• The Journal of the Korean dental association
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.6-11
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• 2010

Amid the rapid transitions in both local and international markets, the Korean dental industry is facing more challenges than at any time in its history. This paper tried to address some of the key issues faced by the industry as well as the policy issues and I direction of implementation that the Korean Dental Association (KDA) is expected to tackle. First, the direction of reforming the country's health insurance system was examined with emphasis on the expected changes in and improvement of the fee-for-service reimbursement system (FFSRS) and medical reimbursement system (MRS). With FFSRS, the most urgent issue would be ameliorating the current lop-sided, unreasonable reimbursement system that prevents suppliers from voicing their opinions. To help achieve that goal, the limited authority and responsibility of the president of National Health Insurance Corporation (NHIC) as one of the contract-making parties must be clarified. In addition, the functions of NHIC's Health Insurance Finance Committee must be restricted; at the same time, the panel organization of the Health Insurance Policy Review Committee needs to be reformed to embrace greater democracy. As with MRS, the government is considering a block budget bill to help promote efficiency in employing and managing the health insurance fund. Policymakers must understand that the implementation of such proposal could exacerbate an already dire situation. Improving MRS requires meeting the following preconditions: (a) the structurally vicious cycle of small charge-small salary needs to be resolved, and a certain percentage of fee raise must be guaranteed on a yearly basis to help adjust the fee system to a more realistic level; (b) the supply-and-demand balance in producing health care professionals must be improved including the prevention of oversupply of doctors, nurses, etc., and; (c) institutional strategies must be provided to enhance the quality of medical care and ensure academic advancement in health care disciplines.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.61 no.1
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• pp.263-291
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• 2009

This study aims to explore the possible ways to establish the effective medical supports for the sexual violence victims(svv). Using the data collected from 83 male and female doctors who are interested or involved in providing medical services for the victims, the doctors' attitudes toward the victims, medical services provided, and their needs for the possible medical supports were investigated. For comparison, 3 different groups of doctors were presented. The doctors who had treated svv(type1) seemed to have a difficulty in receiving the fee for the treatment of svv, and to have higher needs for the spermatic(fluid) test as well as the diverse supports for the testimony in courts. The doctors who had no experience of treatment, but were supposed to treat svv(type2) seemed to have negative attitudes toward the victims, and expect more difficulties in treating svv. The doctors of type2 had lower needs for the support for the specialized medical services and assessment of the sexual assault, but higher needs for the testimony supports. The doctors who had no experience of treatment, and were not supposed to treat svv(type3) appeared to have less negative attitudes toward the victims, but more knowledge of law and the community organizations for svv. The type3 doctors seemed to have higher needs for the supports for the specialized medical services, assessment for the sexual assault, and testimony in the courts. Based on the findings, the intervention strategies to create a new effective medical support system for the sexual violence victims were suggested.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.105-120
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• 2002

In the United States, the prospective payment system(PPS), under which diagnosis related groups (DRGs) are used to reimburse hospitals for the care of Medicare patients since 1983, Study results showed that the PPS is having a major impact on the quantity of services especially of hospital length of stay. The PPS has increased the likelihood that a patient will be discharged home in an unstable condition and the use of nursing homes or long term care facilities increased. Still, it is insufficient to conclude that the PPS has decreased the Medicare total expenditure, but relatively sufficient to conclude that the quality of care hasn't changed. The maintenance of the quality resulted from the systemic "check-and-balance" composed of three factors; (1) The doctors are reimbursed based on the fee-for-service system, (2) hospitals contact with doctors under the attending system, and (3) there are some public hospitals. In Korea, the reimbursement for hospitals and doctors are not divided, the hospitals have doctors as employees, and 90% of hospitals are private. These differences may weaken the "check-and-balance" existing in the U.S. system. And there are few long term care facilities and the diagnostic coding system using in pilot test are not suitable for Korean situation. In conclusion, for successful implementation of the DRG payment system in Korea, the government should establish the "check-and-balance" system in the health sector to make sure the quality of care before the implementation.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.17-28
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• 2003

We met results like the followings through the literatures and questionnaires about the tasks and solutions about the insurance fee of packed medical herbs. 1) It's turned out that 74.8% of herb doctors agrees to the insurance fee of packed medical herbs. However, in comparison with the same survey of the herb doctor association the percentage of general approval went somewhat lower, and especially the percentage of 'positive approval' became notably lower$(43.7%{\rightarrow}26.5%)$ and the percentage of 'active objection' raised about 2 times$(6.8%{\rightarrow}12.9%)$. Inquiring into the approval reasons on the insurance fee application of packed medical herbs some heads such as 'development toward treatment medical science' and 'decrease of publics burden' were higher than the one of 'management income and expenditure.' 2) As a result of the research, 36.0% of the patients and 42.8% of the residents recognized that the pay range of Chinese herb health insurance is narrow. They recognized that less people have the experiences of Chinese medical hospital use and internal application of the packed medical herbs as they are older, men rather than women. 85.4% of the patients and 74.9% of the residents agreed on the insurance pay of packed medical herbs. It's shown that they agree on the Chinese medical hospital use more as the economic standard is lower, on the insurance pay as they have ever taken the packed medical herbs. In the aspect of increase of insurance fee, 66.7% of the patients and 44.3% of the residents agreed on the insurance pay of packed medical herbs, and 18.1% and 36.1% disagreed on the insurance pay of packed medical herbs. The main objective reason why they disagree on the insurance pay of packed medical herbs was 'because the insurance fee goes up higher,' which answered 95.2% of the patients and 78.8% of the residents. 7.22% of the patients and 1.80% of the residents answered that they can pay more insurance fee in case of the insurance pay of packed medical herbs. However, in the priority order of the insurance pay, it hold the 5th position between 2 target research groups which was less than medical examination, charges for hospital accommodation and taking MRI. 3) According to the result of analysis about the cost of packed medical herbs, current practice price is 115,000 won and the average prime cost of a packed medical herb is 73,000 to 106,000 won. It's examined that the herb doctors regard that 95,000 won will be reasonable when the packed medical herb is payed in insurance. However, it was found out that the public generally thinks that the price would be appropriate on the level of 30,000 to 40,000 won and the percentage of the answers of 20,000 won to 30,000 was fairly high. 4) the central system of a prescription should be change into the central system of demonstration and the sick and wounded. 5) To solve this problem, the government should regulate it to pass by the circulation gradation of [importer, $peasantry{\rightarrow}manufacturer{\rightarrow}wholesaler{\rightarrow}distributor$(Chinese medical hospital, pharmacy dispensary of Chinese medicine)]And it should intervene into the quality and the circulation steps of Chinese medicine through 'the office or organization which is in charge of certification of Chinese medicine' and 'the office or organization which is in charge of the circulation of Chinese medicine.' And some actions such as simple severance, lavation, drying should be included into the conception of manufacture and the boundary between food and medical supplies should be made at a manufactory. And the regulation of standardized goods at one's own house should be improved so that, the peasantry can sell the materials of Chinese medicine only to the manufacturer. 6) In company with the insurance pay of packed medical herbs, the study about the separation of dispensary from medical practice in the Chinese medicine should be accomplished.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.65-73
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• 2014

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the determinants of inpatients satisfaction and intent to revisit oriental medical hospitals. Methods: The independent variables of the study contain the level of satisfaction with doctors, nurses, staffs, medical fee, environment, facilities and hospital life. Each variable was measured by three to eight items about the level of satisfaction with various aspects of hospital ward life. The level of overall patient satisfaction was used as an intervening variable and the level of intent to revisit was used as a dependent variable. The sample used in this study consisted of 268 inpatients from 3 oriental medical hospitals located in Chungnam Province. Data were collected with a structured and self-administrated questionnaire and analysed using path analysis. Results: The major findings of the study were as follows : First, it was found that the 3 variables of hospital life satisfaction, ancillary staffs satisfaction, and metropolitan residents has significant positive effect on the level of overall patient satisfaction. Second, the overall satisfaction and the satisfactory level of facilities, medical fee, and quality of ward life were found to have significant effects on the level of intent to revisit of respondents. Conclusions: The results of the study indicate that oriental medical hospitals should make an effort to improve the overall satisfaction of inpatients, especially focusing on the facilities convenience, medical price, and hospital ward life which will lead to high level of intent to revisit of inpatients.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.113-126
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• 2009

Objective : This research aimed to investigate and analyze the opinions of Oriental Medical Doctors (O.M.D.) on covering herbal medicines into National Health Insurance scheme. Methods : Structured questionnaires were e-mailed to the O.M.D.s listed on member's DB of the Association of Korean Oriental Medicine. Collected data were analyzed with the SPSS 12.0 program. Results : The insurance coverage for herbal decoctions was supported by 80.8% of the responders, the median reasonable price for daily herbal decoctions was \9,517, the minimum price median of daily herbal decoctions considering its costs was \8,080, and the daily technical fee median was \4,379. On health insurance coverage for herbal decoctions, O.M.D.s were specially considering the standardization of herbal medicines. Conclusion : In this study, majority of O.M.D.s assented to health insurance coverage for herbal decoctions, but considered standardization of herbal medicines and optional prescription fee. It needs to prepare plan for insurance coverage of herbal decoctions that reflect the character of oriental medicine and oriental medical institutions.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.29-57
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• 2001

Since the inauguration of the medical insurance system in 1977, the increasing medical expenses which can be menace to tile finance of the medical insurance system, have become major concern in the medical insurance field In Korea. This study focuses on the determinants of the medical expenses in the health insurance in Korea and analyzes the impact of these factors on the increase in the medical expenses. The empirical work is done using the pooled cross-section and time-series data of the medical insurance for the self-employeds and the industrial workers from the year 1995 to 1997. The result of this study shows that the main determinants of the medical expenses in the health insurance are the ratio of the population of the aged to the total population, the frequency of the utilization, number of doctors per capita and the regime changes. Although the increasing trend in the medical expenses seems to be unavoidable, we probably need to add some efficiency to the medical expenses by suppressing the supply and the utilization of the unnecessary medical services. The fee-for-service reimbursement system of today can't suppress the supply of the unnecessary medical services effectively. So we need to convert the present fee-for-service system into DRG's which is known to reduce the medical costs. The increase in the medical expenses comes from a lot of factors. Therefore, we should develop more systematic and comprehensive measures to control the soaring medical expenses in consideration of the various factors such as demand, supply, and the organizational side of the medical system.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.15-24
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• 2008

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to reexamine current oriental medical treatment fees based on valuation of input resources which are the treating time, the treatment's difficulty, and the material cost. Methods : This study obtained the following results by reviewing the answers given by 172 oriental medical doctors from March 1 to April 15, 2006. To investigate material cost, we took inventory of treatment materials used by 2 oriental hospitals. Results : The current system does not reflect well enough the treating time and treatment's difficulty. Considering current oriental treatment fees, material costs are too much of doctors' fees. Especially, Wang-ssuk-dduem, which is another form of moxibustion treatment, was spent as much as 74.6% on materials cost. Conclusions : The findings suggest the current oriental treatment fees should be revised to reflect the actual input resources into oriental medical doctor activities and to avoid a distortion of physicians' behavior.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.827-835
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• 2006

Objectives : This study investigated the actual condition of an oriental medical office in a public health center. Methods : We classified patients who visited an oriental medical office in the public health center of Gyeyang-gu over a 1-year period, according to age, sex, disease, etc. The number of patients was 6529. Results : Analyzing these 6529 persons, 65.8% were female, and 79.6% were seniors aged over 65. By disease category motor systemic disease or circulatory disease affected 84% of the patients. By medication or treatment category. O-Juk-San (五積散) at 38.3% was the greatest proportion, and Pal-Mul-Tang (八物湯) the second greatest. As to medical fee, 80.2% of the patients were not charged for treatment. Conclusions : The extract of herbal medication should be more expanded in the medical insurance, and should be improved in quality. The oriental medical office in a public health center should focus more on health promotion and disease prevention than patient care. For accomplishing this goal, the institutional position and rights of oriental medical doctors as civil officials should be equal to those of western medical doctors.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.187-198
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• 1997

The degree of KAP study on Chinease traditional medicine and doctor was examined with some chinease living yenbian district(延邊) from July 1st to August 30th in 1996. The result of the study for predicting health and ill patterns runs as fellows. 1. It is understand to strength and variety about role of chinease traditional medicine doctors and the curable disease. 2. Although most patients go to chinease traditional medicine clinic for the purpose of medicine herbs in package, acupuncture and industry-made pharm, they think the medical fee a little high(70.6%). 3. The 66.7% of respondents recognize chinease traditional medicine doctors as a profession and others think them only abundant works ; therefore it is rather low to ink chinease traditional doctors a profession. 4. Most respondents think that chinease traditional medicine should improved in the inside ; such as scientific reinforcement of theory, lack of univerality, improvment and enlargement of insurance, unkindness, shortage of publicity, dropped equipment, system of medical specialist, lack of integration with westem medicine, exact diagnosis and confidence of remedy, and low efficacy, etc. 5. Chinease likes more experienced-traditional doctor than beginner(78.3%) 6. The policy of korean government against 100 herbal prescription right by western pharmacy has taken the negative recognition(74.6%), 7. The degree that acknowleges of chinease traditional medicine through thease basic contents is average 47.3 mark. To be brief, although the step of the recognition and attitude of oriental medicine is less or very affirmative aspect, actully considerable positive factors is in the last chosen step. In conclusion KAP study connected chinease traditional medicine and doctor has very much postive factors.