• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.136-142
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• 2015

The Korean Society of Pediatric Infectious Diseases (KSPID) has participated in the task force team consisting of government authorities as well as civil medical experts and facilities to block the spread of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome in 2015. KSPID posted the "Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) Pop-up" in the homepage of The Korean Pediatric Society and The Korean Society of Pediatric Infectious Diseases. KSPID also released the "Guidelines for testing for MERS in children and adolescents" and the "Instructions for the Operation of National Safe Hospital" for children and adolescents in a timely manner. Such actions were aimed to prevent unnecessary anxieties, studies and isolation of pediatric patients with respiratory symptoms and signs caused by other common microbial etiologies as being suspected for MERS patients. This strategy relieved the doctors and parents from unnecessary fear and prevented the loss of unnecessary health care costs, and has proven to be a well-judged guideline and management protocol as evaluated after the final end of MERS outbreak. KSPID and its members should support the presence of pediatric infectious disease (PID) specialists in every medium size hospitals in Korea by developing the need for consultation fees for PID consultation in the hospital based practice and promoting the potential for cost savings related to prevention of health care associated infections and optimal prescription of antimicrobial agents. KSPID and its members need to approach and develop a communication plan to political decision makers to demonstrate and convince them of the importance of a PID specialist service.

• Journal of Korean Living Environment System
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.90-97
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• 2018

The purpose of this study is to compare and analyze the air infections in middle and small hospitals with the facilities of large national hospitals that have air-borne infection isolation (AII) wards through actual condition investigation and airflow analysis simulation (CFD) and to provide basic data for prevention. The method and scope of the study are as follows. First, through literature review, data related to prevention of infection spread in domestic medical institutions were investigated. Second, we conducted a survey on the status of isolation facilities to prevent the spread of infectious diseases in large hospitals and small and medium - sized clinics in Korea. Third, airflow analysis simulation (CFD) was carried out using the isolation ward of the nationally designated inpatient ward and the data of the plane and facility system of the small clinic. As a result of the study, it is found that regulations applicable to small and medium-sized clinics are insufficient. In addition, the simulation results show that the infectious disease virus is likely to spread to other patients in the hospital.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.26-38
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• 2022

Purposes: We analyzed the profitability determinants of regional public hospitals during the entire period between 2010 and 2020 and the period before and after COVID-19. We intended to provide fundamental data for developing publicness evaluation index and task of establishing and expanding regional public hospitals. Methodology: The financial and non-financial information of the regional public hospitals were used as the main analysis data; The financial data was established by the Center for Public Healthcare Policy of National Medical Center, and the non-financial data by the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service. T-test and regression analysis were used. Findings: The results can be summarized in two. First, the main determinants of profitability of the regional public hospitals were appeared to be the total asset turnover rate and the labor cost rate. Second, during the COVID-19 pandemic in the regional public hospitals, the number of sickbeds, the number of isolation rooms, the total asset turnover rate and the labor cost rate appeared to be the factor worsening the profitability. Practical Implication: The results of this study suggests that the management of the regional public hospitals is not aiming for the profit making, but it performs the functions as the community healthcare safety net such as controlling infectious diseases.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.330-340
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• 2016

Objective: The outbreak of Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) started in South Korea in May 2015 and the end of crisis was declared in December 2015 by Korea Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC). However, Zika virus emerged in less than 2 months following MERS and showed higher mortality than other countries. This study is to assess the current prevention system of overseas infectious diseases, based on MERS and Zika virus outbreak and to suggest effective response system for the future. Methods: We conducted two surveys on medical specialists working at tertiary general hospitals regarding the effectiveness of responding system by KCDC against MERS and Zika virus and education in individual medical institutions using 5-Likert points. Response system was examined in three different periods as initial period, spreading period, and post disease period. Results: Although medical specialists received the notifications in initial period, no practical prevention was proven to be placed in responding stage by medical facilities (averagely 3.5/5 points in total and sub-analyses). During spreading period, there were several academic seminars conducted, which were evaluated as helpful. In post disease period, all answered that there were changes on patient treatment in all medical facilities, with mainly report system and the treatment regulations in case of suspicious patients for infection. Only 49% respondents answered positive on the possibility of initial responses. For questionnaire items regarding Zika virus, all answered that there were notifications prior to the first outbreak of the infected patient. Eighty% of respondents were aware of 'the Guideline system for traveling to dangerous areas', and answered that the system was moderately effective (averagely 3.8/5 points in total). For the effectiveness of prevention measures for foreign novel disease by KCDC, the average point was 3.0 in both of total and sub-analyses. Conclusion: There is not enough response system to prevent infectious disease in medical institutional and governmental levels in Korea. It would warrant the modification of overall medical system to improve preventive measures for initial spread of such diseases.

• Journal of The Korea Institute of Healthcare Architecture
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.15-22
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• 2024

Purpose: In general, cross-infection caused by bacteria occurs more in hospitals than in local communities. In most cases, infectious diseases spread through contact transmission (direct contact, indirect contact). This study tries to examine which places are most likely to detect infections bacteria and what materials should be used to effectively suppress the spread of infectious bacteria. Methods: Domestic and international literature have been reviewed to determine which bacteria are common and spread in which places. At the same time, antibacterial experiments for several finishing materials are performed to determine the survival period of bacteria for each material. The experiment is conducted mainly on antibiotic-resistant bacteria (MRSA, CRE, etc.) that have a high mortality rate and are very contagious. Results: MRSA has a high incidence in many hospital departments with surgery or immunocompromised patients, such as the elderly, organ transplant patients, and hemodialysis patients. There are experimental results that MRSA dies early in ceramics or silk wallpaper. CRE has a high incidence in hospital departments where there are many patients who are prone to bacteria entering the body directly, such as ventilator patients or critically ill patients with surgical wounds. There are experimental results that CRE dies early in silk wallpaper. In addition, bacteria die on the surface for a variety of reasons. Most MRSA and CRE develop in patients with impaired immunity or surgery, and rapidly die in copper or materials with antibacterial properties. Implications: If finishing materials surface with the ability to kill specific bacteria is used in the place where a large number of specific bacteria are detected, the spread of infectious diseases can be effectively controlled.

• Advances in pediatric surgery
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.62-64
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• 2014

Gallbladder stones in children are not common without underlying hemolytic diseases or other risk factors like obesity. Ceftriaxone, a third generation cephalosporin, is known to make biliary precipitations that can be mistaken for biliary stones. We here report two children with biliary pseudolithiasis with different treatment modalities. One child was mistaken for symptomatic gallbladder stones and underwent elective laparoscopic cholecystectomy, while the other child, after thorough history taking on the ceftriaxone medication, was suspected of biliary pseudolithiasis and was treated conservatively. Both children had the history of usage of ceftriaxone in previous hospitals for infectious diseases. The ceftriaxone history of the first child was missed before the surgery. When gallbladder stones are found in children without any underlying diseases, specific history taking of the usage of ceftriaxone seems to be absolutely required. In this case, immediate interruption of the antibiotic could resolve the episode and avoid unnecessary surgical procedure.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.17-25
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• 2018

Purpose: Blood culture is an essential diagnostic tool and requires clear indications, proper techniques, and quality control. We aimed to investigate whether blood cultures in children are appropriate for indications, are performed correctly, and receive proper quality control. Methods: We conducted an online survey targeting pediatric infectious diseases (ID) specialists working in general hospitals and neonatologists (Neo) working at hospitals operating a neonatal intensive care unit in Korea. Results: Approximately 81.1% (30/37) of pediatric ID specialists and 72.2% (52/72) of Neo responded to the survey. Some of the respondents (33.3% of ID and 59.6% of Neo) performed blood culture as a regular test irrespective of the indication. Approximately 40% of ID and 65.4% of Neo ordered only one set of blood culture in patients suspected with bacteremia. The most commonly used disinfectant for skin preparation was povidone-iodine, while the skin preparation method varied by institution. Approximately two-thirds of the institutions were monitoring the blood culture contamination rate, whereas relatively few provided staff with feedback on that rate. In addition, less than half of the institutions were providing regular staff training on blood culture (40% of ID and 28.8% of Neo). Conclusions: The indication and methods of blood culture for children varied according to institution, and few hospitals exert effort in improving the quality of blood culture. Institutions have to strive constantly toward improvement of blood culture quality and evidence-based recommendations for pediatric blood cultures should be standardized.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.1-9
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• 2015

Objectives: The purpose of this article was to assess epidemiological characteristics and recommendations for strengthening national response and preparedness after MERS-CoV outbreak in Korea, 2015. Methods: The author reviewed epidemiological reports and policy recommendations on MERS-CoV outbreak in Korea, 2015. Results: There was no evidence that genetical difference between the MERS viruses in the Republic of Korea and recent viruses in the Middle East. From the index case to last laboratory-confirmed case, there were 186 laboratory-confirmed cases that included 36 deaths(19.4%), all of whom appear epidemiologically linked to the index cases or subsequent secondary, tertiary, and quaternary cases. This outbreak spread to hospitals through nosocomial transmission. At least, three large clusters were investigated. However, there was at least one case of community transmission of MERS-CoV. Several factors had contributed to the MERS outbreak in Korea, 2015 that including epidemiological characteristics, and infrastructure of national healthcare system for preventing and controlling emerging infectious diseases. Conclusions: It is very important that to share experiences and identify underlying causes of this outbreak for prevention and control of emerging infectious disease in the future; including epidemiology, clinical features, and public health response and preparedness.

• Journal of the Architectural Institute of Korea Planning & Design
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• v.33 no.12
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• pp.19-28
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• 2017

The purpose of this study is to propose a design methodology to build temporary isolation rooms when infectious diseases suddenly occur in a certain region, such as the case of MERS-Cov in South Korea in 2015. Although most big hospitals usually have isolation rooms, they are expensive and dangerous to run such facilities on normal and typical days. To deal with these problems in this research, shipping containers are chosen as devices used to build the temporary isolation rooms near the original hospital. To do so, firstly, a prototype for the temporary isolation room was designed with the three part modules. The first part is for the medical team; the second part including the isolation rooms is for patients; the third part is for medical selection rooms to test the specimens. Secondly, the plan was compared with the MERS-Cov infection control guidelines. Finally this prototype is applied into the Yong-in Yon-sei severance hospital and then evaluated through a CFD simulation using STAR-CCM+(ver.9.06) for checking infectious bacterium movement in this prototype. The result showed that the prototype is effectively safe for patients tested as negative, patients waiting to be tested, and the medical team.

• Quality Improvement in Health Care
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.39-49
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• 2022

Purpose:The infection and isolation program used at a university hospital in A city was assessed and improved to provide medical staff with easy-to-understand information on isolation precautions and infectious diseases. Methods: Based on the results of the root cause analysis, the infection and isolation alarm computer program was improved. Subsequently, a survey was conducted with infection control leaders and unit managers (n=98) within the department to evaluate the degree of improvement. Results: The isolation registration and release procedures were simplified and unified to prevent confusion among the relevant departments. Additionally, the screen composition was improved so that various information related to infection can be easily accessed. After improvement in the program, the rate of isolation registration (53.0% to 100.0%, p<.001) and user satisfaction (67.6% to 92.2%) improved. Conclusion: This study will help improve the program so that other medical institutions can comply with the isolation precautions in accordance with the type of infections.