• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.10 no.11
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• pp.493-502
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• 2012

This study aimed to determine the management and environmental factors affecting medical expense reduction. For analysis, medical expenses were divided into hospitalization expenses and outpatient treatment expenses, and the rate of medical expense reduction was classified into initial and final reduction rates. Data were collected through a direct survey among 205 directors of independent health insurance review departments of hospital-level medical institutions in Korea. The results of the study are discussed below: In the analysis, differences in the initial and final reduction rates of hospitalization expenses and outpatient treatment expenses were compared. The results showed that, in hospitalization expenses, the initial and final reduction rates were both significantly affected by the following management factors: number of beds, number of departments, number of personnel reviewing health insurance cases, and total number of employees. Further, in outpatient treatment expenses, the initial and final reduction rates were both affected significantly by the following management factors: management of medical records, number of beds, number of departments, number of personnel reviewing health insurance, and total number of employees. The management factors significantly affecting both the initial and final reduction rates were higher number of beds for hospitalization expenses and electronic medical record management for outpatient treatment expenses. The environmental factors significantly affecting both the initial and final reduction rates of hospitalization expenses were a highly cooperative work environment, better implementation of indicator management systems, and overtime pay. Better implementation of indicator management system and a committee for handling medical expenses had significant effects on the initial reduction rate for outpatient treatment expenses. A highly cooperative work environment, better implementation of indicator management system, and overtime pay had significant effects on the final reduction rate for outpatient treatment expenses.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.101-106
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• 2018

Objective: The purpose of the study was to investigate the time from the injection of muscle relaxants to the first spontaneous respiration between sugammadex and conventional reversal for patients undergoing laparoscopic cholecystectomy. Methods: This study was retrospectively conducted on patients who were diagnosed with gallbladder stone (N802) between January 2014 and April 2017. The data were collected from the electronic medical records of a total of 186 patients (84 patients in the neostigmine group and 102 patients in the sugammadex group). Results: The time required for the first spontaneous respiration in the sugammadex group was shorter than that in the neostigmine group (3.6 min vs 4.9 min; p<0.05). After the injection of intermediate muscle relaxants, the comparison of heart rate and mean arterial pressure in the sugammadex and neostigmine groups revealed that the heart rate in the neostigmine group was higher than in the sugammadex group after 5 min (p<0.05). The mean arterial pressure in the neostigmine group was higher than in the sugammadex group after 10 min (p<0.05). A significant adverse effect of tachycardia was observed in the neostigmine group (p<0.05), but the frequency of rescue antiemetic in the sugammadex group was significantly higher than in the neostigmine group (p<0.05). Conclusion: In this study, the unwanted effect of neostigmine group was tachycardia; therefore, in the case of patients with hemodynamic instability, sugammadex is recommended. At 12 hours after the injection of sugammadex to patients, more antiemetics were required than in the neostigmine group; therefore, more research should be conducted on postoperative nausea and vomiting.

• Quality Improvement in Health Care
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.43-51
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• 2019

Purpose: The time lag between the decision to initiate continuous renal replacement therapy (CRRT) and its actual initiation remains a major barrier in our intensive care units. We developed a CRRT pop-up chart on EMR for managing CRRT machines. Methods: This study measured time interval between the decision to prepare the CRRT machine and the actual use of the machine before and after using a CRRT pop-up chart. This study conducted a questionnaire of the medical staff to assess the changes in the quality of CRRT preparation. Results: A total of 95 patients on CRRT is analyzed. The time to find an available CRRT machine is decreased by 24.6%. The time to move a CRRT machine to the patient's bedside is decreased by 55.8%. Medical surveys of 44 nurses gave the following results. 1) The time to apprehend machines for 1 to 3 minutes is improved from 29.5% to 81.8%, and the time to apprehend machines over 3 minutes is decreased from 70.5% to 18.2%. 2) The number (6-all) of known machine locations is improved from 22.7% to 63.4%. 3) Interruption of a nurse's work due to telephone calls asking for the possession of movable CRRT equipment also is improved. Scores of 1-4 are improved from 15.9% to 41%. Scores of 5-7 are reduced from 52% to 15.9%. Conclusions: CRRT pop-up chart is shortened the time lag of CRRT machine preparation, reduced the nurse's phone workload and helped to improve the quality of CRRT care.

• Journal of Korean Society of Health-System Pharmacists
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.418-429
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• 2018

Background : To improve medication adherence in elderly patients, the role of pharmacists in teambased services has been highlighted in the literature. However, not much is known about the role and the service elements involved in comprehensive geriatric programs in South Korea. This study was designed to describe the current status of medication adherence in geriatric patients based on the comprehensive geriatric assessment program and analyze the predictive factors for medication adherence in a tertiary teaching hospital. Methods : A retrospective cohort study was performed using electronic medical records of 247 patients from March 1st, 2015 to August 31st, 2015. Medication adherence and the types of non-adherence were also collected. Predictive factors for adherence were evaluated by including factors related to demographics, medications, illness, and patterns of medical usage. Results : The mean age of the study population was 81.2 years (range 65~98 years) and they were taking 9.7 drugs on an average (SD 5.0 drugs). The overall rate of non-adherence was 34%. About 48% of the patients had any forms of assistance in the medication administration. The most common type of non-adherence was "self-adjustment". The multivariate analyses revealed that age (adjusted odds ratio, 0.87 [95% CI, 0.80-0.96]; p 0.05) and the number of inappropriate medications (adjusted odds ratio, 0.59 [95% CI, 0.40-0.89]; p 0.05) were strong predictors for non-adherence. Conclusions : These results indicate that strategic considerations of the predictors of non-adherence should be improved in medication counseling services targeting elderly patients.

• Korean Journal of Artificial Intelligence
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.39-44
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• 2023

The creativity of thesis is that the significance of cyber security challenges in blockchain. The variety of enterprises, including those in the medical market, are the targets of cyberattacks. Hospitals and clinics are only two examples of medical facilities that are easy targets for cybercriminals, along with IoT-based medical devices like pacemakers. Cyberattacks in the medical field not only put patients' lives in danger but also have the potential to expose private and sensitive information. Reviewing and looking at the present and historical flaws and vulnerabilities in the blockchain-based IoT and medical institutions' equipment is crucial as they are sensitive, relevant, and of a medical character. This study aims to investigate recent and current weaknesses in medical equipment, of blockchain-based IoT, and institutions. Medical security systems are becoming increasingly crucial in blockchain-based IoT medical devices and digital adoption more broadly. It is gaining importance as a standalone medical device. Currently the use of software in medical market is growing exponentially and many countries have already set guidelines for quality control. The achievements of the thesis are medical equipment of blockchain-based IoT no longer exist in a vacuum, thanks to technical improvements and the emergence of electronic health records (EHRs). Increased EHR use among providers, as well as the demand for integration and connection technologies to improve clinical workflow, patient care solutions, and overall hospital operations, will fuel significant growth in the blockchain-based IoT market for linked medical devices. The need for blockchain technology and IoT-based medical device to enhance their health IT infrastructure and design and development techniques will only get louder in the future. Blockchain technology will be essential in the future of cybersecurity, because blockchain technology can be significantly improved with the cybersecurity adoption of IoT devices, i.e., via remote monitoring, reducing waiting time for emergency rooms, track assets, etc. This paper sheds the light on the benefits of the blockchain-based IoT market.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.200-213
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• 2004

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to create an electronic nursing record form to build a hospice nursing process database to be used in the u-hospital EMR system. Specific aims of the study were: 1. To generate a complete, accurate, and simple electronic nursing record form. 2. To verify its appropriateness following documentation with the standardized hospice protocol. 3. To verify its validity and finalize the hospice nursing process database through discussion among hospice professionals. Methods: Nursing records from three independent hospice organizations were collected and analyzed by five expert hospice nurses with more than 10 years of experience, and a nursing record database was developed. This database was applied to 81 hospice patients at three hospice organizations to verify its completeness. Results: 1. An electronic nursing record form with completeness, accuracy, and simplicity was developed. 2. The completeness of the standardized home hospice service protocol was 95.86 percent. 3. The hospice nursing process database contains 18 items on health problems, 79 items on related causes and major symptoms, and 229 items on nursing interventions. Conclusion: The new nursing record form and database will reduce documentation time and articulate and streamline the working process among team members. They can also improve the quality of hospice services, and ultimately enable us to estimate hospice service costs.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.679-687
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• 2021

The purpose of the present study was to document the standardization and management process of interface terminology regarding the chief complaints, diagnoses, and procedures, including surgery in a four-hospital consortium. The process was proposed, discussed, modified, and finalized in 2016 by the Terminology Standardization Committee (TSC), consisting of personnel from four hospitals. A request regarding interface terminology was classified into one of four categories: 1) registration of a new term, 2) revision, 3) deleting an old term and registering a new term, and 4) deletion. A request was processed in the following order: 1) collecting testimonies from related departments and 2) voting by the TSC. At least five out of the seven possible members of the voting pool need to approve of it. Mapping to the reference terminology was performed by three independent medical information managers. All processes were performed online, and the voting and mapping results were collected automatically. This process made the decision-making process clear and fast. In addition, this made users receptive to the decision of the TSC. In the 16 months after the process was adopted, there were 126 new terms registered, 131 revisions, 40 deletions of an old term and the registration of a new term, and 1235 deletions.

• Journal of Korean Critical Care Nursing
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.26-36
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• 2021

Purpose : This study aimed to present the incidence of pressure ulcers and identify different associated factors according to the time of occurrence of pressure ulcers in intensive care unit (ICU) patients. Methods : The participants were 313 patients who reported pressure ulcers among 2,908 patients in ICUs at a large tertiary hospital in Gyeonggi-do. Among them, 220 patients (70.3%) had a pressure ulcer before admission, and 93 patients (29.7%) reported newly developed pressure ulcers after admission to the ICU. Data were collected between August 2018 and April 2019. Along with the time of occurrence and characteristics of pressure ulcers, diverse associated factors were gathered through electronic medical records. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, independent t-tests, and 𝑥²-tests. Results : Different risk factors associated with pressure ulcers in ICU patients according to the time of occurrence were main diagnosis, score of acute physiology and chronic health evaluation, score of Richmond agitation sedation scale, level of consciousness, administered sedatives, use of a ventilator, insertion of a feeding tube, and the duration of fasting period. Conclusion : Based on the results of this study, healthcare providers, especially ICU nurses, should try to detect early signs and symptoms of pressure ulcers, taking into account the derived factors associated with pressure ulcers in ICU patients. Practical intervention programs and strategies considering the factors associated with pressure ulcers must be developed to prevent and alleviate such ulcers in ICU patients in the future.

• Annals of Pediatric Endocrinology and Metabolism
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.210-214
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• 2018

Purpose: Premature adrenarche (PA) often leads to polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Higher anti-mullerian hormone (AMH) levels are reported in PCOS. We studied the androgen profile and AMH profiles in Hispanic girls with PA (aged 5-8 years) and age and body mass index (BMI) matched controls. Methods: Retrospective review of electronic medical records of girls who met the inclusion criteria for premature adrenarche were done. Results: PA girls (n=76) were matched to control girls (n=12) for age (mean${\pm}$standard deviation) ($6.7{\pm}1years$ vs. $6.2{\pm}1.3years$) and BMI ($20{\pm}10kg/m^2$ vs. $17.8{\pm}2.7kg/m^2$). Dehydroepiandrostenedione sulfate ($63.3{\pm}51.3{\mu}g/dL$ vs. $29.8{\pm}17.3{\mu}g/dL$, P<0.001) and testosterone levels ($11.4{\pm}4.8ng/dL$ vs. $8.2{\pm}2.9ng/dL$, P=0.001) were significantly higher in the PA group than controls. AMH values (<14 years: reference range, 0.49-3.15 ng/mL) were $3.2{\pm}2.2ng/mL$ vs. $4.6{\pm}3.2ng/mL$ respectively in the PA and control groups and were not different (P=0.4). AMH did not show a correlation with bone age (P=0.1), and testosterone (P=0.9) in the PA group. 17-hydroxyprogesterone levels (17-OHP ng/dL) were $39.5{\pm}30.5ng/dL$ vs. $36.8{\pm}19.8ng/dL$ in PA versus control girls. The concentration of 17-OHP was not statistically different between the control and PA groups. Conclusion: Higher AMH was not observed in PA girls and no correlation with BA and androgen levels was observed.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.66 no.5
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• pp.573-581
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• 2023

Objective : Due to the implementation of vaccinations and the development of therapeutic agents, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic that started at the end of 2019 has entered a new phase. As a result, neurosurgeons should reconsider the way they treat their patients. As the COVID-19 situation prolongs, the change in neurosurgical emergency patients according to the number of confirmed cases is no longer clear. Outpatient treatment by telephone was permitted according to government policy. In addition, visits to caregivers in the intensive care unit were limited. Methods : The electronic medical records of patients who had been treated over the phone for a month (during April 2020, while the hospital was closing) were reviewed. Meanwhile, according to the limited visits to the intensive care unit, a video meeting was held with the caregivers. After the video meeting, satisfaction was evaluated using a questionnaire. Results : During April 2020, 1021 patients received non-face-to-face care over the telephone. Among the patients, no critical medical problem occurred due to non-face-to-face care. From July 2021 to December 2021, 321 patients were admitted to the neurosurgical intensive care unit and 107 patients (33.3%) including their caregivers agreed to video visits. Twice a week, advance notice was given that access would be made through a mobile device and the nurse explained to caregivers how to use the mobile device. The time for the video meeting was approximately 20 minutes per patient. Based on the questionnaire, 81 respondents (75.7%) answered that they agreed, and 26 respondents (24.3%) answered that they strongly agreed that was easy to communicate through video meetings. Fifty-two (48.6%) agreed and 55 (51.4%) strongly agreed that they were easy to understand the doctor's explanation. For overall satisfaction with this video meeting, three respondents (2.8%) gave 4/5 points and 95 respondents (88.8%) gave 5/5 points, and nine (8.4%) gave 3/5 points. Their reason was that there was not enough time. Conclusion : In situations where patient visits are limited, video meetings through a mobile device can provide sufficient satisfaction to caregivers. Telemedicine will likely become common in the near future. Health care professionals should prepare and respond to these needs and changes. Therefore, establishing a system with institutional support is necessary.