• Journal of Communications and Networks
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.323-329
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• 2006

For orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM), the discrete Fourier transform (DFT)-based processing at the receiver has been perceived equivalent to the matched filter (MF)-based processing. In this paper, we revisit the equivalence and mathematically show that when the guard interval is insufficient, the well-known DFT-based processing inherently causes more intersymbol and interchannel interference (ISI/ICI) than the MF-based processing. Then, with the adverse increase of interference, analytical expressions for the link performance are derived in terms of bit error rate (BER). Numerical results from computer simulation and analysis are presented to justify our claims.

• International conference on construction engineering and project management
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• 2015.10a
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• pp.263-267
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• 2015

Stakeholders of a construction project expect cost savings through fast and accurate cost analysis by performing BIM-based quantity take-off (BQT). However, authors have observed that there can be discrepancies in the results of BQT depending on the level of development (LOD) and modeling methods. In addition, since quantity take-off methods are different depending on the construction work items, the combination of LOD, modeling methods of BIM, features of construction work items can cause serious overestimate or underestimate in BQT results. It is necessary to identify what kind of problems can happen and how those problems can be avoided in various construction work items, since the discrepancy of quantity take-off results has great impact on not only cost analysis but also the determination of contract amount and it can cause claims, poor construction quality, cost overruns, and many others later in the construction project. Therefore, this paper focuses the identification of issues and problems of BQT at each construction work item level based on two categorizations of structural works and interior works.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.120-127
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• 2014

Background: Since December 2010, online computerized prospective drug utilization review (pDUR) has been implemented in Korea. pDUR involves the review of each prescription before the medication is dispensed to the individual patient. The pDUR is performed electronically by Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service (HIRA), which is a Korean governmental agency, and then HIRA provides medical institutions and pharmacies with information that can be helpful to them in preventing potential drug problems such as drug/drug interactions or ingredient duplication. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of the Korean pDUR implementation on the proportion of drug-drug interactions (DDIs) using claims data from HIRA. Methods: A before-after comparison of the prevalence of DDIs between prescription was conducted, using HIRA administrative claims data of medical institution from January 2010 to December 2011. The analysis unit was the prescription issued and pairs before and after. The main outcome measures were the proportion of DDIs within- (control group) or between- physician encounters. To examine the difference, a paired t-test was applied. Results: We found that DDIs proportion between prescription decreased significantly (t=3.04, p=0.0026) after the implementation of pDUR, whereas there is no significant reduction within prescription (t=1.15, p=0.2518). With respect to the prevalence of DDIs between drug groups, the most dramatic reduction was occurred between 3-hydroxy-3-methylglutaryl coenzyme A reductase inhibitors and anti-fungal agents. Conclusion: It seems effective that giving a direct feedback to prescribers by a prospective DUR. Further research is needed to assess the impact of DUR to final outcomes such as hospitalization.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.50 no.3
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• pp.333-348
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• 2020

Purpose: The present study investigated the association between nurse staffing and health outcomes among psychiatric inpatients in Korea by assessing National Health Insurance claims data. Methods: The dataset included 70,136 patients aged 19 years who were inpatients in psychiatric wards for at least two days in 2016 and treated for mental and behavioral disorders due to use of alcohol; schizophrenia, schizotypal and delusional disorders; and mood disorders across 453 hospitals. Nurse staffing levels were measured in three ways: registered nurse-to-inpatient ratio, registered nurse-to-adjusted inpatient ratio, and nursing staff-to-adjusted inpatient ratio. Patient outcomes included length of stay, readmission within 30 days, psychiatric emergency treatment, use of injected psycholeptics for chemical restraint, and hypnotics use. Relationships between nurse staffing levels and patient outcomes were analyzed considering both patient and system characteristics using multilevel modeling. Results: Multilevel analyses revealed that more inpatients per registered nurse, adjusted inpatients per registered nurse, and adjusted inpatients per nursing staff were associated with longer lengths of stay as well as a higher risk of readmission. More adjusted inpatients per registered nurse and adjusted inpatients per nursing staff were also associated with increased hypnotics use but a lower risk of psychiatric emergency treatment. Nurse staffing levels were not significantly associated with the use of injected psycholeptics for chemical restraint. Conclusion: Lower nurse staffing levels are associated with negative health outcomes of psychiatric inpatients. Policies for improving nurse staffing toward an optimal level should be enacted to facilitate better outcomes for psychiatric inpatients in Korea.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.280-285
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• 2015

Objectives: To suggest direction for improving policies by understanding current management of narcotics or psychotropic drugs and analyzing their distributions and usage. Method: We conducted a comparison analysis between health insurance claims and the amount supplied to health care institutions for narcotics or psychotropic drugs through health insurance claims data and drug distribution supply data from 2010 to 2012 collected from Korea Pharmaceutical Information Service Center (KPIS). Furthermore, we carried out literature investigation and online search to comprehend the current management of narcotics drugs in Korea. Results: The amount supplied to medical institutions for all drugs in 2012 was 19.4 trillion won, which increased from 19.5 trillion in 2011 by 0.54%. For narcotic drugs, the amount supplied was 318.4 billion won in 2011 and increased to 335.1 billion won by 5.3% in 2012, which exceeded the rate of increase for the amount supplied for all drugs. The proportion of amount claimed in the total amount supplied to medical institutions for all drugs was 60.5% in 2012, whereas the proportion of amount claimed for narcotic drugs was 55.6%, which showed that narcotic drugs were used relatively less within health insurance. Furthermore, management of the current domestic distribution supply data focuses on manufacturing and medical institution supply stages. Conclusion: Hereafter, the management of narcotics or psychotropic drugs needs to be improved by reinforcing active monitoring in optimal prescription and usage in patients by collecting and analyzing information on drug usage of patients.

• Strategy21
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• s.39
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• pp.47-81
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• 2016

This paper has attempted to examine the political and operational contexts within which North Korea's latest acts of nuclear blackmail, its test-firing of an SLBM on April 23rd 2016 and its fourth nuclear test on January 6^th 2016, should be understood. Analysis of the KN-11 SLBM and the Sinpo-class SSB is based on official South Korean, US and others sources, especially the ROK MND, as well as other resources from South Korea, US and others. Unfortunately, the results of this exploration are inconclusive: there is simply not enough evidence available at present to either confirm or refute the existence of a functional North Korean SLBM and SSB. Nevertheless, the North Korean determination to possess such assets should not be taken lightly. But even accepting North Korea's claims about its SLBMs at face value, which is undermined by news of apparently unsuccessful follow-up test-firings in November, and probably December 2015, there is little proof that North Korea has yet succeeded in miniaturizing its nuclear warhead, so the most extravagant fears are not yet justified. Taken together with North Korea's latest announcement of a supposed successful SLBM ejection-test, on March 23^th 2016, the KN-11 SLBM claims should probably be seen as primarily about proving North Korea's status as a nuclear power, both to exert external political pressure and to bolster internal political support for Kim Jong-un's rule. In conclusion, this paper recommends formulating a preemptive anti-access strategy for the ROKN, proposes acquiring an ASW CV and SSNs to implement submarine strategic deterrent patrols, and urges extending the existing limited AORs to facilitate the preemptive anti-access strategy. Other deterrence options may be suggested, but it is surely significant that the ROKN has recently publically referred to the deployment of an ASW CV and SSNs for the first time.

• Quality Improvement in Health Care
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.123-133
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• 2009

Background : The principal diagnosis has been used in many different fields such as hospital statistics, medical research, insurance claim, national health statistics and so on. Some principal diagnoses have a relatively low level of reliability in the medium-sized hospitals. The purpose of this study is to identify the reliability level of principal diagnoses and to suggest ways to improve reliability of the principal diagnosis. Method : Data were collected from a medium-sized hospital located in Pusan. The discharge summaries on 323 patients who were discharged in January, 2008 and the outpatient summaries on 251 patients who visited the hospital on March 28, 2008 were collected, and descriptive analysis was performed using SPSS version 12.0K. Result : The findings are the followings: (1) the diagnostic consistency rate between medical records and doctors' was 92.0%; (2) the diagnostic consistency rate between medical records and insurance claims was 86.1%; (3) the diagnostic consistency rate between doctors' diagnoses and insurance claims was 80.2%. The evidence seems to indicate that some principal diagnoses have reliability problems in the medium-sized hospitals. Conclusion : The results of this study suggest the followings: (1) employees should be trained and supervision of hospital activities are needed; (2) network systems should be constructed for each department; (3) professions need to be fostered (4) doctors' awareness of medical records should be changed.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.245-253
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• 2016

Objective: This study was conducted to evaluate payer-driven medication adherence intervention program from the patient's and counselor's perspectives. Methods: Target patients for intervention were selected by retrospective adherence measures based on national health insurance claims data for hypertension, diabetes and hyperlipidemia. As a serial intervention for higher risk groups of medication non-adherence, initial direct mailing, the first direct telephone call and the second direct call or a home visit were followed. Interview approach to qualitative inquiry was used to evaluate intervention results. Results: Participants including 4 patients received telephone calls, and 4 National Health Insurance Service staff and 4 pharmacists participated as counselors were interviewed regarding their impression of the intervention program. Three major themes arose: overall perception; necessities; and suggestions for success, of the intervention. Despite short period of intervention, educational intervention by telephone counseling involving pharmacists shows potential to improve self-management of chronic disease, and pharmacist-involvement. But more sophisticated selection of target patients requiring the intervention and complementation of electronic database system would be necessary. In addition, personal disposition of counselor was revealed to be an important factor for achieving successful outcome of intervention. Conclusion: The findings suggest that the individualized counseling intervention would be an efficient option for improved medication adherence. Further researches should include longer periods of interventions, a quantitative analysis using adherence measures based on claims data and consideration of clinical benefits associated with the intervention.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.73-80
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• 2020

Objective: The Australian Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) is a national drug subsidy program. Given the similarity and comprehensiveness of the Australian PBS and the Korean National Health Insurance (NHI) data, these data are increasingly used for pharmacoepidemiological investigations, as well as international comparative studies. This study aims to introduce the various sources of publicly available PBS data and provide a practical guide to researchers conducting drug utilization studies. Methods: We searched literature and websites to detail and compare the collection, structure, components, and characteristics of each PBS data format. We identified different characteristics of the PBS data from the Korean NHI claims data which are mainly owing to their unique co-payment policies and data collection processes. In addition, the utilization and expenditure of atorvastatin, a widely used treatment for hyperlipidemia, were analyzed using two different sources of PBS data and the different results were interpreted. Results: There exist differences in when data were collected or non-subsidized uses of medicine were included among sources of PBS data. Additionally, two countries have different cost sharing methods inmedicine subsidy scheme; co-payment in Australia and co-insurance in Korea. Therefore, it should be noted that prescriptions under co-payment are not included in some data sources in Australia. Conclusion: Despite several analytical challenges, open access and easy data management are the strengths of the PBS data sources. A detailed knowledge of the PBS data can ensure robust methodology and interpretation of pharmacoepidemiological investigations or international comparative studies.

• Journal of Korean Elementary Science Education
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.441-450
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• 2010

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the level of elementary gifted students' argumentation and examine the special features of argumentation founded in scientific inquiry. 28 students were selected in the special education center for the gifted in K National University. They were organized 8 groups of 3~4 students and engaged in scientific inquiry activity. The researcher wasn't involved in students' inquiry activity and argumentation except for the guiding and introducing their activity. In the first session, each group carried out the experiment 'Putting a heated can in the water' and then, the students discussed to probe their experimental results and build their explanation. In the second session, each group presented their experiment results and evidence from their experiment justifying their claims, and had questions from other groups. The protocol data during 8 groups' argumentations were analyzed using 'Rubric for Scientific Argumentation Assessment' (Yang et al., 2009) in three domains- the form, content and attitude. As a result, in form domain, almost groups were rated 2 points due to their argument without rebuttal on the subcategory of 'composition', but they got a good grade above 3 points in subcategory such as 'claim', 'ground', and 'conclusion'. In content domain, almost groups got points above 3 points. In attitude domain, there were some striking contrast between each groups. Six groups got good score more than 4 points on the subcategory of openness, but two groups, they alleged and got score below 3 point. While the 6 groups of all got 4 points in the aspect of participation, 3 groups got 3 points lower than because they only just asserted and not interact with other groups. Throughout the argumentation, two features were found that; as time goes by, arguments were refined; Students tended to use their prior to knowledge rather than evidence such as experimental data in making claims and conclusions.