Health and Medical Service Act for the aged (1982-2006), the Health Insurance Act (1988-), and the Long-term Care Insurance Act (2000-). Currently, visiting rehabilitation is provided through hospitals, clinics, visiting nursing stations, etc. The following issues came to the fore in the process of the institutionalization of the system: (1) the complexity of the system, (2) the necessity of changing perceptions into a life model approach, (3) insufficient service provision by therapists, (4) the lack of human resources and an education system, (5) the lack of awareness of care managers and doctors about visiting rehabilitation, and (6) the necessity of quality enhancement through a team approach. Conclusion: It is deemed worthwhile to refer to the visiting rehabilitation system in Japan and the issues that emerged in the process of institutionalizing the system while seeking a policy direction for a similar system in South Korea.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.8 no.11
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• pp.193-201
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• 2017

The purpose of this study was to be identified the perception toward long-term care insurance system among seniors in health and welfare colleges. The questionnaire was distributed to 207 students in a local area. Data were analyzed by SPSS 22.0ver. The subjects' interest and knowledge level an long-term care insurance system was low, but the attitude was positive. Knowledge levels and attitudes related to lang - term care insurance system were found to differ according to elderly institutional service experience. In conclusion, it will be necessary to develop curriculum and active program of volunteer activities to improve the awareness and interest of lang-term care insurance system in health and welfare colleges.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.147-158
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• 2006

The purpose of this paper is to review the empirical study results of conversion factors(unit prices) for relative values of health care services in the national health insurance system and establish optimal classification of health care institutions for feasible contract of conversion factors between National Health Insurance Corporation(NHIC) and provider groups, based on legal backgrounds and types of health care service delivery system. some empirical research evidences shows the validity of applying multiple conversion factors to annual contract for reimbursement in the national health insurance. Policy recommendations suggest that clinic, hospital, general hospital, tertiary hospital, dental clinic, oriental medical clinic, pharmacy, and public health centers would be a basic category of provider groups for a meaningful price contract between the NHIC and providers.

• Journal of Korean Academic Society of Home Health Care Nursing
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.98-105
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• 2007

Home health care system in Korea has been classified into three types of home care programs based on different laws and regulations; for example, home health care nursing(HHCN) is based on medical laws, visiting health care nursing (VHCN) is based on long-term health care insurance, and visiting health care(VHC) is based on the regional health care act. HHCN in Korea has taken on an important role under the mandate of the national health care system since 2000. VHCN will commence its role under the long term health care insurance system in 2008. The strengthening of VHC commanded health promotion and prevention for vulnerable families in the community in 2007. This is an important turning point for increasing quality management for home health care program; it suggests certain possibilities for building a foundation for further changes in the service delivery structure. Accordingly, the home health care policy makers in Korea have a major function and role that consists of developing an agenda and alternatives for policy making in a systematic manner and clearly presenting implementation strategies for elderly health care system.