• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.44-50
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• 2020

Background: Drug-drug interactions (DDIs) in patients using oral anticancer treatment are more common than in those using injectable anticancer agents. In addition, DDIs related to anticancer treatment are known to cause clinically significant outcomes, such as treatment failure and severe toxicity. To prevent these negative outcomes, significant DDIs are monitored and managed using the information provided in drug databases. We aimed to evaluate the consistency of information on clinically significant DDIs for tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKIs) between representative drug databases. Methods: We selected clinically significant DDIs involving medications that are co-prescribed with TKIs and met the following criteria: the severity level of DDIs was equal or greater than "D" in Lexicomp^® or "major" in Micromedex^®. We then analyzed the consistency of the severity classification and evidence level between the drug databases. Spearman's correlation coefficient was used to identify the relationship between DDI information in the drug databases. Results: In total, 627 DDI pairs were identified as clinically significant; information on these was provided by Lexicomp^® and Micromedex^® for 571 and 438 pairs, respectively, and both drug databases provided information on 382 DDI pairs. There was no correlation between the severity and evidence level of DDIs provided in the two databases; Spearman's correlation coefficient for Lexicomp^® and Micromedex^® was -0.009 (p=0.861) and -0.064 (p=0.209), respectively. Conclusion: To judge the significance of DDIs, healthcare providers should consider that the information on DDIs may be different between drug information databases; hence, clinical factors must be considered concurrently.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.31-39
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• 2017

Purpose: Despite the clinical and socio-economic impact of acute poisoned patients, many of the treatments are not standardized in Korea. Moreover, no formal training that is specifically focused on clinical toxicology exists. Rather, training and education are conducted case by case in various institutions. This study was conducted to develop a standardized simulation-based clinical toxicology training curriculum for healthcare providers. This program will focus on specific assessment and treatment of critical toxicology patients, specifically those who have been poisoned with organophosphate. Methods: The study was performed using a pre- and post-design to determine the effects of implementation of this program. The study was conducted at eight different urban teaching hospitals in a simulated room in the clinical area. The study was targeted to 19 groups composed of emergency residents and nurses. Simulation-based learning was conducted for each group. Results: All 19 groups achieved the minimum passing score of 75%. Implementation of the program led to improved performance rates for overall management and cooperative moods competency (p<0.01). Inter-rater agreement between the two evaluators was excellent. In general, the participants thought the program was realistic and were able to recognize and improve the competencies needed to care for organophosphate poisoned patients. Conclusion: Simulation-based learning is an effective educational strategy that can be applied to improving and understanding proper care for rare but critical patients. This program was effective at improving team performance and cooperative moods when managing an organophosphate poisoned patient in the Emergency Department.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.49 no.4
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• pp.183-196
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• 2016

Objectives: There is no systematic review on economic evaluations of telemedicine in Japan, despite over 1000 trials implemented. Our systematic review aims to examine whether Japan's telemedicine is cost-saving or cost-effective, examine the methodological rigorousness of the economic evaluations, and discuss future studies needed to improve telemedicine's financial sustainability. Methods: We searched five databases, including two Japanese databases, to find peer-reviewed articles published between January 1, 2000 and December 31, 2014 in English and Japanese that performed economic evaluations of Japan's telemedicine programs. The methodological rigorousness of the economic analyses was assessed with a well-established checklist. We calculated the benefit-to-cost ratio (BCR) when a reviewed study reported related data but did not report the BCR. All cost values were adjusted to 2014 US dollars. Results: Among the 17 articles identified, six studies reported on settings connecting physicians for specialist consultations, and eleven studies on settings connecting healthcare providers and patients at home. There are three cost-benefit analyses and three cost-minimization analyses. The remaining studies measured the benefit of telemedicine only, using medical expenditure saved or users' willingness-to-pay. There was substantial diversity in the methodological rigorousness. Studies on teledermatology and teleradiology indicated a favorable level of economic efficiency. Studies on telehomecare gave mixed results. One cost-benefit analysis on telehomecare indicated a low economic efficiency, partly due to public subsidy rules, e.g., a too short budget period. Conclusions: Overall, telemedicine programs in Japan were indicated to have a favorable level of economic efficiency. However, the scarcity of the economic literature indicates the need for further rigorous economic evaluation studies.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.65-83
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• 2008

Although a variety of customer relationship management (CRM) activities have been provided by many hospitals in Korea, there lacks empirical evidence on the effect of CRM. The present study was conducted to examine the effect of CRM in terms of the customer response to CRM in a woman's hospital setting. A total of 380 patients receiving inpatient or outpatient care from woman's hospital between October 25 and November 4, 2005 were surveyed for the degree of their experience of and preference for CRM activities of the hospital by 5-point Likert-type scale. Patients were also asked about the level of customer loyalty to the hospital. Eighteen CRM activities offered by the hospital was classified into 4 types of CRM strategies according to Berry and Parasuranman: price, social, structural, and relationship recovery strategy. There's a significant positive correlation between the degree of experience of CRM and preference for CRM(r=0.49, p<0.001). Regression analysis results showed the significant positive relationship between the degree of experience of CRM and customer loyalty(${\beta}$=0.448, p<0.05). Among the 4 CRM strategies, only social(${\beta}$=0.127, p<0.05) and structural strategy(${\beta}$=0.266, p<0.05) showed signifiant positive relationship with customer loyalty. Overall, the favorable customer response to CRM in terms of preference for CRM and customer loyalty indicates that there's a positive effect of CRM on the continuity of the relationship between patients and health care providers.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.39 no.5
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• pp.397-403
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• 2006

Objectives: We estimated the asthma-related health care utilization and costs in Korea from the insurer's and societal perspective. Methods: We extracted the insurance claims records from the Korea National Health Insurance claims database for determining the health care services provided to patients with asthma in 2003. Patients were defined as having asthma if they had ${\geq}$2 medical claims with diagnosis of asthma and they had been prescribed anti-asthma medicines, Annual claims records were aggeregated for each patient to produce patient-specific information on the total utilization and costs. The total asthma-related cost was the sum of the direct healthcare costs, the transportation costs for visits to health care providers and the patient's or caregivers' costs for the time spent on hospital or outpatient visits. Results: A total of 699,603people were identified as asthma patients, yielding an asthma prevalence of 1.47%. Each asthma patient had 7.56 outpatient visits, 0.01 ED visits and 0.02 admissions per year to treat asthma. The per-capita insurance-covered costs increased with age, from 128,276 Won for children aged 1 to 14 years to 270,729 Won for those aged 75 or older. The total cost in the nation varied from 121,865 million to 174,949 million Won depending on the perspectives. From a societal perspective, direct health care costs accounted for 84.9%, transportation costs for 15.1 % and time costs for 9.2% of the total costs. Conclusions: Hospitalizations and ED visits represented only a small portion of the asthma-related costs. Most of the societal burden was attributed to direct medical expenditures, with outpatient visits and medications emerging as the single largest cost components.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.236-243
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• 2014

Objectives: Despite the recent emphasis on a patient-centered chronic care model, few studies have investigated its use in older adults in South Korea. We explored how older Korean adults perceive and cope with their chronic illness. Methods: We conducted focus group interviews in Seoul, Korea in January 2010. Focus groups were formed by disease type (hypertension and type 2 diabetes) and gender using purposive sampling. Inclusion criteria were patients aged 60 and over who had been diagnosed with diabetes or hypertension and received care at a community health center for at least six months prior to participation. Interview data were analyzed through descriptive content analysis. Results: Among personal factors, most participants felt overwhelmed when they received their diagnosis. However, with time and control of their acute symptoms using medication, their worry diminished and participants tended to denying being identified as a patient or sick person. Among socio-familial factors, participants reported experiencing stigma with their chronic illness and feeling it was a symbol of weakness. Instead of modifying their lifestyles, which might interfere with their social relationships, they resorted to only following their medicine regime prescribed by their doctor. Participants also reported feeling that their doctor only prescribed medications and acted in an authoritative and threatening manner to induce and reinforce participants' compliance with treatment. Conclusions: For successful patient-centered management of chronic illnesses, supportive environments that include family, friends, and healthcare providers should be established.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.12
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• pp.4885-4891
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• 2014

Background: Successful implementation of pain management procedures and guidelines in an institution depends very much on the acceptance of many levels of healthcare providers. Aim: The main purpose of this study was to determine the level of knowledge and attitudes regarding pain among nurses working in tertiary care in a local setting and the factors that may be associated with this. Materials and Methods: This cross-sectional research study used a modified version of the Nurses' Knowledge and Attitudes Survey (NKAS) regarding pain. Basic demographic data were obtained for further correlation with the level of pain knowledge. Results: A total of 566 nurses, 34 male and 532 female, volunteered to participate in this study. The response rate (RR) was 76%, with an overall mean percentage score of $42.7{\pm}10.9$ (range: 5-92.5). The majority of participants were younger nurses below 40 years of age and more than 70% had worked for less than 10 years ($6.6{\pm}4.45$). Up to 92% had never had any formal education in pain management in general. The total mean score of correct answers was $58.6{\pm}9.58$, with oncology nursing staff scoring a higher percentage when compared with nurses from other general and critical care wards ($63.52{\pm}9.27$, p<0.045). Only 2.5% out of all participants obtained a score of 80% or greater. The majority of the oncology nurses achieved the expected competency level (p<0.03). Conclusions: The present findings give further support for the universal concern about poor knowledge and attitudes among nurses' related to the optimal management of pain. The results reflected that neither number of years working nor age influenced the level of knowledge or attitudes of the practising nurses. Oncology nursing staff consistently scored better than the rest of the cohort. This reflects that clinical experience helped to improve attitudes and knowledge concerning better pain management.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.14 no.12
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• pp.7685-7692
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• 2013

Background: Management of hypertension and diabetes in cancer survivors is an important issue; however, not much is known about the level of management of such chronic disease in Korea. This study therefore assessed the prevalence, awareness, control, and treatment of hypertension and diabetes in Korean cancer survivors compared to non-cancer survivors. Materials and Methods: A cross-sectional design was employed, wherein data were obtained from standardized questionnaires completed by 943 cancer survivors and 41,233 non-cancer survivors who participated in the Fourth and Fifth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (2007-2011). We calculated adjusted proportions for prevalence and management of hypertension and diabetes in non-cancer survivors and cancer survivors. We also assessed the associated factors with prevalence and management of cancer survivors. Results: Cancer survivors are more likely than the general population to have higher prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control of hypertension. However, diabetic management was not significantly higher in cancer survivors than in non-cancer survivors, despite their having a higher prevalence. Several factors, such as, age, drinking, years since cancer diagnosis, self-perceived health status, and specific cancer types were found to affect to management of hypertension and diabetes. Conclusions: These data suggest that cancer survivors appear to be better than non-cancer survivors at management of hypertension, but not diabetes. There is a need for healthcare providers to recognize the importance of long-term chronic disease management for cancer survivors and for the care model to be shared between primary care physicians and oncologists.

• The Journal of Pediatrics of Korean Medicine
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.46-63
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• 2017

Objectives The Korean Medicine (KM) PHR platform is a personalized healthcare service which allows individuals to keep and manage their own health records. When parents are reporting for their children from their memories, there is high possibility of recall errors. In these cases, it could be useful for doctors to collect the patient's symptoms through PHR platform. In this study, we aimed to investigate the clinical significance of the PHR by using the KM PHR platform in the pediatric clinic. Methods The PHR platform was used to collect child health information from parents and child care teachers. The collected data were analyzed in comparison with the results of screening by pediatrician. Results A total of 58 children were recruited, 44 of which health information were collected from their parents and their child care teachers. The remaining 14 children's health information were collected from their parents only. As a result the parents tended to perceive their children weaker than the child care teacher. Compared to other organs, there was a only significant difference in the heart weakness score and spleen weakness score in the comparison of the weak and healthy children. Conclusions Although the study was conducted on a small group of subjects, and used PHR platform developed specifically for adults to indirectly input child's symptoms, and analyzed their health information, there was a difference in health records between information providers. Development of PHR platform for children is needed to collect more reliable information.

• Journal of the Korean Society for information Management
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.135-154
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• 2017

The purpose of the study is to identify the barriers to using mobile health applications based on the Diffusion of Innovations Theory. The study employed a purposive sampling to recruit college students who were non-adopters or rejecters. The study participants were a total of 44 students, who consist of 32 males and 12 females, and paper-based interviews were conducted. The findings of the study indicated that attributes such as relative advantages, complexity, trialability and observability were not considerable factors of impeding the adoption or continuous use of health applications, whereas relative disadvantages and compatibility were. The study suggests that health application developers and service providers minimize relative disadvantages and enhance compatibility of the innovation with consumers' life styles, rather than try to improve relative advantages and complexity, to more effectively encourage non-adopters to try and maintain using the innovation.