• Journal of Korean Critical Care Nursing
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.42-56
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• 2021

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to understand and describe the experiences of the advanced nurse practitioner (APN) system used by healthcare providers including APNs, doctors who worked with APNs, and APN master's course professors at a graduate school. Methods : Qualitative data were collected via snowball sampling. The participants were nine APNs, six doctors, and three professors. They were divided into three focus groups, each of which consisted of all three types of healthcare providers. Data were collected via interviews with the three focus groups conducted from September to October 2019. All interviews were audiotaped and transcribed verbatim. The transcribed data then underwent qualitative content analysis. Results : Based on the data, we extracted four themes and 14 categories. The themes were "Role and system of APNs started according to healthcare environment changes", "Optimal healthcare provider to ensure quality of care", "Confused role and system of APNs due to incomplete medical law", and "Tasks for the stable operation of the APN system." Conclusion : For quality treatment and safety of patients, a legal basis must be established for the APN system. For its stable operation, social consensus regarding legislation about APNs' scope of practice is required. Finally, a discussion is necessary about the integration of APNs' 13 fields.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.91-96
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• 2022

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to characterize the stimulation intensity in acupuncture manipulation techniques for tonification and sedation therapy. Methods : To describe the level of stimulation used in acupuncture manipulation techniques for tonification and sedation therapy, we reviewed the acupuncture manipulation techniques described in classical medical textbooks. Results : Based on the patients' conditions and pattern identification, acupuncture manipulation strategies for tonification and sedation therapy were chosen. For example, the excess condition was treated with sedative therapy, and the deficiency condition was treated with tonification therapy. For tonification therapy, weak to modest stimulation was applied in acupuncture manipulation techniques, whereas intense stimulation was applied for sedative therapy. Even though the intensity of acupuncture stimulation was chosen based on the clinical examination, deqi sensation is a crucial component of acupuncture treatment, and during acupuncture practice, the practitioner should choose the right intensity of acupuncture stimulation based on deqi response in each patient. Conclusions : We concluded that the tonifying and sedative effects of acupuncture treatment are related to the stimulation intensity of acupuncture manipulation techniques. For individualized medicine, the right amount of acupuncture stimulation should be administered based on the patients' conditions and responses, such as deqi responses.

• The Journal of Korean Academic Society of Nursing Education
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.97-105
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• 1999

Based on literature, status and role of the NP in America was reviewed. The process of developing NP program in America suggests us many things. In America, nurse practitioners have sustained a mutually beneficial status with their patients for over thirty years. Excel fence in academic education and clinical training will enable nurse practitioners to continue to provide quality health care. The magnitude changes in the health care system of the United States, the challange of providing real access of health care continues. Lack of access to adequate primary care was the driving force in the initial 1965 Federal Involvement in developing the NP role. In 1993 President Bill Clinton's health care reform initiative provided policy support for NPs as primary care providers. The Institute of Medicine explicitly recognized NPs as an integral part of the primary care team. In addition, several national reports recognized NPs as affordable, accessible, high-quality care providers. The recent passage of direct Medicare reimbursement for NPs reflected public policy statements coincided with and likely contributed to a growth spurt in the NP workforce. From 1965 to 1977 NP programs offered traditional primary care clinical tracks(adult, family, woman's health, and pediatrics) for relatively small clusters of students in a variety of institutional settings. From 1978 to 1990 these educational programs were incorporated into graduate schools of nursing. By 1990 the majority of NPs received educational preparation in master's-level nursing programs. A new emphases was placed on postmaster's NP programs designed for master's prepared clinical nurse specialists and nurse managers. he the health care system shifted hospital nursing resources toward community-based care, these master's -level nurses sought additional NP preparation. NP educational programs are defined as the educational structure in which one or more NP clinical tracks are offered. NP clinical tracks, in turn, offer curriculum and supervised clinical experiences that match standards in specific practice areas such as family(FNP), adult(AUP), geriatrics(GNP), pediatrics(PNP), women's health (WHNP), neonatal (NNP), and acute care(ACNP). There were indications that NP practice was expanding into new clinical areas as evidenced by new types of tracks, particularly in acute care and psychiatry. The increase in acute care NP students likely reflects the increased demand from hospitals and other acute care settings. In Korea, change of nurse's role into nurse practitioner's role may have many difficulties. The need of health consumer, policy support of government, approval of medical care team are all essential component. Every nursing personnel make effort to planning the new health care delivery system.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.100-112
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• 2008

Objectives: The purpose of this survey is to monitor the changes that have occurred in the business environment surrounding Oriental medicine clinics, with the focus on their facilities, staff, patients, and service fee revenue. Method adopted: A questionnaire was sent in December 2006 to 1,000 Oriental medicine clinics nationwide, of which 122 (or 12 percent of them) replied. Previous questionnaires similar to this one in nature were checked for comparison. Results: As a result of analyzing the aforesaid replies, the average Oriental medicine clinic appears to have a floor size of 156 square meters (= 47.2 pyeong) and is equipped with 6.6 beds. The number of helpers and nurse's aids at each Oriental medicine clinics comes to 3.2 and 1.58, respectively. The number of patients coming to see a practitioner of Oriental medicine stands at 36.3 persons per day, of whom 32.06 come for acupuncture treatment. 50.2 percent of the Oriental medicine clinics' service fee revenue is paid from the health insurance. Each clinic spends on average 2.42 million won per month on the purchase of medicinal substances and so forth. The foregoing indicates a 27 percent increase from 1999 in terms of floor size, a 30 percent increase in the number of beds, a 47 percent increase in the number of helpers, a 45 percent increase in the number of nurse's aides, and an 11 percent increase in the number of patients who visit a practitioner of oriental medicine. As for the latter figure, there was an increase of 3.64 over a seven-year period. The number of patients coming for acupuncture treatment increased by 7.06 in the same period, whereas the number of those coming for medication treatment decreased by 4.28 percent. Health insurance payments as a proportion of Oriental medicine clinics' service fee revenues increased by 23.9 percentage points from 26.29 percent in 1997 to 50.2 percent in 2006. The amount that a clinic spends on the purchase of medicinal substances, etc, decreased by 250,000 won or by 9.3 percent from 1999. The estimated value of the domestic Oriental medical service market for 2006 stood at 2,422.2 billion won in total. Conclusion: Oriental medicine clinics in Korea appear to be getting larger, with an increase in the number of beds and helpers. Health insurance payments now account for a greater proportion of Oriental medicine clinics' service fee revenues, and management conditions at the clinics are deteriorating.

• The Journal of the Korean dental association
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• v.55 no.7
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• pp.440-448
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• 2017

Objectives : Currently, it is being reported that new health technology (HT) is introduced and spread throughout Korea at a very fast rate. However, the current status of new HT related to dentistry has not been known or studied. Therefore, this study aims to understand the present state and awareness on dentistry-related domestic new HT via surveys and research, and thus apply this as a reference to construct an effective new HT-related system in the field of dentistry. Methods : The assessment status of New Health Technology Assessment (nHTA) committee was searched on the website for any updates on new HT5). The cases were searched in the range between Jan 1 2012 and Jul 31 2016 by submission date and were analyzed by year, division of technology, progress and major operating practitioner. Among those, technologies utilized by dentists were additionally analyzed. The survey result was obtained by combining responses of 25 participants from the workshop for new HT application and 11 members of Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons (KAOMS). The workshop was co-hosted by KAOMS and Clinical Translational Research Center for Dental Science (CTRC) under Seoul National University Dental Hospital (SNUDH). Results : Most of the respondents to the survey have heard of new health technology but were unaware of the application procedure. 'Safety and effectiveness' was selected the most for things to consider when introducing new HT, followed by 'scientific evidence of the technology.' For new dental HT status, submissions between 2012 and Jul 31 2016 were analyzed by major operating practitioner, including cases where there are multiple practitioners. Yet, only 19 cases (17 %) of dentists were reported. Among 385 cases approved by nHTA, only 2 cases included dentists. Conclusions : Active publicity by the government on new HT and its application procedure, and continued interest and research in the dental and medical community is likely to be required for the development of dentistry.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.26 no.4 s.44
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• pp.614-627
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• 1993

It is well known that a physician's personal characteristic affects his practice pattern. Furthermore, a physician's specialty has powerful influences on his practice pattern. However, despite the fact that specialization has received the most attention for its influence on physician's service behavior, few studies have been conducted on the variations of contents and volume of physician's services. This study has intended to identify factors influencing the practice variations according to various physician characteristics. There are some other evidences that medical care providers are different in using of health services and resources in Korea. Four physician characteristics were selected for the analysis, two demographical factors, age and sex, and two practice factors, place of practice and medical specialty. Also, three indicators of service amount (total amount of insurance claim bill, number of visits per case, number of prescriptions per case) were selected. From the pool of insurance claims for ambulatory care received by the Korean National Federation of Medical Insurance(NFMI), 84,898 cases were randomly sampled. In the meantime using physician database of NFMI, 613 general practitioners (GP), 107 regular family physicians (FP), 483 'grandfather' family physicians(GFP), and 1,157 specialist practitioners(SP) were randomly sampled. Their different practice contents were compared concerning the specialty, age groups, sex, and practice sites (urban-rural) Specialist physicians tend to provide more costly care than do generalists. General practitioners and family physicians usually make fewer following visits and prescriptions. Age is also the important factor in determining the amount of services, which is highest at the physician's age group of 40's. Female doctors and urban practitioners use much more resources than their counterparts respectively. Research findings suggest that physician's characteristics particularly the specialty can affect practice patterns and resource utilizations. Other characteristics such as age and sex are not controllable but physician's specialty is relatively easily controllable during the entire phases of policy implementation. This is all the more true in the individual's initial decision of his specialty. Specialization therefore should receive policymaker's attention for its potential influence on medical care utilization and health care expenditure.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.130-146
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• 1994

Our medical care system is trying to diversify in order to meet the client's needs, and to adjust to a medical environment which is changing very rapidly. Because current nursing theory and practice focus on holistic care, health care management, education, and research, contrary to the traditional emphasis on only assisting a physician, more autonomy and specialization for the implementation of nursing are required. Considering these trends and actual needs, the category of clinical nurse specialist should be established as soon as possible. In order to develop strategies for implementing this new professional specialty, the authors conducted a field survey and literature review of the current system in Korea. As a result, various obstacles and constraints were discovered as follows : 1) There are few accredited educational programs for the training of CNS's. 2) Several hospitals already have staff designated as clinical nurse specialist (CNS) even though the term CNS is not yet standardized or adopted in nationwide. 3) The role of the CNS is not clearly understood by the medical societies, or even nursing societies. A nurse who works in specific nursing areas such as central supply, kidney dialysis, intensive care, coronary care, etc. for a long time, considers herself /himself a CNS. Based upon the above findings, the following alternatives are recommended. 1) The role of the CNS should be defined according to specified functions and authority : professional autonomy ; counselling and educating patients and their familes, nurses, and even other medical personnel ; research on improvement of nursing ; and management of the nursing environment including medical resources, information, and cases. 2) the qualification of CNS should be attained only by a nurse who has an RN license and clinical experience of more than 3 years in a specific nursing field: passes a qualifying examination; and contributes to the professional development of peers, colleagues, and others. A master's degree should only be optional, because of the insufficient of graduate programs which are well designed for the CNS. 3) The CNS should initially be a head nurse rather than line staff in order to deal with as wide an experience base as possible. 4) The nursing specialty could be divided into two areas such as a clinical field and a community field. The clinical field could then be categorized by the Styles' classification such as diseases and pathogenics, systems, ages, acuity, skills/techniques, and function/role ; the community field could be classified according to work site.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.51-60
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• 1995

This study was to examine the awareness of health and the utilization of primary health care in rural areas. The data were obtained from self-administered questionnaire conducted 450 parents of Mi Gum md Su Dong middle school students in Nam yang Ju city, Kyung Gi-Do, Korea, from December 15 to 20 in 1993. The results were as follows : 1) Among the causes of disease, 'insufficient health care' was the highest(39.1%), and 'bad environment'(28.9%), 'complexity of life style'(17.8%) in next order. 2) In the priority between 'daily farm work' and 'primary health care', only 45.6% of respondents answered that primary health care is more important than the daily farm work. The 29.8% of respondents answered 'daily farm work', and the 23.1% answered 'the equal of the both'. 3) The 63.6% of the respondents recognized correctly, the meaning of primary health care. And the rate of information source in primary health care were 'TV and Radio'(42.2%), 'medical facilities'(23.3%), and 'newspaper and magazine'(11.3%) in order. 4) In the choice rate of medical facilities for primary health care, 'drug store' was the highest(34.9%), and 'local private clinic'(34.7%), 'health (sub)center'(15.8%), 'hospital'(10.2%) in next order. 5) The 53.5% of the respondents had experienced to visit the health (sub)center more than once. And the disfavorite reasons of health (sub)center were 'insufficient equipment'(36.7%), 'inavailable time to visit'(26.9%), and 'poor treatment'(9.1%). 6) Among the preference of the physicians for primary health care, 'specialist' was the highest rate of the respondents(54.2%), and 'general practitioner'(32.4%), and 'family doctor'(9.8%) in next order. The major obstacles in utilizing the medical facilities for primary health care were 'daily farm work'(41.6%), 'distance'(21.1%) and 'medical cost'(10.4%) in order. 7) The weakened reasons in health (sub)center function were 'insufficient medical equipment'(44.4%), 'the lack of resident's understanding for health (sub)center'(21.8%), and 'short thought of duty in health (sub)center personnel'(16.9%) in order.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.31-39
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• 1994

We carried out this study by analyzing the annual reports, surveyed by medical college student(Ewha Woman's University) through the medical records of new patients of Su-Dong Myon Health Subcenter from 1982 to 1992, and the specific survey data of 247 in Su-Dong Myon area which consists of 5,454 population and 1,651 household(43.6% farm household), in December, 1993. Results were as follows: 1) The number of population in Su-Dong Myon is 5,265 in 1982, 4,905 in 1984, 4,885 in 1986, 4,820 in 1988, 4,663 in 1990, 5,454 in 1992. 2) Since 1982, the annual utilization rate of a rural health subcenter showed decreasing tendency: such as 609(the highest rate) per 1,000 inhabitants in 1982, 485 in 1984, 525 in 1985, 281 in 1988, 316 in 1990 and 197 in 1992. The utilization rate by sex was decreasing chronologically in male, and age-specific utilization rate showed rapidly decreasing tendency since 1982 : 1,037 per 1,000 inhabitants in 1982, 877 in 1984, 1,084 in 1986, 519 in 1988, 538 in 1990 and 333 in 1992, in age group of 0-14, but not changing tendency in age-groups of 65 and over. 3) The monthly utilization rate of a rural health subcenter showed increasing tendency in March, July and August from 1982 to 1987, and in March and May from 1988 to 1992. 4) The patient rate of medical insurance showed increasing tendency since 1983: 17.0% per 100 patients(the lowest rate) in 1983, 21.3% in 1985, 20.4% in 1987, 70,0% in 1989 and 77.8% in 1991. However, the patient rate of Medicaid showed no specific change. 5) The utilization rate by the remedial measures for primary health care showed 30.8% of the answered in private special clinic, the highest rate, and 30.0% in drug stores, 25.5% in health subcenter, 10.5% in hospital and 1.2% in oriental clinic. In favorite physicians for primary health care, specialist was the highest rate, 48.6% of the answered, and general practitioner, 39.7% and home doctor, 8.9% in next order. And 70.8% of the answered experienced to visit the health subcenter more than once. 6) Disfavorite reasons of health subcenter were insufficient equipment(42.1%, the highest), and the next order, short cure time per day(25.1%), "be not cured"(12.2%), "be not(6.9%) and unkindness(3.6%), And the major obstacles in utilizing the medical facilities for primary health care were farm works(41.7%, the highest), distance(27.1%) and medical cost(11.4%).

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.157-168
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• 1995

This study was carried out, through analyzing the annual reports(year of 1973-1993) on health status of Su Dong-Myun, and specific survey data of 332 households(Su Dong-Myun 209, Byul Nae-Myun 123), located in Nam Yang Ju-Si, Kyung Gi-Do, from July 20 to July 31, 1995, to find out more effective means for primary medical care in a rural area. The results were as fellows : 1. Number of population in Su Dong-Myun was 5,419 in 1973, 4,591(the lowest) in 1987 and 5,707 in 1995. In the composition rate of population, "0-14" of age group showed markedly decreasing tendency from 43.1% in 1975, to 19.1% in 1995, however "65 and over" markedly in creasing tendency form 5.3% in 1975 to 9.8% in 1995. 2. Annual utilization rate per 1,000 inhabitants in Su Dong-Myun showed markedly increasing tendency from 1973 to 1977 such as 343 in 1973, 540 in 1975, 900 in 1977. However, since 1979, the rate showed rapidly decreasing tendency, such as 846 in 1979, 519 in 1985, 190 in 1991 and 1993. 3. The morbid household rate per year was 53.6% of respondents and the rate per 15 days was 48.2%. In disease classification rate of morbid household per year, Arthralgia & Neuralgia was the highest rate(33.9%) and gastro-intestinal disorder(19.3%), Cough(11,9%), Hypertension(7.8%), Accident(3.2%) in next order. 4. In the utilizing facilities for Primary Medical Care, Medical facilities was showed the highest rate(58.1% of respondents) and Pharmacy and Drug Shp(33.1%), Tradition Method(4.0%) in next order. In the Medical facilities, General private clinic was showed the highest rate(34.3%) and specific private Clinic(22.3%), Hospital(19.0%), Health (Sub)center(16.3%), Nurse practitioner (3.3%), Oriental hospital and clinic(2.7%) in next order. 5. Experience rate, utilizing health subcenter was 51.8% of the respondents, and it was 55.0% in Su Dong-Myun and 46.3% in Byul Nae-Myun. In utilization times of health subcenter, times-rate showed next orders such as 1-2 times/6months(31.6%), 1-2 times/year (22.1%), 1-2 times/months(19.2%), 1-2 times/3months(15.6%). 6. In objectives, visiting Health Subcenter, Medical Care was the highest rate(59.8% of the respondents) and health control(23.3%) was in next order. In Medical Care, Primary Care by general physician was higher rate(51.1%) almost all. In the Health control, Immunization too was high rate(18.0%) in health control activities. 7. The reasons rate, utilizing health subcenter showed next order, such as distance to Medical facilities(33.0% of the respondents), Medical Cost(28.1%), Simple process of consultation (10.8%), Effectiveness of cure(7.6%), Function of primary medical care(7.0%) and Attitude of physician(6.5%). 8. In the affecting factors to utilization of primary medical facilities, medical needs was showed the highest rate(29.5% of the respondents) and medical cost(15.4%), distance to medical facilities(14.2%), traffic vehicle(14.2%) and farm work(6.9%) in next order. 9. In the priority between 'daily farm work,' and 'primary medical care', only 46.4% of respondents answered that primary health care is more important than the daily farm work The 22.6% of respondents answered 'daily farm work', and the 12.3% answered 'the equal of the both'. 10. In the criterion of medical facilities choice, medical knowledge and technical quality was showed the highest rate(56.3%), distance or time to medical facilities(10.9%), sincerity and kindness of physician(9.4%), medical cost(8.7%) and traffic vehicle(6.5%) in next order 11. In the advise for improvement of health subcenter function, the 36.1% of respondents answered that 'enforcement of medical personnel and equipment' was required, and then 'improved medical technology'(25.5%), 'good attitude of physician'(14.9%), 'improved medical system'(13.3%), 'enforced drug'(6.7%) in next order. 12. The study on affecting factors to utilization of primary medical facilities was very difficult subject to systematize the analyzed results, due to a prejudice of protocol planner, surveyer and respondent, and variety and overlapping of subject matter.