• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.102-106
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• 2010

Purpose: With the increasing numbers of foreign residents in Korea, the need for an emergency medical care system for foreign patients seems to be growing. Sometimes, a foreigner admitted to an emergency room is not treated sufficiently due to the absence of insurance, facility in the Korean language, and a guardian. The management of a foreigner with trauma in the ER is difficult due to various problems such as social and economic status. The purpose of this study was to investigate the current management status of foreigners with penetrating wounds in the emergency room. Methods: This study is an analysis of 580 patients that were diagnosed with penetrating wounds in one teaching Hospital from Jan. 1, 2008 to Dec. 31, 2008. We analyzed results according to nationality, alcohol ingestion, intentional or accidental trauma, trauma mechanism, injury severity, management time in the ER, and outcome in the ER. Results: Of the total 580 patients, 486 patients (83.8%) were native Koreans and 94 patients (16.2%) were foreigners. According to the Revised Trauma Score, the average score of native Korean patients was 7.808, and the average score of foreign patients was 7.638. Of native Korean patients, 22.6% had knife wounds while 38.3% of foreign patients did. Of native Korean patients, 17.3% experienced intentional trauma while 33.0% of the foreign patients did. Of native Korean patients, 22.5% had ingested alcohol while 49.4% of the foreigners had. Of native Korean patients, 10.5% were admitted while 7.6% of the foreign patients were. Of native Korean patients, 14.2% were discharged against medical advice (DAMA), while 18.5% of foreign patients were. Of native Korean patients, 1.2% ran away while 8.7% of the foreign patients did. Conclusion: Stabbing was the most common cause of penetrating wounds in foreigner patients in this study. Intentional trauma was more common in foreigners with penetrating wounds than in native Koreans. The severity was higher in foreigners with penetrating wounds than it was in native Koreans, and patients who ran away or were discharged against medical advice were more commonly foreigners with penetrating wounds. Social insurance or policy is needed for the management of foreigners with penetrating wounds.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.301-307
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• 2005

We introduce a new multimedia telemedicine system which is called Telemedicine for Real-time Emergency Multi-consultation(TREM), based on multiple connection between medical specialists. Due to the subdivision of medical specialties, the existing one-to-one telemedicine system needs be modified to a simultaneous multi-consulting system. To facilitate the consultation the designed system includes following modules: high-quality video, video conferenceing, bio-signal transmission, and file transmission. In order to enhance the operability of the system in different network environment, we made it possible for the user to choose appropriate data acquisition sources of multimedia data and video resolutions. We have tested this system set up in three different places: emergency room, radiologist's office, and surgeon's office. All three communicating systems were successful in making connections with the multi-consultation center to exchange data simultaneously in real-time.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.71-86
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• 1997

This study is to suggest some developmental policies by analyzing the activities of first aid party in Kwangju and Chonnam regions for two years from Jan. 1, 1991 to the end of December, 1995. First, the residents in Kwangju and Chonnam regions have the sufficient benefits of emergency medical center, but it will be desirable that general hospital should be established and managed in Kohung peninsula which forms the wide island area far away from big cities. Second, the classification of the degree of severe case in the field by rescue members should be strengthened as the means which can reduce the number of patients transferred to the emergency room and the legal method which rescue members can select the medical agency. Third, children less than 10 are most frequent emergent patients and it is due to parent's indifference and children's in sensibility to safety. So the safely education in the course of infant and elementary education should be strengthened and the method which can keep the self safety through the legal system. Fourth, to increase the rate of emergency measure by rescue members, the reasons of fail of emergency treatment are suggested, the treatment results of each rescue member are analyzed every year and it is desirable that the system which can evaluate the personal ability should be introduced. Fifth, the medical accidents occurred in the case of medical act, by rescue members must lake the legal responsibility, but such a problem can he solved with the compensation of insurance system by government. Sixth, to reduce the time required for transfer, traveling service system for the fixed period in beach should be complemented and extended more and service system at ordinary times should be examined at mountains, the area of traffic jams and large special industrial park. Seventh, since service system with one team of two members of 119 rescue party in expressway cannot be mobilized when multiple accidents occur at the same time, it is considered that service system of two teams of four members should be extended. Eighth, first-aid service in expressway is conducted with rescue and emergency treatment by the rescue party at the same time, but the professional rescue lacks and it may result in the injury of patients. Therefore the creation of rescue party in expressway is the urgent problem.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.32-43
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• 2006

Purpose: Toxic Exposure Surveillance System (TESS) is widely used for poisoning data collection and making a counterplan. But, there were few reports about poisoning data collection using TESS in Korea. The aim was to collect poisoning data using TESS report form and investigate the recognition of emergency physician about the necessity of TESS as preliminary survey. Methods: Retrospectively, we gathered data from hospital records about the patient who admitted hospital emergency room due to poisoning. Date were gathered by paper and/or web client system report form in patients recruited by ICD-10 codes Results: From Jun 2004 to May 2005,3,203 patients were enrolled in 30 hospitals and their mean age was $44.9{\pm}20.3years$ old(male: female = 1,565: 1,638). The most frequent site of exposure was their own residence (73.2%, 2,345/3,203) and most of reported patients were older than 20 years(89.7%, 2,871/3,203). Frequent substances involved in poisoning were medication(41.9%) and pesticide(33.3%). Intentional poisoning was 60.7%(1,954). In fatality, overall frequency was 5.1%(162/3,203) and the most frequent route of exposure was ingestion(96.3%, 156/162) and the most frequent substance was pesticide(85.2%, 138/ 162). Antidotes were administered in 202 patients(2-PAM, atropine, antivenin, N-acetylcystein, vitamin K, flumazenil, ethanol, methylene blue, naloxone, calcium compound). 19 of 20 emergency physicians agreed with necessity of TESS. Conclusion: Data collection using TESS report form showed preliminary poisoning events in Korea. Frequent poisoning substance were medication and pesticide. The fatality was mainly related with pesticide ingestion. Many doctors in emergency room recognized the necessity of TESS.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing Administration
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.309-321
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• 2002

Purpose: A cost analysis for nursing services in operative nursing unit, emergency nursing unit, and ambulatory nursing unit was performed using patient classification system by nursing intensity in order to determine an appropriate nursing fee schedule. Method: The data were collected from 4 secondary hospitals and 5 tertiary hospitals from November 14th 2000 to January 15th 2001. The study was conducted through four phases as follows: 1) Nursing hours of each nursing service in special nursing units were measured using three kinds of patient classification systems by nursing intensity. 2) The nursing cost of nursing services in operative nursing unit, emergency nursing unit, and ambulatory nursing units was estimated based on patient classification system by nursing intensity. Results: As a result, nursing hours by nursing intensity of each special nursing unit were measured, and every nursing cost by nursing intensity in operation room and emergency room was estimated, meanwhile, the cost of nursing services in ambulatory care units was estimated only per visit as shown in chapter 4. Conclusion: Future research on nursing cost should be extended to other special nursing units such as various intensive nursing care units, delivery room, and so on. In addition, the patient classification system should be refined for its appropriateness to apply all levels of medical institutions.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.99-103
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• 2013

Purpose: This hospital has operated a trauma system of the inclusive trauma system under the sponsorship of this hospital and with financial support from the government from 2011, and it has been designated as a specialized trauma center (candidate) since November 2008. Therefore, this emergency medical center evaluated the influence of the inclusive trauma system on the course of healing and on the results for trauma patients within the region. Methods: The medical records of all patients who were registered as trauma patients from among those who visited the emergency medical center of this hospital from April 2009 to May 2012 were retrospectively reviewed. The monthly and the annual averages of important indices, such as the time in the emergency room and preventable mortalities, were calculated, and patterns of change were sought. The preventable mortality rate was calculated by using the Trauma Injury Severity Score (TRISS) for each patient. Results: The total number of patients registered from April 2009 to May 2012 was 601, and male patients accounted for a larger proportion(432 males(71.88%) vs. 169 females(28.12%)). Their average age was 46.2 years, the average Revised Trauma Score (RTS) was 5.74 points, and the average Injury Severity Score (ISS) was 26.99 points. The preventable mortality rate during the entire period, which was calculated using the TRISS, appeared lower than the preventable mortality rates reported in past studies in the Republic of Korea. Conclusion: These results for the operation of a new trauma system are limited in that they are only for a local private university hospital. However, results show greater changes and developments in and out of the hospital due to multilateral endeavors by the trauma team and the hospital. These endeavors include increased communications among the departments and development of a complementary patient registration system.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.164-171
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• 2009

Purpose: The number of patients who take warfarin is growing and so is the number of complications. Hemorrhage is the major complication, but the clinical characteristics and outcomes have not been determined for Korean patients. Therefore, we tried to evaluate the characteristics of the patients with hemorrhagic complications after taking warfarin as anticoagulation therapy. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of the patients who visited the emergency room with bleeding complications after taking warfarin anticoagulation at the out-patient clinic for 1 year from 1 st January 2008. We compared between two groups (the major hemorrhage group vs. the minor hemorrhage group) according to the clinical criteria, the unstable vital signs that required blood transfusion, transfusion more than 2 units of blood, the need for further laboratory follow-up, the need for interventional treatment and the development of critical complications or death due to bleeding. Results: There were 150 patients who met the criteria and had acute hemorrhagic complications (the major group: 90 patients and the minor group: 60 patients). In the major hemorrhage group, the frequent sites of bleeding were the gastro-intestinal system (40 patients), lung (14 patients) and intracranium (7 patients). At the emergency room, the major group showed a higher initial INR of the activated prothrombin time than did the minor group (p=0.02). The bleeding sites of the fatal cases were the gastro-intestinal system (3 patients), lung (3 patients) and intracranium (3 patients), but the percentage of fatality was the highest for intracranium bleeding. Conclusion: In the major hemorrhage group, gastrointestinal bleeding was the most frequent complication and fatality was the highest for intracranium bleeding. An initially higher INR showed a greater risk of major bleeding, but not more fatalities.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.120-125
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• 2017

Purpose: The aim of this study was to identify clinical outcome and characteristics of trauma patients via emergency medical services (EMS). Methods: Medical records of the trauma patients visiting the emergency department were retrospectively collected and analyzed from January 2015 to June 2016 in the single institution. Of 529 registered patients, 371 patients were transported by - were enrolled. The parameters including age, gender, injury mechanism, Glasgow coma scale on arrival, presence of shock (systemic blood pressure <90 mmHg) on arrival, time to arrival from accident to emergency room (ER), need for emergency procedures such as operation or angioembolization, need for intensive care unit (ICU) admission, injury severity score (ISS), the trauma and injury severity score, revised trauma score (RTS), length of stay, and mortality rate were collected. The SAS version 9.4 (SAS Institute, Cary, NC, USA) was used for the data analysis. Results: Arrival time from the field to the ER was significantly shorter in EMS group. However, overall outcomes including mortalities, length of stay in the ICU and hospital were same between both groups. Age, ISS, RTS, and injury mechanisms were significantly different in both groups. ISS, RTS, and age showed significant influence on mortality statistically (p<0.05). Conclusions: The time to arrival of EMS was fast but had no effect on length of hospital stay, mortality rate. Further research that incorporates pre-hospital factors influence clinical outcomes should be conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of such a system in trauma care of Korea.

• Fire Science and Engineering
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.96-103
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• 2015

This study investigates the socio-economic and clinical characteristics associated with emergency medical transport use by the elderly based on 2008~2011 Korea Health Panel data. A model of emergency medical transport use was analyzed, and the results indicate that use of 119 ambulances and private ambulances by the elderly accounted for 46.8% of all users, and 35.1% of their emergency room visits. Statistically significant factors associated with emergency medical transport use were gender (OR = 2.19, 95% CI = 1.51-3.17), relationship to household (OR = 2.19, 95% CI = 1.45-3.32), insurance type (OR = 1.41, 95% CI = 1.10-1.82), handicap (OR = 1.44, 95% CI = 1.14-1.83), reason for emergency department visits (OR = 1.53, 95% CI = 1.20-1.97), and treatment after emergency medical service completed (OR = 3.45, 95% CI = 2.80-4.25). The increased elderly population in an aging society will lead to a surge in demand for emergency patient transport services, and emergency medical services that are tailored to the elderly need to be developed accordingly.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.47-63
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• 2011

Purpose : This research is to examine the work and job satisfaction of paramedics in the emergency room of university hospitals. This research is done to provide basic data needed for establishing work realms of paramedics in hospitals and to enhance their degree of satisfaction. Methods : Research questionnaire survey was conducted on 141 paramedics working in the emergency room of 32 university hospitals from August 24, 2010 to September 30, 2010 through direct visits and telephone interviews or email to explain the purpose of this research and assurance of confidentiality of responses on the questionnaires. As the tool for the degree of job satisfaction, 'The Index of Work Satisfaction' developed by Slavitt, et al(1978) and revised and supplemented by Soon-shim Kim and Hye-ran Kwon(2002) was used. The collected data were analyzed by evaluating frequency, percentage, mean, standard deviation, t-test and ANOVA, Cronbach's $\alpha$ by using SPSS WIN 18.0 program. Results : 1. Investigating the work and role of paramedics in the emergency room of university hospitals, electrocardiogram(EKG) was found to be highest with $\alpha$ was widely used with the rate of patient evaluation and test area. In the medical treatment for patients area, cardiopulmonary resuscitation(CPR) with 95%(134 persons) and ventilation assistance through ambu bagging(BVM) with 95%(134 persons) were found to be high. $\alpha$ were performed. In the role within the hospital and other areas, a member of CPR team in the hospital accounted for 78%(110 persons). 2. In the measurements of the job satisfaction of paramedics working at university hospitals, the total mean score was 2.91. The mean score in each question area indicated: section on job 3.48, autonomy 3.05, interaction 3.01, organizational demand 2.85, working conditions 2.67, salaries 2.40. This result obviously demonstrates the work of paramedics itself was most satisfied but the salaries were most dissatisfied. 3. In the measurements of the job satisfaction of paramedics working at university hospitals, job satisfaction based on the general characteristics showed significant difference in age (F=6.547, p=.002), gender (F=4.436, p=.000) marital status (F=-3.270, p= .001), religion (F=2.041, p= .043), motive for application (F=3.603, p= .015), and salary (F=6.658, p= .000). 대학병원 응급실 내 1급 응급구조사의 업무와 직무만족도 The Journal of the Korean Society of Emergency Medical Technology Vol. 15 (1) 63 4. In the measurements of the job satisfaction of paramedics working at university hospitals, job satisfaction based on the working environmental characteristics showed significant difference in total number of paramedics (F=3.779, p= .012), form of employment (F=5.601, p= .001), existence or non-existence of intention to change jobs (F=-4.037, p= .000). Conclusion : The work of paramedics in the emergency room of university hospitals consists of lots of treatment processes after specialized diagnosis and performance of professionally subdivided works. However, current legislation does not reflect such circumstances to which paramedics are exposed; thus, it should be considered for further revision and modification. The degree of job satisfaction of paramedics in the emergency room of university hospitals was high but low in salaries and working conditions were the weak points. The measures to enhance their degree of job satisfaction should be taken though improvement of labor conditions such as consideration of the rate of increase in salaries, compensation for overtime work, providing rest areas, improvement of current employment system, and conversion of temporary employees into regular employees.