• Title/Summary/Keyword: Cost-benefit

Search Result 1,567, Processing Time 0.036 seconds

Quality Assurance of Multileaf Collimator Using Electronic Portal Imaging (전자포탈영상을 이용한 다엽시준기의 정도관리)

  • ;Jason W Sohn
    • Progress in Medical Physics
    • /
    • v.14 no.3
    • /
    • pp.151-160
    • /
    • 2003
  • The application of more complex radiotherapy techniques using multileaf collimation (MLC), such as 3D conformal radiation therapy and intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), has increased the significance of verifying leaf position and motion. Due to thier reliability and empirical robustness, quality assurance (QA) of MLC. However easy use and the ability to provide digital data of electronic portal imaging devices (EPIDs) have attracted attention to portal films as an alternatives to films for routine qualify assurance, despite concerns about their clinical feasibility, efficacy, and the cost to benefit ratio. In this study, we developed method for daily QA of MLC using electronic portal images (EPIs). EPID availability for routine QA was verified by comparing of the portal films, which were simultaneously obtained when radiation was delivered and known prescription input to MLC controller. Specially designed two-test patterns of dynamic MLC were applied for image acquisition. Quantitative off-line analysis using an edge detection algorithm enhanced the verification procedure as well as on-line qualitative visual assessment. In conclusion, the availability of EPI was enough for daily QA of MLC leaf position with the accuracy of portal films.

  • PDF

Studies for alternative material of media for Pleurotus eryngii (큰느타리버섯 배지재료의 다변화를 위한 연구)

  • Park, Jin-Young;Lee, Jae-Yun;Kim, Hyun-Tae;Kim, Sam-Soo;Kim, Sung-Yun;Kim, Mun-Ock;Lee, Jae-Dong
    • Journal of Mushroom
    • /
    • v.4 no.3
    • /
    • pp.88-100
    • /
    • 2006
  • This study was performed to investigate the effective components of media of Pleurotus eryngii for bottle cultivation and several alternative material for reducing cost and smooth supply. The results show that Potato starch, Cocoa shell, Corn gluten feed, Soybean flour(solvent extracted), Cottonseed hull, Poultry manure can be replaced in Bean curd dregs of basal substrates. Especially addition of Soybean flour at 2~8% and Poulty manure at 2% in place of Bean curd dregs is effective for mycelial growth of P. eryngii, Also Pine sawdust appears that can be replaced by Softwood sawdust and addition of softwood sawdust at 25.2% is most effective. Addition of $CaCO_3$, at 2~3%, $K_2CO_3$, at 0.2%, $MgSO_4{\cdot}7H_2O$ in 0.1%, $MnSO_4{\cdot}5H_2O$ in 0.05% is effective for mycelial growth of P. eryngii, Activation materials used in this study have not enough benefit for mycelial growth in the financial aspect.

  • PDF

A Study on the Efficient Management of Long-term Inpatient Flour in a General Hospital (한 종합병원의 장기입원환자 흐름의 효율적 관리에 관한 연구 - 장기입원환자정상 운용개선방안을 중심으로 -)

  • Kim, Chun-Bae;Chae, Young-Moon;Yu, Seung-Hum;O, Hee-Chul
    • Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
    • /
    • v.23 no.1 s.29
    • /
    • pp.11-21
    • /
    • 1990
  • This study refers to the problem of long-term inpatient flow in a general hospital. In this study, a queueing simulation model was developed for the two departments in the hospital with a homogeneous case mix and relatively many long-term inpatients in order to increase the turnover rate and hospital charges. Before the simulation n, the model was verified by the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test. The following results were generated by three alternative models of the special bed policies. 1. Alternative I : When long term inpatients were admitted to the wards belonging to departments A and B without transfer to other departments and special beds, the average turn-over rate decreased by 2-4% and the average hospital charges decreased by 70 million won. 2. Alternative II : When long-term inpatients were transferred to department C but the transfer of wards was determined by department C in order of clinical need, the average turnover rate increased by 4-13% but the average hospital charges decreased by 30 million won. This result was not greatly different from the present state. 3. Alternative III : When long-term inpatients were transferred to the special wards and department C simultaneously, the increase in the average turnover rate and hospital charges was equivalent to the increase of two beds in the special wards. When the special wards were allocated 16 beds, the average turnover rate of departments A and B increased by about 55% and 20% respectively. Also, the hospital charges increased by about 0.44 billion won. As a result, transfer to department C and the use of 16 beds in the special wards for long-term inpatients of departments A and B is expected to maximize the hospital revenue. However, as the above special bed policy can not increase the turnover rate above 60%, there is a need for a more comprehensive policy to further increase the rate. The development of an elaborate model should include the number of long-term inpatients in all clinical departments, the special wards system or an increase of hospital beds to handle admission needs, and the resources of the hospital by department. When the alternatives are evaluated, a cost-benefit analysis in addition to the turnover rate and the hospital charges should be considered.

  • PDF

A methodological study on simplifying claims review system in medical insurance (의료보험 진료비 심사 간소화에 대한 방법론적 연구)

  • Kim, Suk-Il;Kang, Hyung-Gon;Kim, Han-Joong;Chae, Young-Moon;Sohn, Myong-Sei;Lee, Myung-Keun
    • Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
    • /
    • v.28 no.3 s.51
    • /
    • pp.640-650
    • /
    • 1995
  • After the introduction of National Medical Insurance in 1989, the medical demand has rapidly increased. The impact of increased medical demand was followed by an increase in the number of claims in need of review. We studied a new, fair method for reducing the number of claims reviewed. We analysed 90,583 outpatient claims submitted between September and October; claims were made for services given August of 1994. We finally suggested a screening system for claims review using a statistical method of discriminant analysis of the medical costs. The results were as follows. 1. In the cut-off group, age, days of medication, number of hospital or clinic visits, and total charge were significantly high. The cut-off rates according to the hospital-type and existence of accompanied disease were significantly different 2. According to ICD, the cut-off rate was highest in peripheral enthesopathies and allied syndromes(20.76%), lowest in acute sinusitis(0.93%). The mean charges were significantly different according to ICD and existence of cut-off. 3. We build discriminant functions by ICD with such discriminant variables as patient age, sex, existence of accompanied disease, number of hospital or clinic visits, and 9 detailed hospital or clinic charges included in claim. 4. We applied the discriminant function for screening those claims that were expected to be cut-off. The sensitivities comprised from 40% to 70%, and specificities from 70% to 95% by ICD. Acute rhinitis had highest sensitivity(100.00%) and other local infections of skin and subcutaneous tissue had highest specificity(98.45%). The expected number of cut-off was 17,762(19.61%). The total sensitivity was 49.62%, the total specificity was 82.57% and the error rate was 19.66%. We lacked economic analysis such as cost-benefit analysis. But, if the new method of screening claims using discriminant analysis were applied, the number of claims in need of review will reduce considerably.

  • PDF

Efficiency Evaluation of Mobile Emission Reduction Countermeasures Using Data Envelopment Analysis Approach (자료포락분석(DEA) 기법을 활용한 도로이동오염원 저감대책의 효율성 분석)

  • Park, Kwan Hwee;Lee, Kyu Jin;Choi, Keechoo
    • Journal of Korean Society of Transportation
    • /
    • v.32 no.2
    • /
    • pp.93-105
    • /
    • 2014
  • This study evaluated the relative efficiency of mobile emission reduction countermeasures through a Data Envelopment Analysis (DEA) approach and determined the priority of countermeasures based on the efficiency. Ten countermeasures currently applied for reducing greenhouse gases and air pollution materials were selected to make a scenario for evaluation. The reduction volumes of four air pollution materials(CO, HC, NOX, PM) and three greenhouse gases($CO_2$, $CH_4$, $N_2O$) for the year 2027, which is the last target year, were calculated by utilizing both a travel demand forecasting model and variable composite emission factors with respect to future travel patterns. To estimate the relative effectiveness of reduction countermeasures, this study performed a super-efficiency analysis among the Data Envelopment Analysis models. It was found that expanding the participation in self car-free day program was the most superior reduction measurement with 1.879 efficiency points, followed by expansion of exclusive bus lanes and promotion of CNG hybrid bus diffusion. The results of this study do not represent the absolute data for prioritizing reduction countermeasures for mobile greenhouse gases and air pollution materials. However, in terms of presenting the direction for establishing reduction countermeasures, this study may contribute to policy selection for mobile emission reduction measures and the establishment of systematic mid- and long-term reduction measures.

Evaluation of Amending Materials to Reduce Soil Loss from Sloping Remediated Agricultural Land (급경사 복원 농경지 토양 유실 저감을 위한 개량제 효율 및 현장 적용성 평가)

  • Hwang, Wonjae;Park, Minseok;Hyun, Seunghun;Ji, Won hyun;Lee, Sang-Hwan
    • Ecology and Resilient Infrastructure
    • /
    • v.4 no.3
    • /
    • pp.180-185
    • /
    • 2017
  • Restoration of min-impacted arable land is often performed through stabilization of trace elements by amendment treatment combined with (clean) soil covering on the surface. Recently, soil loss problem from sloping remediated agricultural lands has risen as an emerging concern. In this study, efficacy of aggregation formation was assessed by single and binary treatments of four potential amendments (bentonite, lime, organic matter, and steel slag) applied on three cover soils having different clay contents (9.4, 14.7, and 21.2% for A, B, and C soils respectively). In results of single treatments, 5% organic matter for A soil and 5% lime for B and C soils were found most effective for the aggregation formation compared to the respective controls (without amendments). Among nine binary treatments, 3% organic matter + 1% lime for A soil and 1% organic matter + 3% lime for both B and C soils led to the highest formation of aggregation (30.4, 25.0, and 36.5% for A, B, and C soils). For a site-application, the soil erodibility difference between the cover soils (0.045, 0.051, and 0.054 for A, B, and C soils, respectively) and the national average of arable land (0.032) was assumed to be compensated by amendment addition, which is equivalent to 29.1% aggregation formation. To achieve the aggregation goal, 5% lime for A and B soils and 3% lime for C soil were best in the consideration of benefit/cost, thereby effectively and economically reducing soil loss from sloping remediation site. Soil alkalinity induced by lime treatment was not considered in this work.

Medical Care Utilization between National Health Insurance and Medical Assistance in Elderly Patients (건강보험과 의료급여 노인환자의 의료이용량 : 요양기관종별 분석)

  • Lee, Yong-Jae
    • The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
    • /
    • v.17 no.4
    • /
    • pp.585-595
    • /
    • 2017
  • The purpose of this study is to analyze the difference of medical care between medical assistance and health insurance patients to evaluate the increase of medical care costs due to the moral hazard of medical care patients and to provide a basis for rational medical care policy decision. For this purpose, we compared health insurance benefit data for Seoul citizens by gender, age, and type of medical institutions. The results of the analysis are as follows. First, all of the hospitalized and outpatient use of the advanced general Hospitals, medical assistance patients were less than those of the health insurance patients, so that the medical assistance patients could not use the high cost medical services. Second, in general hospitals, patients with health insurance are often hospitalized. On the other hand, medical assistance patients use a lot of outpatient services because they are less burdened. Third, in hospitals and clinics, medical benefits patients often use inpatient and outpatient services. Therefore, medical assistance patients are likely to use unnecessary medical care of outpatient and hospitalization clinics and hospitals, outpatient of general hospitals. But, in hospitalization and outpatient use in advanced general hospitals and medical assistance patients can not use due to excessive medical burden. Therefore, the policy to reduce the burden of medical expenses for patients with severe illness will continue, and the medical care patients using clinics and hospitals should be careful not to use unnecessary medical services.

Operation Scheduling in a Commercial Building with Chiller System and Energy Storage System for a Demand Response Market (냉각 시스템 및 에너지 저장 시스템을 갖춘 상업용 빌딩의 수요자원 거래시장 대응을 위한 운영 스케줄링)

  • Son, Joon-Ho;Rho, Dae-Seok
    • Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
    • /
    • v.19 no.8
    • /
    • pp.312-321
    • /
    • 2018
  • The Korean DR market proposes suppression of peak demand under reliability crisis caused a natural disaster or unexpected power plant accidents as well as saving power plant construction costs and expanding amount of reserve as utility's perspective. End-user is notified a DR event signal DR execution before one hour, and executes DR based on requested amount of load reduction. This paper proposes a DR energy management algorithm that can be scheduled the optimal operations of chiller system and ESS in the next day considering the TOU tariff and DR scheme. In this DR algorithm is divided into two scheduling's; day-ahead operation scheduling with temperature forecasting error and operation rescheduling on DR operation. In day-ahead operation scheduling, the operations of DR resources are scheduled based on the finite number of ambient temperature scenarios, which have been generated based on the historical ambient temperature data. As well as, the uncertainties in DR event including requested amount of load reduction and specified DR duration are also considered as scenarios. Also, operation rescheduling on DR operation day is proposed to ensure thermal comfort and the benefit of a COB owner. The proposed method minimizes the expected energy cost by a mixed integer linear programming (MILP).

Reviews on the Adaptation Strategy to Climate Change -Application to the Sea Level Rise- (기후변화 적응방안 연구 -해수면 상승을 중심으로-)

  • Cho Kwangwoo;Maeng Jun-Ho;Kim Hae-Dong;Oh Young Min;Kim Dong-Sun;Kim Mu Chan;Yoon Jong Hwui
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
    • /
    • v.10 no.2 s.21
    • /
    • pp.81-88
    • /
    • 2004
  • We review the adaptation strategies of the 21st climate change in an application to sea level rise. For the development of appropriate adaptation strategies on the coast vulnerable to the sea level rise, we have to consider the issues such as where to adapt, how to adapt, and when to adapt. The coastal target needed adaptation can be found by the evaluation of adaptive capacity of the coastal zone which requires the understanding of impacts and adaptive potential of the natural and socioeconomic systems in the coastal zone. Planned adaptation options to sea level rise can be classified into three generic approaches as managed retreat, accommodation, and protection In practice, the implementation of the options requires the analysis of land use, degree of vulnerability, cost and benefit, etc, and may be combination of the options rather than one approach. In terms of the response timing, the adaptation can be grouped as anticipatory and reactive ones. Generally it is more effective to consider both anticipatory and reactive adaptations at the same time for the impacts of future sea level rise. Due to the scientific uncertainty of climate change issues including sea level rise, the adaptation processes have to be designed to deal with a series of processes such as information md awareness establishment, planning and design implementation, and monitoring and evaluation in continuity and long-term period.

  • PDF

Design on Protection and Authentication System of IPTV Contents using OTP (OTP를 이용한 IPTV 콘텐츠 보호 및 인증 시스템 설계)

  • Kim, Dae-Jin;Choi, Hong-Sub
    • The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
    • /
    • v.9 no.8
    • /
    • pp.129-137
    • /
    • 2009
  • While the broadband network and multimedia technologies have been developing, the commercial market of digital contents also has been widely spreading with recently starting IPTV. As the IPTV services are getting to be generalized and popularized, the contents protection and authentication system tends to draw more attentions. So we need a system that can protect contents and allow only authenticated person to use right service by controling user authority and using content encryption. Until now, the conventional protection and authentication system is taking advantages of merits both in CAS and DRM. But the weak point of this system are in high costs, complexity and using HW. For resolving these problems, in this paper, we proposed IPTV contents protection and authentication system using OTP. When we transmit the content encrypted by OTP key using contents delivery technology, we operate XOR with contents using another settop-box's OTP key which was transmitted from distribution server. And contents are reconstructed and transmitted to the settop-box, In the end, downloaded content are encrypted by OTP key and are superior in content protection when contents redistribution. Since OTP use double-authentication elements in encryption process, this method is excellent in content protection. And it is very effective in cost aspect because it could be implemented by SW program. Another benefit is that we can shorten the development time period. In this paper, we propose and find its possibility as a new content protection and authentication method suitable for IPTV services.