• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.77-90
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• 2015

Objective : The purpose of this study is to discuss the role and ways to improve the position and rights of Korean Medicine Doctors (KMDs) working at long-term care hospitals (LTCHs) through survey analysis. Method : (1) The legal and institutional position of KMDs is studied using current law and related papers. (2) The online survey was conducted through KMD community websites, targeted at KMDs working at LTCHs. Results : (1) Whereas there is perceived added benefit for the eight specializations for a specialist of Western medicine at LTCHs, in the case of a specialist of Korean Medicine, their value is not institutionally recognized at all. (2) A Western inpatient's medical fee is more than a Korean inpatient's medical fee, and the individual fee for the same medical treatment is also higher in Western hospitalization. So, Korean medical hospitalization actually cannot be made. Because of that, Korean Medicine Doctors find it difficult to be primary care physicians. (3) Musculoskeletal diseases and the aftereffects of cerebrovascular diseases were the most common chief complaints addressed in Korean medical consultations. Conclusion : This study shows that KMDs working at LTCHs have suffered many kinds of inequality. That is because of the limited medical scope of the current medical system and real constraints from the gap in Korean-Western medical fees by the National Health Insurance Corporation. Therefore, it is necessary to eliminate these variations along with revising the statute with continuous research.

• Journal of Korean Medical classics
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.193-212
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• 2015

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to find the differences of the viewpoints about medicine between Korean and Japanese doctors through analysing the contents of the medical conversation records from the visits of Joseontongshinsa. Methods : The conversations were classified according to the topics and analysed with emphasis on the subject of medical classics. Results : Japanese doctors were skeptical about the application of Huangdineijing(黃帝內經) and the theory of Five Circulation and Six Qi(五運六氣) to clinical treatment while they respected Shanghanlun(傷寒論). They were interested in the bibliography of medical classics, and considered it was important to study the original texts rather than the new editions. The doctors of Joseon valued Huangdineijing highly and accepted the theory of Five Circulation and Six Qi. They mainly used the treatments in Yixuezhengzhuan(醫學正傳), Yixuerumen(醫學入門), Shoushibaoyuan(壽世保元) as therapeutic methods. Conclusions : The conversation records reflect the trend of Korean Medicine in the Joseon Dynasty that Huangdineijing had been mainly studied and the Jin-Yuan(金元) Medicine had been accepted, and the trend of Japanese Medicine in the mid-Edo period that Koho school(古方派) had predominated.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.26 no.2 s.62
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• pp.152-165
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• 2005

Background: The use of herbal preparations as remedies for various medical conditions has continuously increased in Korea Large proportions of Korean patients use herbal medicinal products, folk remedies, and food supplements. However, studies on the safety of herbal products arc conducted on a less than sufficient basis even in the countries like Korea where herbal medicine is being used extensively. Some of the reports on the safety of herbs were done by the doctors of western medicine but lack of knowledge and misclassification led to misunderstandings. Objecitves: This study aims to review the recent evidences on hepatotoxic events associated with the use of herbal medicinal products, folk remedy, and food supplements. In the process, this review will grasp trends in this field of studies and will direct further researches into the right direction. Methods: Systematic literature searches were performed on MedRic and MEDLIS in Korea. Screening and selection of the articles and the extraction of data were performed independently by two of authors. There were no restrictions regarding the published date. In order to avoid bias, the articles written by medical doctors, not by oriental doctors were selected. 43 journals were chosen for the review. Results: Analyzing the number of journals, studies on the drug-induced liver injury were increased after the year 2000. The proportion of herbal and folk remedy associated hepatotoxic injuries in all drug-induced liver injury was $21.0\%-30.0\%$. But criterion for herbal medicine is rather vague and limited objective data hindered objectiveness. Few of single medicinal herbs and combination preparations were associated with hepatotoxic injuries. But because of lack of objectivity, further researches must be conducted to yield more concrete results. Conclusions: yield more concrete results. Incidence figures are largely unknown, and in most cases a causal attribution is not established. The challenge for the future is to systematically research this area, educate all parties involved, and minimize patient risks.

• Korean Medical Education Review
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.94-95
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• 2015

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.96-105
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• 2013

Objectives: Bi Jeung (비증) is a pain syndrome derivative of pathological patterns of East Asian medicine. The purpose of this study was to develop a self-rated questionnaire for Bi Jeung. Methods: Twelve questionnaire items for Bi Jeung (3 items for the Wind Bi, 5 items for the Cold Bi, and 4 items for the Dampness Bi) were extracted through the literature review. These items were presented to the 18 Korean medical doctors who specialized in pain medicine to conduct two sessions of the Delphi method. The Korean medical doctors were asked to rate the importance of each item for the corresponding Bi syndromes, using a Likert 7-point scale, and were asked to propose which item should be additionally included to increase determinant power to each Bi syndrome. We determined the 4 points of the importance as a cut-off point of each item. Results: Through two sessions of the Delphi method, two items were deleted because their mean values of the importance were below 4 point. Korean medical doctors proposed to add three items for the Bi Jeung. However, the mean values of only two among the three items were over 4 points, so finally 12 items (3 items for the Wind Bi, 5 items for the Cold Bi, and 4 items for the Damp Bi) were determined for the Bi Jeung questionnaire. Conclusions: It is concluded that a 12 item-Bi Jeung questionnaire comprising the three subcategories of the Bi Jeung (Wind, Cold, and Dampness Bis) possesses contents validity through literature review and Delphi methods.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.22-34
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• 2023

Background: With the increasing use of narcotic analgesics, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety has been operating the National Narcotics Information Management System (NIMS) since 2018 in Korea. Some studies are related to the narcotic analgesics use, but the evaluation studies of system, including NIMS users are insufficient. Objective: This study evaluated the NIMS enforcement process through in-depth interviews on the experience of using NIMS of doctors and pharmacists who prescribe or dispense opioid analgesics. Methods: Participants in this study were selected through purposeful sampling as three doctors and two pharmacists in the metropolitan area. The interviews were conducted from August 27 to October 19, 2022. Each interview was analyzed using a phenomenological method. Results: Six components of this study included "Doctors and pharmacists come across drug abusers", "They respond individually to drug abusers", "They use NIMS tailored to the needs of system managers", "They are concerned about the role of NIMS in practice settings", "They face challenges against drug abusers" and "They find a way to utilize the system to deal with drug abusers." The interviews confirmed that doctors and pharmacists used NIMS little in their work, and they only reported data. Therefore, it might be difficult for doctors and pharmacists to take measures for the safe use of narcotic analgesics. Conclusion: It is likely that adding data-feedback and medication-check function can reduce the abuse of narcotic analgesics. In the future, further studies on the evaluation of the empirical results of NIMS and review of systems in other countries will be required.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.115-121
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• 2010

Objectives : Based on a national sample survey, we present an analysis of the current situation in the use of moxibustion therapeutics by qualified medical practitioners in Korea. Methods : The survey population of 11,737 hospitals is stratified by administrative regions, and 331 of them are randomly selected from the list of hospitals. The same number of Korean medical doctors is interviewed under the computer-assisted telephone interviewing(CATI) system. The bound on the error of estimation is ${\pm}\;5.0%$ point. Results : Of the 331 Korean medical doctors surveyed, 69% have used moxibustion therapy for remedial treatment. About half of those doctors have employed the therapy for their patients over 30%. The average number of acupuncture points per treatment using the therapy mostly ranges 1 between 5. The percent of practitioners, who have the number of average minutes less than 20 in treatment, is 74%. The number of practitioners who primarily use modified moxibustion is 4 times as many as that of those using traditional moxibustion. Conclusions : Considering the survey results, if the laser heater, alternative to conventional moxibustion, which not only gives high thermal effect but also reduces both the users inconvenience and side effects, are developed, it may benefit more patients as well as Korean medical doctors.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.267-276
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• 2022

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to explore the vivid and in-depth stories, of inferiority experienced in the lives of current Korean medicine doctors. Methods: In-depth interviews were conducted, with two participants. Collected research data were analyzed, using the narrative inquiry method suggested by Clandinin and Connelly. Results: Common themes found in participants' narrative were summarized, by 'comparison with others' and 'various attempts to overcome inferiority feeling'. Conclusions: This study is meaningful at three levels: personal, social, and practical. Also, it provides readers with an opportunity to reflect on the way they cope with their inferiority complex, which various people experience in different contexts.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.149-164
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• 2024

Objectives This study aimed to develop Korean medicine clinical practice guidelines for myofascial pain syndrome that can actually be applied clinically. Methods A text message containing a link to an online survey was sent to 26,987 Korean medicine doctors registered with the association of Korean medicine. The survey period was from December 29, 2023 to January 19, 2024. Results There were 2,762 Korean medicine doctors who responded to an online survey over a three-week period. Awareness of the standard clinical practice guidelines of Korean medicine was 74.5%, and utilization was 35.8%. The most frequently used diagnostic tool was a numerical evaluation tool, the treatment tool was acupuncture, and the prognosis management guidance was lifestyle guidance. Conclusions If standard Korean medicine clinical practice guidelines for myofascial pain syndrome are developed based on the results of this survey, guidelines that are highly usable in clinical settings will be developed.

• The Korean Society of Law and Medicine
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.125-153
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• 2023

The Supreme Court's en banc decision on December 12, 2022 (docket number 2016Do21314) presented a new standard for determining whether the use of diagnostic medical devices by Korean medical doctors constitutes oriental medical doctors constitutes unlicensed medical practice. Based on this standard, it was determined that the use of ultrasound by Korean medical doctors was not an unlicensed medical practice. Supreme Court's Decision 2016Du51405 on August 18, 2023, is the first case in which a new standard was applied to determine that an Korean medical doctor's use of electroencephalography to diagnose Parkinson's disease and dementia was not an unlicensed medical practice. The Supreme Court abolished the previous standard that Western medical knowledge and technology should not be required for Korean medical doctors to use medical devices. However, it was unclear whether Western medical diagnosis of Korean medical doctors using diagnostic medical devices would be viewed as an an auxiliary method of diagnosis. Parkinson's disease and dementia are Western medical diagnoses. The Supreme Court judged that the Western medical diagnosis of Korean medical doctors was not an unlicensed medical practice. This clearly explains what an auxiliary method of diagnosis means. In addition, the Supreme Court excluded the principles of development and production of electroencephalography from its judgment criteria. Automatic extraction and automatic reading of test results were also excluded. The criminal court's view that the meaning of oriental medical practice should be clearly and strictly interpreted from the perspective of an oriental doctor, and it was clarified that diagnostic medical devices were excluded from criminal punishment unless it was clear that they were not related to the principle of oriental medical practice. As a result, the Supreme Court made it clear that the use of diagnostic medical devices is excluded from criminal punishment unless it is clear that they are not related to the principles of Korean medicine.