• Health Policy and Management
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.196-210
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• 2024

Background: In January 2018, revised elderly fixed outpatient copayment for the elderly were implemented. When people ages 65 years and older receive outpatient treatment at clinic-level medical institutions (clinic, dental clinic, Korean medicine clinic), with medical expenses exceeding 15,000 won but not exceeding 25,000 won, their copayment rates have decreased differentially from 30%. This study aimed to examine the changes of health utilization of elderly after revised elderly fixed outpatient copayment. Methods: We used Korea health panel data from 2016 to 2018. The time period is divided into before and after the revised elderly fixed outpatient copayment. We conducted Poisson segmented regression to estimate the changes in outpatient utilization and inpatient utilization and conducted segmented regression to estimate the changes in medical expenses. Results: Immediately after the revised policy, the number of clinic and Korean medicine outpatient visits of medical expenses under 15,000 won decreased. But the number of clinic outpatient visits in the range of 15,000 to 20,000 won and Korean medicine clinic in the range of 20,000 to 25,000 won increased. Copayment in outpatient temporarily decreased. The inpatient admission rates and total medical expenses temporarily decreased but increased again. Conclusion: We confirmed the temporary increase in outpatient utilization in the medical expense segment with reduced copayment rates. And a temporary decrease in medical expenses followed by an increase again. To reduce the burden of medical expense among elderly in the long run, efforts to establish chronic disease management policies aimed at preventing disease occurrence and deterioration in advance need to continue.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.19-26
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• 2007

Purpose: To compare of the accuracy among various measurement procedures of HDR Brachytherapy, and to evaluate the clinical suitability and usefulness of alternative PMMA (polymethylmethacrylateplastics: $C_5H_8O_2$) plate phantom without any additional cost due to the purchase of measuring apparatus. Materials and Methods: We made a comparative study on three types of measuring systems: well type chamber, source calibration jig, and PMMA plate phantom. Farmer type chamber was used for source calibration jig method and PMMA plate phantom method. Measurement was done 5 times each in comparison with the measurement values from manufacturer. Measurement results from experiment were compared with that from the manufacturer which is offered with the source whenever a source is substituted by a new one and evaluate the accuracy of source activity. Results: As a consequence of Ir-192 source measurement using well type chamber, source calibration jig and PMMA plate phantom, RMS (Root Mean Square) values for the relative error are 0.6%, 1.57%, 2.1%, respectively, compared with the data from manufacturer. And the mean errors with standard deviation are given $-0.2{\pm}0.5%$, $0.97{\pm}1.23%$, $-0.89{\pm}1.87%$ respectively. Conclusion: From the results shown by the three types of measurement system (well type chamber, source calibration jig, and PMMA plate phantom), the measurement with well type chamber produced the best accuracy. It turns out that we can also use the alternative system of PMMA plate phantom clinically without purchasing any additional particular apparatus since the system does not exceed the recommendation of AAPM (American Association of Physicists in Medicine), which requires the error range of within ${\pm}5%$.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.51-60
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• 2022

Objectives: Currently, Korea's medical services are divided into Western medicine and Korean medicine, and people who are not satisfied with the existing treatments are looking for complementary and alternative medicine(CAM). Therefore, this study attempted to confirm patients' perception of the ongoing collaborative treatment and integrated medical service that added CAM to collaborative treatment based on tertiary hospital users. So that we can confirm the expected advantage and disadvantage of integrated medical service system and the necessity of supporting medical expenses for it. Methods: The survey was conducted on 100 people who experienced tertiary hospital treatment and other 100 people who experienced both tertiary hospital treatment and Korean medicine treatment at the same period. The survey was conducted until the number of respondents in both group reached 100. The survey was conducted through e-mail and was conducted from September 27, 2021 to October 8, 2021. Results: For the advantages of collaborative treatment 'increased in psychological stability,' and for disadvantages 'longer time spent for treatment' were the most common. If integrated medical services are implemented in the future, expected advantages include 'consideration of various treatments.' and expected disadvantages include 'increased medical cost.' The needs to expand support for health insurance for integrated medical services were 75.5% among responders. Conclusions: We were able to find out the (expected) advantages and disadvantages of the collaborative medical care and the integrated medical system that medical users experienced or expected, also confirmed positive answers to the expansion of health insurance support for the integrated medical system.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.91-102
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• 1993

This study was carried out to assess medical care expenditure of residents in urban poor area. The study population included 377 family members of 85 households in the poor area of Daemyung 8-Dong, Nam-Gu, Taegu and 442 family members of 96 households in a control area. The data was collected through self-administered questionnaires completed by housewives. The survey was conducted from March 1 to May 31, 1992. The mean age was 31.1 years in the poor area and 37.1 years in the control area. The average number of households per house was 4.5 in the poor area and 4.5 in the control area. The frequency of medical care utilization per household in a one month period was 4.6 in the poor area and 4.3 in the control area. The average number of days of utilization was 12.9 in the poor area and 12.5 in the control area. The average monthly income of a househlod in the poor area was 848,600 Won compared to the control area's 1,752,300 Won. The average monthly consumption expenditure of a household in the poor area was 568,800 Won and that in the control area 1,238,400 Won. The average medical care monthly expenditure per household was 34,500 Won in the poor area and 58,400 Won in the control area. The proportion of the medical care expenditure to monthly income and to monthly consumption expenditure was 4.1% and 6.1% respectively in the poor area, and 3.3% and 4.7%, respectively in the control area. The premium of medical insurance was 1.5% in both areas. The proportion of cost for drug was 57.4%, for medical appliance was 1.2%, and for medical treatment was 41.1% in the poor area and in the control area 52.4%, 1.9%, 45.7%, respectively. The highest proportion of medical care expenditures in the poor area was herb clinic utilization (36.9%), while hospital and clinic(37.8%) was the highest proportion in the control area. Mean medical care expenditure per visit was 7,400 Won in the poor area and 12,600 Won in the control area. Mean medical care expinditure per day was 2.800 Won in the poor area and 6,300 Won in the control area.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.51-56
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• 2005

This study investigated the medicines prescribed in dental services in order to provide information and materials on dental clinics and hospitals, for the intention of leading the dental circle to make efforts for voluntary improvement, do adequate prescription, and attempt for bench marking through this unfolding of their tendency in continuous prescription behaviors, and leading the people to have a right recognition on adequate medicine use through this information on their medicine-taking behaviors including antibiotics and injections. From the records of outpatient prescriptions of medicines under health insurance over the period of June 1st to September 31th in 2003 in the 34,226 recuperation institutions, antibiotics and injections were analyzed into administration days, prescription frequency, medicine cost per administration day, the number of medicines per prescription, and the number weight of high priced medicines. The findings were as below: 1. Adminstration days of antibiotics was 90.11% in the dental clinics, which was a decrease than the same quarter and the previous quarter of the previous year. While the prescription frequency of antibiotics was 15.5%, higher than the same quarter and the previous quarter of the previous year. In dental hospitals, administration days and prescription frequency of antibiotics were 71.57% and 21.05%, respectively, a little higher than the previous quarter. Compared to other kind of recuperation institutions, dental clinics and hospitals had higher administration days and lower prescription frequency. 2. For injections, adminstration days and prescription frequency in dental clinics were 0.13% and 0.05%, respectively, which were decreases than the same quarter of the previous year. In dental hospitals, adminstration days and prescription frequency were 1.03% and 0.88%, respectively, a little lower than those of the previous quarter. Compared to other kind of recuperation institutions, dental clinics and hospitals were very lower in injection administration days and injection prescription frequency. 3. The number of prescribed medicines was 2.79 in the dental clinics, which was lower than the same quarter of the previous year but higher than the previous quarter. Dental hospitals put 2.67 numbers of medicines per prescription, an increase than the same quarter of the previous year and the previous quarter. Compared to other kind of recuperation institutions, dental clinics and hospitals put smaller number of medicines per prescription. 4. Medicine cost per administration day was 863 won in the dental clinics, which was an increase than the same quarter of the previous year and in the previous quarter. Compared to other kind of recuperation institutions, dental clinics and hospitals had lower medicine cost per administration day. 5. The number weight of high priced medicines was 46.43% in dental clinics, which was an increase than the previous quarter. In dental hospitals, it was 54.05%, so remarkable an increase than the previous quarter. Compared to other kind of hospitals and clinics, dental clinics and hospitals prescribed larger number of high priced medicines. 6. By districts, the frequency of antibiotics prescriptions was the highest in Kwanju and the lowest in Daejeon. The frequency of injection prescriptions was high in all Youngnam districts as was in the second quarter, while low in all the Metropolitan districts. There was a large variation in the prescription frequency to the districts, as the district of the highest prescription frequency had more than 2 times larger frequency than the district of the lowest frequency. Medicine cost per administration day was the highest in Ulsan but the lowest in the north part of Cholla province. The number of medicines per prescription was the largest in Kyonggi province while the smallest in Cheju-do.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.59-64
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• 2003

Objective: This study was conducted for the nationwide statistical survey of poison exposure to provide the rationale for establishing and developing the poison control center (PCC) in Korea. Design: Study group for Korea PCC in National Medical Center reviewed the medical literature on poison exposure of Korea from death reports of National Statistical Office (NSO), the toxic exposure statistics from the report of National Health Insurance Corporation (NHIC), and poison related data from 119 ambulance services (FD) for the purpose of obtaining the poison and its related data. We also conducted questionnaire from the expert who work in emergency medicine department at the designated 320 emergency medical centers in Korea for the preparedness and acknowledgement about necessity of PCC and their need for that. Results: We reviewed the reliable data from the death report of NSO, poison exposure data from NHIC, and running report from FD. Poisoning death occured at home ($36.7\%$) and hospital ($46.3\%$). Poisoning are more common in rural area than the city area. Patients were seen more frequently in the local clinics than in any hospital. The drugs ($45.7\%$) and pesticide ($18.1\%$) are common poison. Common place to poison exposure were residential area ($39.9\%$), industry ($9\%$). mass residential area ($7\%$). and farm ($6\%$). The education level were primary school ($33.2\%$), high school ($23.7\%$), and middle schol ($21.3\%$) in order. We have to provide the poison guideline for lay public to understand easily, and for medical experts. The medical facilities need to be invested and have more interest for toxicology. All medical staff who work in the designated emergency medical center want PCC to establish. They want to have poison information from hospital ($91.3\%$), regional poison information center ($45.0\%$), regional poison control center ($52.5\%$), nationwide poison information center ($48.8\%$), nationwide poison control center ($46.25\%$), as a role of poison control center. They also want that pcc have poison epidemiologic study and statstics, training program for the experts, registration of rare case of posion on website, reflection of policies to activities for antidote production etc., speedy consultation system for poison analysis, public education, establishment of both regional and national pee, etc. Conclusion: Poison center must be established to provide poison information for all the public and medical experitise, focusing rural area and private clinic, to detoxify, to reduce the cost, time, morbity, and mortality through the whole country.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.18 no.12
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• pp.384-389
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• 2017

This study was conducted to investigate the patient and hospital characteristics that affect receiving and non-receiving blood transfusion for hepatoma embolization. We analyzed data describing 757 patients of the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service's 2011 claims sample data. Chi-squared and logistic regression analysis was performed using STATA 12.0. Logistic regression analysis revealed that anemia (Odds ratio (OR)=9.544, 95% confidence interval (CI)=3.362-27.097), female (OR=2.186, Cl=l.240-3.854), age 65-74 (OR=0.506, CI=0.269-0.952), 1000 over bed (OR=0.053, CI=0.018-0.151), out-department (OR=0.211, CI=0.081-0.551), and 700-999 bed (OR=0.105, CI=0.036-0.304) were significant predictors of blood transfusion in tertiary hospitals. Additionally, anemia (OR=69.681, CI=8.545-568.246) and aged 75 or over (OR=0.112, CI=0.025-0.506) were significant predictors of blood transfusion in general hospitals. This research would expected to cost effective and preliminary data of blood transfusion quality.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.299-308
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• 2014

Nowadays, dental tourism becomes phenomenon because of its cost-effectiveness, improvement of quality and technology, dental infrastructure, and attractive tourism. Korea as one of popular destination country had established dental system. On the other hand, Indonesia with high number of population is potential market for dental tourism. The aim of this study is to compare the knowledge, attitude, and experience towards dental tourism among Indonesian and Korean. Two cross-sectional descriptive surveys were conducted to collect the data. This study was used one questionnaire in two different languages due to nature of the study population. Data from a total 923 of Indonesian from 33 provinces in Indonesia was collected during the period from April through July 2010. On the other hand, during May until August 2010 data from a total of 312 Korean were obtained. It was found that the majority of participants in both countries had never heard about dental tourism. Among those who had heard about dental tourism, the most common source was internet. Ownership of dental insurance had significant relationship with knowledge of dental tourism among Indonesian while level of education and monthly internet usage had it among Korean (p<0.05). Attitudes of Indonesian and Korean people about dental tourism were negative due to assumption that dental services in their home country were satisfactory. 100% of Korean had no experience on dental treatment in other countries while 2.4% of Indonesian had experience with it. In conclusion, regarding all these evidences, comprehensive and positive information about dental tourism is needed to enhance people's knowledge, attitude, and experience.

• Journal of Service Research and Studies
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.87-99
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• 2019

Healthcare and data science are often linked through finances as the industry attempts to reduce its expenses with the help of large amounts of data. Data science and medicine are rapidly developing, and it is important that they advance together. Data science is a driving force in transition of healthcare systems from treatment-oriented to preventive care in healthcare 3.0 era. It enables customized precision-based medicine that current healthcare systems cannot facilitate, and discovers more cost-effective treatment. Currently, healthcare big data is in the reality of medical institution, public health, medical academia, pharmaceutical sector as well as insurance agency. With this motivation, the medical college of Soonchunhyang university has performed a 'healthcare data science initiative(HDSI)' since 2014. Most of domestic HDSI programs focus on short-term contents such as mentoring and sharing cases for data science. Therefore, it is difficult to provide education tailored to the level of skills and job competency required at the practical site. Soonchunhyang HDSI implemented specialized strategies for improving resilience and response to changes in the IT education of current healthcare with the emphasis on the need for systematic activation of the practical HDSI. The HDSI has been performed as a part of on industry-academic link program in CK-1. Through quantitative and qualitative analysis, this paper discussed the HDSI process, performance, achievement, and implications.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.479-487
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• 2020

The purpose of this study is to identify a potential user's need for use and operational of the elderly day care center and to identify the problems and suggest development directions. The data collection was conducted on 320 ordinary people living in J-do through a questionnaire, and sought to understand the operational status of in-depth interview institutions for the heads and employees of six center. As a result of the analysis, a potential user's ware not aware of the functions and specific roles of day care center, the cost of facilities was covered by the government, and that facilities and the environment were important factors when using the center. In-depth interviews show that the current policy or system is far from reality and does not fit the status or role of the workers and the operational status of the agency, requiring the re-establishment of the on-site system. Based on the research results, the development direction of day care facilities requires active promotion and strengthening of family support for improving and enhancing awareness of day care facilities to citizens at the national level. Second, the quality of nursing services should be enhanced through improvements in facilities and the environment that reflect users' needs. Third, The government should improve the quality of nursing services by improving the poor employment conditions and treatment of workers to fit the reality.