• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.55-62
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• 2016

Purposes: The industry has specialized and fragmented than in the past. As a factor of economic growth and industrialization, the number of people employed in primary industry decreased and the number of people employed in secondary and third industry continuously increased. In modern times, incidence of chronic disease is increasing according to industrial development. So, the purpose of this study was to analyze the chronic disease according to Clark's industrial classification. Methodology: Data were derived from the 2012 Korea Health Panel. The sample was made up of 7,132 adult participants aged 20 or over selected Korea Health Panel by probability sampling from Korea. Binary logistic regression analysis was conducted to examine the main factors associated with chronic disease. Findings: The significant factors associated with chronic disease were gender, age, marital status, household member, education level, insurance type, disability, BMI, and industrial classification. Female, elderly, divorced(including bereavement, missing and separation), one-person households, less than high school graduation, medical aid, disability, obese and primary industry were confirmed chronic disease increases. Practical Implications: The study finds that primary industry's prevalence of chronic disease was higher than secondary and third industry. Therefore, this study aims to management and effort of the worker who engaged in the primary industry. Policy development is required to address inequality or popularization of the differences in these factors by conducting a study to define the working conditions and socio-economic factors between industry.

• Journal of Korean Gerontological Nursing
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• v.20 no.sup1
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• pp.137-143
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• 2018

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine effectiveness and usefulness of Information Communication Technology (ICT) in communication between physician and visiting nurses who provide visiting nursing services under long-term care insurance. Methods: Structured questionnaires were used to measure usefulness and satisfaction of the system, both accessibility and convenience to visiting nurses (31 people) and users (182 people). Results: From the user perspective, accessibility and convenience in terms of service users were both satisfactory as shown by users' percentage. No statistically significant difference was found for satisfaction between before and after using the system. The usefulness of the system for visiting nurses was satisfactory for most the nurses. Also most nurses answered that the system is needed and is very useful. Most of the participants (both visiting nurse and service users) were satisfied with use of the ICT system. However, there was no statistically significant difference in satisfaction between the pre and post service because the service provision period was too short (three months). Conclusion: The consensus from both users and service providers is that an ICT based visiting nursing system needs to be introduced but a more user - friendly environment for system development will be needed.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.85 no.1
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• pp.11-17
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• 2022

Background: In asthma, consistent control of chronic airway inflammation is crucial, and the use of asthma-controller medication has been emphasized. Our purpose in this study is to compare the incidence of acute exacerbation and healthcare costs related to the use of asthma-controller medication. Methods: By using data collected by the National Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, we compared one-year clinical outcomes and medical costs from July 2014 to June 2015 (follow-up period) between two groups of patients with asthma who received different prescriptions for recommended asthma-controller medication (inhaled corticosteroids or leukotriene receptor antagonists) at least once from July 2013 to June 2014 (assessment period). Results: There were 51,757 patients who satisfied our inclusion criteria. Among them, 13,702 patients (26.5%) were prescribed a recommended asthma-controller medication during the assessment period. In patients using a recommended asthma-controller medication, the frequency of acute exacerbations decreased in the follow-up period, from 2.7% to 1.1%. The total medical costs of the controller group decreased during the follow-up period compared to the assessment period, from $3,772,692 to $1,985,475. Only 50.9% of patients in the controller group used healthcare services in the follow-up period, and the use of asthma-controller medication decreased in the follow-up period. Conclusion: Overall, patients using a recommended asthma-controller medication showed decreased acute exacerbation and reduced total healthcare cost by half.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.349-356
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• 2014

Background: This study aimed to explore factors associated with the non-use of beneficiaries of long-term care insurance services for the elderly in Jeollanam-do Province by analyzing a dataset obtained from National Health Insurance Service. Methods: The study sample consists of 1,663 individuals who were evaluated as eligible for long-term care insurance services in Jeollanam-do Province during the period of July 1, 2008 through June 30, 2009. As a dependent variable, the non-use of the service was defined as one when a beneficiary had used it once or more times during one year after he or she was evaluated as eligible and as zero otherwise. A proportion analysis was conducted to describe characteristics of study sample. Chi-square tests were used to compare general characteristics between beneficiaries who had used the services and those who had not used them. Multiple logistic regressions were performed by three models including additional sets of explanatory variables such as socio-demographic characteristics, health conditions, and economic status. Results: Main results are summarized as follows. The proportion of beneficiaries who had not used the service was 14.5% of all beneficiaries. According to the results from the model using all explanatory variables, the factors associated with the non-use of the services were residence location, dwelling place, type of desired service, level of care needs, and instrumental activities of daily life limitations. Conclusion: In particular, regarding the type of desired service, the cash benefit showed a high likelihood of the non-use of the service; it had an odds ratio (OR) of 50.212 (95% confidence interval [CI], 24.00-105.04) compared with home service. In case of dwelling place, a hospital showed also a high likelihood of the non-use with an OR of 20.71 (95% CI, 10.12-42.44) compared with home.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.241-250
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• 2012

Low birth rate is a persisting national challenge that causes a decrease in productive population and an increase in encumbrances by ever rising insurance premiums, eventually threatening the existence of the country. This study investigated the effectiveness of the current government's undergoing economic support of the child-birth promotion policy, "go-un-mam card", and suggested improvement plans about the problems derived on the basis of the perceptions of the card users. Multi-response analysis was used to find out the preference of the policy, and chi-square test was conducted to discover the user satisfaction rate and intent of re-parturition. Also, descriptive analysis was performed to identify the degree of the policy recognition. The results illustrated that a significant association exists between the satisfaction rate and the intention of re-parturition. In addition, pregnant women gained information about the policy from governmental agencies and medical institution as well as by word of mouth; then, applied to the policy. Also, the card users only took an advantage of discounts in the hospitals within the supported monetary amounts. Moreover, the card users expressed their dissatisfaction at the monetary amounts. For instance, the users were dissatisfied with the limit on the amount to be used in a day and requested upgrade on the monetary amounts. Based on the result, the government will improve and develop the go-un-mam card for the ultimate purpose of policy, increasing birth-rate.

• Quality Improvement in Health Care
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.93-112
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• 2006

This study reviewed published studies on interventions used by hospitals, health insurance programs, or governments to improve use of medicines in foreign countries. Interventions to improve use of medicines are classified into two categories: 1) information strategies-dissemination of educational materials, group education, one-to-one educational outreach, drug utilization review, and feedback; 2) managerial strategies- formularies, prior authorization, and financial incentives. Dissemination of educational materials, which is a common intervention, was unsuccessful in changing physicians' prescribing behaviors. Problem-based small group education was more likely to change behaviors than didactic large group education. One-to-one educational outreach(academic detailing) was among the most effective strategies used to change prescribing behaviors. Prospective drug utilization review (DUR) program was more successful in improving use of medicines than retrospective DUR program. Feedback intervention has been reported to be ineffective to change behaviors. Formularies are frequently used to control medication use by most health insurance programs. Financial incentives provide physicians economic incentives according to appropriateness of prescribing. However, few published studies have assessed the efficacy of formularies or financial incentives. Prior authorization requires physicians to get authorization from health insurers before prescribing a certain group of drugs which is usually of high costs or risk. There is no magic bullet for quality use of medicines. Multifaceted interventions that help to predispose, enable, and reinforce desired behaviors are more likely to be successful.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.220-227
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• 2020

Objectives: The aim of this study was to assess how different social determinants of health (SDoH) may be related to variability in coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) rates in cities and towns in Massachusetts (MA). Methods: Data about the total number of cases, tests, and rates of COVID-19 as of June 10, 2020 were obtained for cities and towns in MA. The data on COVID-19 were matched with data on various SDoH variables at the city and town level from the American Community Survey. These variables included information about income, poverty, employment, renting, and insurance coverage. We compared COVID-19 rates according to these SDoH variables. Results: There were clear gradients in the rates of COVID-19 according to SDoH variables. Communities with more poverty, lower income, lower insurance coverage, more unemployment, and a higher percentage of the workforce employed in essential services, including healthcare, had higher rates of COVID-19. Most of these differences were not accounted for by different rates of testing in these cities and towns. Conclusions: SDoH variables may explain some of the variability in the risk of COVID-19 across cities and towns in MA. Data about SDoH should be part of the standard surveillance for COVID-19. Efforts should be made to address social factors that may be putting communities at an elevated risk.

• Quality Improvement in Health Care
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.69-78
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• 2011

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to determine whether the published AMI report card could reduce in-patient mortality, 7-day after discharge mortality, and length of stay (LOS). Methods : Interrupted time-series intervention analysis was used to evaluate the impact of the report card for AMI care quality in November 2005 in terms of risk-adjusted in-patient mortality, risk-adjusted 7-day after discharge mortality, and DRGs case-mix LOS using the claim data of Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service. Results : Public disclosure of AMI care quality decreased risk-adjusted in-patient mortality and DRGs case-mix LOS by 0.00050% per month and 0.042 days per month respectively, however there was no effect on risk-adjusted 7-day after discharge mortality. Patterns of effect of public disclosure on AMI outcomes were a fluctuating pattern on risk-adjusted mortalities and a pulse impact for 1 month on DRGs case-mix LOS. Conclusions : We found the public disclosure of AMI care quality had decreasing effects on risk-adjusted in-patient mortality and DRGs case-mix LOS, but the size of the effect was marginal.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.543-552
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• 2014

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to develop integrated evaluation indicators of home care services in the hope that the increasing group of long-term home care patients could receive quality care services. Methods: The development involves a methodological study on a development phase and a verification phase. The main survey at a verification stage was conducted by the staffs at 146 institutions who agreed to participate on this study. Results: The evaluation index for the integrated home visit care consisted of five categories and 57 indicators including Managing Institution (12), Environment and Safety (3), Right and Responsibility (7), Process of Care (31) and Results of Care (4). The criterion-related validity was verified in regard to the participation in the 2010 evaluation of long-term home-care institutions by the National Health Insurance Corporation. Conclusion: The evaluation index of the integrated home visiting care developed in this study is considered suitable to utilize as evaluating indicators in managing and evaluating the way of how institutions integrate and provide home visit care services as well as home nursing care services.

• The Korean Journal of Health Service Management
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2016

Objectives : Medical service specialization could have positive effects on their profits and medical service quality. This study was to examine the relationship between medical service specializations and operational performance in hospitals. Methods : We used the National Inpatient Sample data provided by the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service from 2010 to 2013. The hospital operational performance was determined by measuring the specialization level of the hospital based on DRGs. Results : The information theory index was 2.38 in 2010, 2.38 in 2011, 2.37 in 2012, and 2.37 in 2013. A multiple regression model was constructed which showed that if the specialization level becomes higher, it decreases the length of stay per case with an increase in medical expense. Conclusions : Differentiation and concentrated medical service specialization strategy have had a positive effect on the operational performance of hospitals.