• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.275-281
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• 2021

Background: The aim of this study was to understand the importance of professional oral care for inpatients by examining the type and frequency of surgery and hospital discharge period at dental hospitals, and identify the types of professional oral care actually in progress. Methods: In this study, the type of surgery and length of hospitalization were investigated among patients admitted to the dental hospital for oral and maxillofacial surgery, and the professional oral care status of inpatients who had difficulty self-managing their oral care was retrospectively identified by collecting data on oral care before and after surgery, including the type and frequency. Results: The majority of inpatients at dental hospitals were male (57.6%), elderly patients over 60 years accounted for 20% of patients, and the average length of hospitalization was 4 days. In the 20s (aged 20~29 y), the number of orthognathic surgery patients (73.1%) was high, and the incidence of cysts was high in middle-aged patients. Regarding the oral care of hospitalized patients, scaling was performed once by a dentist before surgery. After surgery, surgical dressings using H₂O₂ balls were applied and oral care education was introduced before discharge. Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, professional oral care is essential to prevent infection and complications caused by oral bacteria among inpatients at dental hospitals. It is necessary to use various oral hygiene aids for inpatients and to conduct effective oral care instruction according to each patient's situation. In addition, it is necessary to raise awareness and the role of dental hygienists in professional oral care.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Fundamentals of Nursing
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.109-119
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• 2018

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of a delirium prevention intervention for patients in neurology and neurosurgery intensive care units (ICUs). Methods: This study was a quasi-experimental study. Participants were 87 patients. The experimental group was provided with nonpharmacologic and multicomponent delirium prevention interventions, consisting of regular delirium assessment, improvement in orientation, early therapeutic intervention, and environmental interventions. The control group was provided with routine intensive care. Data were analyzed using $x^2$ test, Fisher's exact test, and t-test. Results: Both groups were homogeneous. The incidence of delirium and length of hospitalization were significantly lower in the experimental group compared to the control group. ICU stay, mortality and unplanned extubation were lower in the experimental group compared to the control group, but there was no significant difference. Conclusion: Findings indicate that the delirium prevention intervention is effective in reducing incidence of delirium and length of hospitalization. Therefore, this intervention should be helpful in preventing delirium in neurology and neurosurgery ICUs and can be used as a guide in the prevention of delirium in neurological diseases's patients.

• Journal of Korean Academic Society of Home Health Care Nursing
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.56-65
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• 2024

Purpose: This study aimed to explore the association between demographic characteristics, hospitalization-related characteristics, and the severity of long-term hospitalization in a high-level general hospital, and to analyze the factors influencing decisions of all patients. Methods: General and clinical characteristics of the participants were analyzed using frequency, percentage, mean, and standard deviation. Differences in these characteristics, contingent upon whether a power source was requested, were analyzed using independent t-Test and Chi-squared tests. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify the factors related to the presence or absence of power requests. Results: The factors impacting the decision to refer a dependent variable include medical treatment (neurosurgery) (B=2.118, SE=0.960, p-value=.027, OR=8.314, 95% CI=1.267-54.551), infection isolation (CRE) (B=1.336, SE=0.666, p-value=.045, OR=3.804, 95% CI=1.032-14.021), and the utilization of tertiary antibiotics (B=3.076, SE=1.362, p-value= .024, OR=21.663, 95% CI=1.502-312.530). Conclusion: This study found a significant association between medical treatment (neurosurgery), infection isolation (CRE), and the use of tertiary antibiotics as dependent variables. These findings indicate that continuous monitoring can contribute to a reduction in long-term financial burdens.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.160-171
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• 2019

Background: This study purposed to compare the difference on medical utilization and health expenditure of baby boomer generation by depression between gender. Methods: Korea Welfare Panel Survey 2016, provided by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs, was used for the analysis. For the research, we used the two-part model, yes or no of use (part 1), and frequency of use (part 2) for medical utilization. The dependent variables are the whether or not to use of hospitalization services, outpatient services, length of stay, outpatient service visits, and health expenditure. And the independent variables are used as the predisposing (education, spouse presence), enabling (insurance type, private insurance, economic activity, income), and need (chronic disease, self-rated health, disability) factors in the Andersen behavior model. Depression was used as intervening variables. Structural equation model and multiple group analysis by gender were used. Results: There were differences in the medical care usage and cost between men and women in baby boomer. For men, mediating effects of depression were present at the hospitalization (yes/no), length of stay, and health expenditure. On the other hand, for women, the mediating effect of depression was found only at the outpatient visits. Specially, depression was working at the medical services by the different way between gender. The size of effect (multiple group analysis) was affected by significant differences between men and women. Conclusion: This study found that the mediating effect of depression is increased medical usage and health expenditure and the effect factors are different by gender. Therefore, it is necessary to establish a medical care policy considering the socio-economic characteristics of baby boomers.

• Journal of Korean Foot and Ankle Society
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.37-41
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• 2006

Purpose: To investigate the early results of limited open repair technique of Achilles tendon ruptures, and to describe the surgical technique. Materials and Methods: From October 2004 to February 2005, a total of 10 patients with Achilles tendon rupture underwent limited open repair. The average age of the patients was 39.3 years, and the average follow-up period was 9 months. The causes of injury were sports injuries in 8 cases, and slip down in 2. The mean interval between the injury and the operation was 9 days. The clinical results were assessed by patient's satisfaction, incision length, hospitalization, the ankle-hindfoot scale of American Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS), and complications. Results: Of 10 patients, 8 were very satisfied, and the remaining 2 were satisfied. The mean incision length was 2.0 cm, and the mean hospitalization was 2 days. The mean AOFAS score was 97 points, and there was no complications such as infection, rerupture, or nerve injury. All patients returned to work at approximately 2 months, and resumed light exercise such as jogging at approximately 3 months. Conclusion: Limited open repair technique of Achilles tendon ruptures is provided for better cosmetic results, high patient's satisfaction, and functionally successful results without postoperative complications.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.218-223
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• 2000

Background: This study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy of a parenteral nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory agent for management of post-surgical pain and its effect on hospital stay and long-term surgical outcome. Methods: Total of 40 patients undergoing lumbar discectomy were randomly assigned to two groups, receiving either 1) 30 mg intravenous ketorolac upon surgical closure, every 6 hours for 36 hours, and morphine IV PCA (intravenous patient controlled analgesia), or 2) only morphine PCA. A blinded investigator recorded; the visual analog pain scores, total postoperative narcotic consumption, complications by morphine PCA, length of hospitalization (from surgery to discharge), and long-term outcome at 6 weeks. Results: The patients who received IV ketorolac and morphine PCA reported significantly lower visual analog pain scores than patients receiving only morphine PCA. Cumulative morphine doses were significantly lower in the ketorolac group (P<0.001). There was no significant difference between groups in the frequency of side effects related to morphine PCA. Mean length of hospitalization was longer for patients receiving only morphine PCA, but there was no statistical significance. Six weeks after surgery, four (20.0%) patients who received only morphine PCA suffered persistent back pain. In contrary, all those patients who received ketorolac were free of back pain at follow-up (P<0.05). Conclusions: These results suggest that intermittent IV bolus ketorolac, when used with opioid IV PCA is more effective than opioid IV PCA alone for postoperative pain following lumbar disc surgery. However, this strategy did not contribute to early discharge from hospital after lumbar disc surgery. The effect to long-term surgical outcome was not conclusive.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.48-70
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• 2005

The purpose of this study was to make an analysis of the impact of the DRG payment system on medical care pattern and cost of cataract surgery in a general hospital. The subjects were 173 patients whose DRG severity grade was zero, selected from among the hospitalized who underwent cataract surgery before and after the joining to the demonstrational operation of the third year DRG payment system. Their medical records and the details of their medical bills were examined to find out the length of hospital stay, medical care pattern provided to them, the cost of medical care, and the quality of medical care. The length of stay and the amount of medical care supplied during being in hospital dropped significantly for both single-eye and double-eyes cataract surgery groups. The amount of antibiotic use went down during the hospitalization and upon discharge from the hospital, but decreased after discharge. The total medical bills and the rate of basic examination implementation increased in the OPD before hospitalization but after discharge dropped. For double-eyes cataract patients, the rate of double-eyes cataract surgery went down. The total medical bills of DRG payment system converted into the fee-for-service system was greater by 113.3% for the single-eye cataract surgery group and by 102.9% for the doble-eyes cataract surgery group, compared to that by the fee-for-service. The contribution shared by the insurance corporation increased for both single-eye and double-eyes cataract surgery groups, but the copayment by the insured went down. Regarding the treatment outcome, no difference was found in complication rate, resurgery rate and mortality rate before and after the joining to the DRG payment system was implemented. The use of special lens lessened significantly. The amount of medical care supplied during hospitalization decreased but the complication rate didn't increase. But the increased use of low-price artificial cataract and the avoidance of double-eyes cataract surgery was observed. The phenomenon decreased number of OPD visit and the decreased total medical bills of OPD care after discharge in this hospital required further evaluation.

• Journal of the Korean Burn Society
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.12-15
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• 2016

Purpose: Firefighters are vulnerable to burn injury during firefighting. In extensive fires, conducted heat and radiant heat can cause burn injury even though firefighters are not directly exposed to fire. There has been increasing interest in the health problems of firefighters considerably since Hongje-dong fire of 2001, which claimed the lives of six fireman. However, there have been no studies done on the characteristics of firefighter burn injuries in South Korea. Therefore, we investigated the characteristics of firefighter burn injuries in a burn center. Methods: A retrospective, single-center research was performed between Jan 2006 to Dec 2015. 24 firefighters came to the burn center. The electronic medical records of patients were reviewed. Results: Flame burns (87.5%) were the major cause of burn in firefighter. All the patients suffered second-degree or third-degree burns. Mean burn size was 6.1±6.7%. 22 of 24 patients were hospitalized and 2 of 22 hospitalized patients admitted to intensive care unit. Mean length of hospitalization was 29.1±23.7 days and mean length of intensive care unit hospitalization was 6.0±1.4 days. The face was the site most commonly burned, representing 25.8% of injuries. The hand/wrist, upper extremity, and neck were the next largest groups, with 19.4, 12.9, 11.3% of the injuries, respectively. Conclusion: Firefighter burn injuries occur to predictable anatomic sites with common injury patterns. The burn size was small but, admitted patients need about 30 days of hospitalization.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.62-71
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• 2020

Background: The purpose of this study is to analyze the current status and factors of elderly patients' hospitalization for hip replacement, knee replacement, and general spine surgery. Methods: National health insurance data in 2018 was provided by the National Health Insurance Service. We used multiple regression to analyze factors associated with the medical utilization of hip replacement, knee replacement, and general spine surgery in elderly patients over 65 years old. The dependent variables are the length of stay and total health expenditure. The independent variables are the demographic-social factors (sex, age, region, insurance type, income level) and surgery-related factors (institution type, location of the hospital, surgery classification). Results: The most common factor affecting surgery was the location of medical institutions. Compared with the medical institutions located in metropolitan, the length of stay in rural medical institutions was higher and total health expenditure was lower. The lower quartile of income, the higher the length of stay and total health expenditure. In addition, the variables of age, type of health insurance, and type of medical institution were statistically significant. Conclusion: In this study, we confirmed the effect of sociodemographic factors and medical institution factors on the Healthcare Utilization of spinal and joint surgery.

• Advances in pediatric surgery
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.41-44
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• 2003

Appendicitis is the most common surgical emergency in childhood. Open appendectomy has been the standard treatment. The minimally invasive techniques have been adopted in children after experiences in various surgical conditions in adults has accumulated. It is debatable whether laparoscopic appendectomy (LA) is superior to open appendectomy (OA) in children. The goal of this study is to review the results of laparoscopy and laparotomy in the nonperforated appendicitis. The records of 22 patients under 15 years of age who were operated upon for nonperforated appendicitis at Asan Medical Center were analyzed between December 2002 and April 2003. Age, type and length of intervention, frequency of analgesic use, complication, length of hospitalization, and cost for each treatment groups (N=11) were compared. Laparoscopy patients were older (13.0 vs. 10.1 years; p > 0.05), and operative time was longer (55.0 vs. 35.0 minutes; p < 0.05). There was no conversion (OA to LA). The median length of hospital stay was significantly shorter in laparoscopy (3.0 vs. 2.0 days; p < 0.05). The median cost for LA was more expensive (W833, 836 vs. W751,398; p < 0.05). Even though there were higher costs and longer operative times with laparoscopic procedures, the shorter hospital stay was an advantage.