• Health Policy and Management
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.399-408
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• 2021

The emergency medical service system in Korea was built upon the Emergency Medical Service Act, 1995 to respond adequately to be much in demand for emergency medical services. In addition, the government recognized the importance of the trauma care system and set out to plan for the designation and establishment of the regional trauma center by 2012. This study aimed to investigate features of quality management and trauma fee schedule on better understanding of trauma care system. First, quality management of the regional trauma center has been implemented by several quality programs involved in quality assessment, committee on trauma quality management, and mortality and morbidity conference. Second, the trauma fee schedule has reflected a specific quality of severe traumatic conditions and added the result to it, which are graded A, B, and C according to quality assessment. Although the government has contributed to instituting a trauma quality assessment program and trauma fee schedule for the regional trauma center, it could not lead to such a fixed standard for quality management of them. Therefore, it will promote discussion on the sustainability of the regional trauma center that requires reducing preventable trauma death rate and the way to apply comprehensive quality management.

• Child Health Nursing Research
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.142-153
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• 2022

Purpose: Preventing missed care is important in neonatal intensive care units (NICUs) due to neonates' vulnerabilities. This study examined missed care and its influencing factors among NICU nurses. Methods: Missed care among 120 Korean NICU nurses was measured using a cross-culturally adapted online questionnaire. The frequency of missed care for 32 nursing activities and the significance of 23 reasons for missed care were collected. Results: All participants had missed at least 1 activity, missing on average 19.35 activities during a typical work-day. The most common missed item was "provide developmental care for the baby". The most common reason for missed care was "emergency within the unit or deterioration of one of the assigned patients". The final regression model explained 9.6% of variance in missed care. The average daily number of assigned patients receiving inotropes or sedation over the last month influenced the total number of missed care items. Conclusion: Missed care was affected by nurses' workload related to the number of patients taking medication. Frequently missed activities, especially those related to developmental care, require patience and time, conflicting with safety prioritization and inadequate working conditions. NICU nurses' working conditions should be improved to ensure adequate time for nursing activities.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.163-174
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• 2007

Purpose : This study analyzes prehospital care report of emergency service at prehospital stage, examines characteristics of activities of 119 paramedics and its users and aims to provide help for improving emergency system in future. Methods : Data collected were 119 prehospital care report and hospital records with 7,160 patients to emergency room by 119 ambulance from Jan. 1 to Dec. 31, 2006 and percentage and frequency of the data were obtained. Results : 1) Use of emergency room by 119 ambulance was increased in summer and autumn such as August(9.1%), September(11.2%) and October(13.5%) and it was more frequently used on Monday(17.3%), Saturday(17.2%) and Friday(16.1%) by telephone(98.6%). 2) Using emergency room was most in over sixties(51.8%), men(64.2%), community residents (78.3%), by report of family(50.3%) and at '09:01~12:00'(16.5%). 3) Symptoms of emergency room users included headache, chest pain, stomachache, lumbago and others as 40.6% and places where patients were found were at home(60.1%) due to chronic internal diseases at 49.2%. 4) Most of non-emergency patients(80.2%) arriving at hospital had normal pupil condition (88.4%) and clear consciousness(71.2%) and most of them left hospital after having first-aid treatment. 5) Physiological symptom tests evaluated by paramedics at prehospital stage included blood pressure(56.6%), pulse(22.9%), breathing(13.0%) and temperature(9.2%), and there was no SPo2 case. 6) Classification of severity by paramedics showed difference as emergency patients(18.0%) by paramedics and those(24.9%) by hospital. 7) First-aid treatments by paramedics at prehospital stage were promoting comfort(28.9%), hemostasis(7.7%), fixing cervical vertebrae(4.0%) and ensuring vein route(3.1%). 8) Selectors of medical agency were patients or guardians(86.2%) and emergency medical technicians(73.6%). Conclusion : To sum up the above research, it was found that percentage of using 119 ambulance by non-emergency patients was higher and paramedics performed basic first-aid treatment rather than professional first-aid treatment due to several conditions such as legal problems, range of allowance, etc. Therefore, it is considered that method to reduce frequency of ambulance by non-emergency patients and approaches to alleviate limitations of allowance of paramdeics to make them perform effective first-aid treatment at prehospital stage should be sought in the dimension of individual, organization and government.

• Fire Science and Engineering
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.93-102
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• 2009

Recently, the number of child care facility and social demand for high quality child care service increase suddenly. Especially, social atmosphere about fire safety is more sensitive in Korea. The majority of the residents in a child care facility are composed of early childhood having difficulty to evacuate, and therefore the number of stories of a building and the appropriateness of a evacuation equipment play an important role in the evacuation safety. In this study, problems and improvements for the evacuation safety are dealt with the present conditions of child care facilities, the comparative analysis between domestic and foreign standards, the research on the actual condition of evacuation equipments, and so on. The study brings to a conclusion that it is necessary to systematize the regulations regarding fire safety, to connect fire-fighting facilities for design standards and operations of emergency preparation equipments, to improve the regulations for fire protection system such as the sprinkler system, and to restrict the facilities having fire hazards.

• Journal of Fisheries and Marine Sciences Education
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.994-1005
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• 2016

Expansion and spreading of marine telemedicine is rather restricted due to the conflict of laws relating to medical service and lack of provisions in the Seafarers' Act, Medical Service Act, etc. Thus, this study is intended to reveal the current status and problems of marine emergency medical advice system for the furtherance of health care of seafarers and emergency medical assistance conditions and deduce relevant proposals for legislative improvements thereof in order to resolve underlying problems and issues. The results of this study can be summated as follows. First, in respect of directions to provide marine emergency service based on marine telemedicine system, emergency radio medical advice system needs to be strengthened to meet domestic and international instrument, marine telemedicine system needs to be provided through integrating u-Health technology and special marine medical center needs to be established. Second, regarding directions to provide health promotion service based on the marine telemedicine system, a new process of health care service for seafarers needs to be devised and provided involving seafarers' life cycle covering from prior to boarding to after leaving a ship. The conclusions of this study can be given as follows. First, the following new provisions need to be introduced in the Seafarers' Act. (1) The Minister of Oceans and Fisheries and a shipowner shall conduct matters pertaining to preventive health promotion and care for seafarers; (2) a provisions regarding establishment of seafarers' health promotion center by the Minister; (3) a special exemption permitting marine telemedicine service and qualification requirements for marine telemedicine assistant; (4) shipowner's obligation of carrying seafarers' health measuring equipment on board. Second, the relevant provisions regarding medical care persons needs to be revised in such a way that master or chief officer shall be appointed to be in charge of medical care on board. Last but not least, it is also essential to amend and update the minimum standards on drug and medicines to be carried on board and medicine chest and equipment on board.

• The Korean Journal of Health Service Management
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.39-51
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• 2016

Objectives : This study investigated the health care utilization patterns of workers' compensation insurance(WCI) pneumoconiosis patients with excessively long hospital stays. Methods : The discharge summary data of 3,094 WCI pneumoconiosis patients were analyzed. The study sample was divided into 3 groups based on the length of stay(LOS). Health care utilization patterns were compared among the groups with logistic regression analysis, and the LOS determinants were identified with linear regression analysis. Results : The average LOS of the 222 long stay group patients was 1,448 days. Patients in this group tended to use private general hospitals, were admitted through the emergency room and discharged without the consent of a doctor. Conclusions : Many of the long LOS patients will maintain their inpatient status for the rest of their lives. For quality of life and efficient use of health care resources, policy makers need to establish a policy that enables patients to receive outpatient care in appropriate living conditions outside the hospital.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.216-234
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• 2024

Background: Hapcheon-gun, Gyeongsangnam-do, is designated as an emergency medical vulnerable area, facing significant challenges in transporting and treating emergency patients. A detailed analysis of the regional emergency medical system is required to identify effective solutions. Methods: This study employed a mixed-methods approach, combining quantitative data from the National Emergency Medical Information System and emergency activity logs with qualitative data from focus group interviews involving 24 stakeholders, including medical staff, paramedics, civil servants, and local residents. Results: Quantitative findings indicated an aging population in Hapcheon-gun, with a growing number of elderly emergency room users. Despite the utilization of local emergency medical institutions, a lack of trust and preference for urban hospitals led even patients with mild conditions to seek care at higher-level facilities. Following the COVID-19 pandemic, transport distances and times for patients using 119 emergency services increased. Qualitative analysis identified several issues: limited capacity of local institutions, challenges in patient transport due to misaligned emergency medical zones, an increase in severely ill patients, and the absence of a coordinated emergency medical consultative body. Recommendations include strengthening local institutions through government support, realignment of emergency zones, legal reforms, the establishment of a continuous consultative body, and enhancing the capacity of medical staff, paramedics, and residents. Conclusion: Improving the emergency medical system in Hapcheon-gun will require targeted efforts in institutional strengthening, legal and administrative support, and capacity-building initiatives.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.39-53
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• 2021

Purpose: Emergency medical technicians (EMTs) have so far been trained as professionals under the same conditions, with no change in the 1995 Act. We aimed to find ways for them to secure expertise in accordance with social needs by strengthening the quality of the EMT education. Methods: This is a descriptive study comparing the operation status of the national emergency medical examination conducted by the Korea Health Personnel Licensing Examination Institute, and the national examinations of EMT paramedic and EMT basic. The scope of the national examinations for EMT was compared by subject and area. Results: The national written exam for EMT paramedic consists of five areas. EMT basic does not include basic medicine in three related subjects, 11 areas, and 18 detail areas. Paramedic care does not include advanced pediatric life support. In addition, nine areas and 20 detail areas are not included. Conclusion: The study suggests the need for institutional supplementation so that those who have completed EMT basic and the subjects prescribed by the ordinance of the Ministry of Health and Welfare at universities, etc., in the Higher Education Act can take the EMT paramedic national exam.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.68 no.3
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• pp.162-167
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• 2010

Background: To date, there are few data on the risk factors for severe cases and deaths associated with the 2009 pandemic H1N1 influenza A. Here, we describe the clinical and epidemiologic characteristics of patients hospitalized for pneumonia and identify those factors associated with the development of major complications (MC). Methods: We reviewed the medical records of 41 cases of pneumonia admitted to a university-affiliated tertiary hospital between Aug 26 and Dec 10, 2009, and who had confirmed H1N1 influenza A based on real-time reverse transcriptase-polymerase-chain-reaction assay. There were 7,962 patients that fit these criteria. We compared the clinical features and demographic characteristics of patients who developed MC to with those who did not develop MC. Results: During the study period, 10 patients developed MC (required admission to the intensive care unit, n=10; required ventilator therapy, n=6; death, n=4). Patients with MC were significantly older than those without MC and more frequently had underlying medical conditions (90.0% vs 41.9%, p-value <0.01). In the patients with developed MC, the median $PaO_2/FiO_2$ ratio of 230.0 (145.0~347.3) at admission and pneumonia severity index (PSI) score of 141.5 (88.3~158.5) were higher than patients without MC. However, no differences were observed in laboratory findings or in viral shedding between the 2 groups. Conclusion: In hospitalized pneumonia patients of 2009 H1N1 influenza, old age, a history of malignancy, initial hypoxemia, $PaO_2/FiO_2$ ratio, and PSI score appear to be risk factor significantly related to developing MC. These findings might be the basis to influence strategies for admitting patients to an intensive or intermediate care unit and for pre-emptive antiviral therapy.

• The Korean Journal of Health Service Management
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.110-124
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• 2007

Currently, we have seen sudden increase of demand for emergency medical services by reason for high-speed economic development increase of traffics, etc. in this society. Consequently the government enforced & operated emergency medical system in 1991 as a link of more positive countermeasure against it, but many problem; still remain in reality. In particular, the regional emergency medical center designated by the Ministry of Health and Welfare falls short of our expectations for its essential role by the reason of such as insufficiency in professional manpower and institutions concerned in small-scale hospital, matters with transportation system, preference of large hospital, etc. Therefore, this study was conducted grasp for the actual conditions of emergency medical system based upon literature research & the preceding studies and interview research the motive of coming hospital, satisfaction & understand to the subject of 150 persons of patients and their guardians who used regional emergency center of Pusan National University Hospital, thereby examining & analysing the cause of emergency room overcrowding by non-emergency cases, one of the problem; enumerated from preceding studies. The main result of this study is as follows. First the actual condition of non-emergency patients coming hospital for examining overcrowding of emergency medical center showed that, of the patients who used the emergency medical center, non-emergency patients accounted for 49.3%, which acted as the main cause of delaying medical care for emergency cases, cases of which medical person or first-aid man decided to come hospital accounted for 36.1 %, thereby suggesting essential need for re-education & wide public information to even the professional manpower besides patients & guardians for their using emergency medical system. Second, as the result of researching patient acknowledgement with reference to their using emergency medical center, the rate of their giving right answer is no more than 60%, which means that non-emergency cases' using as such is due to the shortage of their knowledge of the said emergency medical center, which suggests us that wider P.R for emergency medical system to common people who may be one of the patients of it at any time is still in need. Third, the result of researching for finding out a future remedy of emergency medical system showed that the users who know well of the way of using emergency medical center had relatively high satisfaction of it, ones who have lesser knowledge of it lower satisfaction and users who feel in need of emergency specialized manpower feel the necessity of public information of emergency medical information center(1339) at the same time. The finding of examining the subject of study, in conclusion, showed that the degree of the patients & their guardians' understanding of emergency medical system is lower and the medical persons concerned also had no distinct difference in their understanding of it from the common people's, which suggests us for extensive enforcement of systematic education and public information in aspect of the government via various media for the purpose of effective operation of emergency medical center.