• Journal of Korea Trade
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.58-79
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• 2019

Purpose - This study focused on the effect of mobile app information system quality on re-use intention in the medical service trade, and examined how the Chinese, currently the main consumer of Korea's medical service trade, obtained information through mobile apps, and the status of satisfaction felt by experiencing medical services. Design/methodology - The survey period was from November 2018 to January 2019, and was conducted on Chinese who voluntarily experienced medical services. The collected data verified causality of the study model through the statistical program, SPSS.24. The results showed that the most popular medical institution through the medical service mobile app is dermatology, and the quality of the app's information system plays a mediating role in influencing re-use intention. Findings - Overall, the current trade in medical services is first accessed and acquired through mobile apps, and as a result, consumers revisit medical institutions according to the reliability of information. Comments and likes, another new form of the word of mouth that has greatly influenced revisiting in the past, are seen to be spreading through the app's medical information. Originality/value - The previous market for the medical services trade was formed by very conservative word of mouth, but now we believe that the app's information system actively influences the revisit effect. This means that apps can be used in diverse areas in the medical service trade market. In addition, the medical service market needs to further develop a mobile app environment that can reflect consumers' diverse needs, behaviors, and culture from time to time in order to revitalize the service trade. Such an app environment development will have tremendous promotional effects on the trade market and provide directions for expanding trade in medical services.

• Journal of Korean Society for Quality Management
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.189-201
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• 1998

Quality of radiological services can be assessed by various agents, so called medical doctors, radiologists, patients and others. However radiological services are provided by radiologists to patients and medical doctors. This study was based on data which were collected from assessment of 142 radiologists working in the health care services organization and 149 patients who visited the same organization about radiological services, with self-administered structured questionnaire. This study was planned to analyze of radiological services factors and to develop a methodology for measuring the level of quality in the radiological health care services.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.32-42
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• 2014

It is necessary to calculate prime cost of medical services accurately in order to evaluate the adequacy of medical fee. This paper aims to identify cost analysts' perception on prime cost of medical services and needs in establishing a cost accounting system in hospitals, proposing future directions and guidelines for the calculation of medical fee. A self-administered questionnaire and telephone survey on operation of a hospital cost-accounting system was conducted in November, 2012, among cost analysts currently working in the hospitals and hospital administrators planning to implement the hospital cost-accounting system. Our study shows that most of the cost analysts were aware of the importance of calculating prime cost and responded that collection of the prime cost data from government is necessary although they are less likely to provide the data in the future concerning the risk of data misuse and data security. They also responded that lack of budget allocation and excessive workload were the main reasons for not estimating the prime cost and operating cost management information system. Results show that hospital cost analysts considered the data accuracy is the most critical factor in calculating prime costs of medical services. However, there was no investment budget allocated in some hospitals or limited to less than 100 million, indicating that hospitals are reluctant to invest on implementing the cost accounting system. Respondents stated the organization that collects the prime cost of medical services among hospitals should display strong analytical capabilities, ensure data security, and maintain independence, which is most demanded. There are 57 hospitals that calculated the prime cost of medical services for 2012 by each medical department and 20 hospitals that calculated the prime cost by fee-for-services, aiming to establish a cost accounting system. Our results indicate that hospitals should voluntarily provide the accurate prime cost for medical services in order to properly evaluate the adequacy of medical fee. Consequently, it is critical to establish an independent organization to collect and appraise the data. It is also recommended that government should implement various policies to encourage hospitals to participate in the data collection to achieve the data accuracy and representativeness.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.51-69
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• 2015

Purpose: This study aimed to identify the effects of job insecurity and job engagement on turnover intention of paramedics who work in emergency medical institutions. Methods: From October 14 to 28, 2014, data were collected by structured questionnaires from 171 paramedics who were working in emergency medical institutions. The data were analyzed by using SPSS/WIN 21.0. Results: Of the 171 subjects, 57.3% were temporary employees, of whom 87.5% were working in regional emergency medical centers. The mean scores were 3.19 for job insecurity, 4.58 for job engagement, and 3.28 for turnover intention. The correlation between the variables showed that the higher the job insecurity of the participants, the higher their turnover intention (r = .397, p <.001). Moreover, the higher their job engagement, the lower their turnover intention (r = -.354, p <.001). The variable that most significantly affected turnover intention was job insecurity. The coefficient of determination ($R^2$) of job insecurity and job engagement was 24.3%. Conclusion: A law should be enacted to involve paramedics as required personnel for emergency medical institutions in order to enhance the quality of emergency medical services and provide prompt and professional emergency medical services to emergency patients.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.40-52
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• 2010

Health insurance fees are set by relative value scales and conversion factors. Since 2008 the conversion factor has been classified into 7 according to the provider type, and a separate contract has been made respectively. As such classification of the conversion factor reflects only the different characteristics of providers, however, further classification to reflect the different cost structures of providers is proposed. Cost varies according to the type of not only providers but also services each provider supply. In fact different cost structures of providers are the result of their different services. This study analyzed the cost structure of medical services to propose a new approach to the classification of the conversion factor. This study analyzed the cost structure of medical services using cost data constructed in the revision study of relative value scales. The cost data consist of doctor's fee, support staff's fee, cost of medical equipments, cost of medical supplies and indirect cost. The proportion of each cost component to the total cost was analyzed in terms of service department and service type. 72 service groups are defined in terms of the combination of service department and service type. Through cluster analysis, 72 service groups were reduced into 7 clusters each of which has a similar cost structure. Conversion factor is contracted annually to reflect the change in the cost of providing medical services. So the classification of conversion factor has to be based on the cost structures of medical services, not the characteristics of providers. Service clusters derived in this study can be used as a new classification for health insurance fee contract.

• Journal of Korean Library and Information Science Society
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.227-255
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• 2015

Bibliotherapy personal appetite through literature as well as physical and mental health while it also creates production of healthy society and healthy leisure. As a result, it might be an approach to qualitative development of our society in terms of being an effective tool to contribute to the overall welfare improvement of our nation. The purpose of this research is to examine the current operation conditions of bibliotherapy services of medical libraries, to conduct survey on the librarians of perception about bibliotherapy services, and based on the results of this survey, to provide basic data for bibliotherapy services of medical libraries. To do this, Analyses of questionnaires going out to 57 librarians of 57 medical libraries among the member libraries of the Korea Medical Library Association. Through the results of this research, it can be seen that the librarians in the medical libraries perceive highly of providing bibliotherapy services for the users. The results of this study will likely suggest the need to re-align or shift current bibliotherapy services.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.161-169
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• 2020

Purpose: This study aims to identify changes in patients' transport time and chief complaints visiting the emergency room via emergency medical services from the "pre-COVID-19 period" compared to the "COVID-19 early-stage period". Methods: This retrospective observational study analyzed the emergency medical services reports at two time periods defined by the COVID-19 virus outbreak in Korea. The study was conducted in Busan, the Republic of Korea, from January 19 through May 6, 2019. Results: The transfer time of patients transported during the "COVID-19 early-stage period" was significantly delayed compared to the "pre-COVID-19 period" (p<.05). We found a significant increase in transport time for patients complaining of respiratory infections compared to patients without symptoms (p<.05). During the "COVID-19 early-stage period", there was a significant increase in the number of patients with respiratory infections and patients complaining of general symptoms compared to the "COVID-19early-stage period" (p<.05). Conclusion: The spread of the COVID-19 virus infection delayed patient transport and increased the number of patients reporting respiratory infection symptoms. Emergency medical services will need administrative and economic support to transport the increased number of patients requiring services.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.264-272
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• 2023

Background: Private health insurance supplements the coverage of national health insurance in Korea. In this situation, the subject of the study is to identify the healthcare utilization of people with physical and mental illnesses according to private health insurance. Methods: This study used data from the Korea Health Panel Survey 2018. The study population consisted of 813 individuals with physical and mental illnesses (PMI). Multiple logistic regression analysis and binominal logistic regression analysis were conducted about the utilization of emergency, inpatient, and outpatient medical services of people with PMI depending on enrollment in private health insurance (PHI). Results: The results of this study indicated that individuals with PHI utilized emergency and outpatient medical services less frequently compared to those without PHI. Conversely, having PHI was associated with a higher utilization of inpatient medical services compared to not having PHI. Binomial logistic regression analysis revealed that individuals with PMI who had PHI exhibited a higher frequency of visits to emergency and outpatient medical services compared to those without PHI. However, the significance of this trend was not observed in the case of emergency medical services. On the other hand, individuals with PMI who had PHI showed a lower frequency of visits to inpatient medical services compared to those without PHI. Conclusion: In conclusion, there was a significant relationship between having PHI and the utilization of medical services in people with PMI. There is a need for a follow-up study considering the type of mental illnesses, length of stay, and health outcome of people with PMI depending on having PHI.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.15-23
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• 2006

Simulators were introduced in education as a tool to make advanced training standardized, less expensive, and without danger to those involved. In 1922 in the Unites States, Edward Link presented his homemade flight simulator, which became common place in both military and civilian aviation, known as the "Link Trainer". The development of mannequin simulators used for education, training, and research is reviewed, tracing the motivations, evolution to commercial availability, and efforts toward assessment of efficacy of those for teaching cardiopulmonary resuscitation, cardiology skills, anaesthesia clinical skills, and crisis management. This will provide a brief overview of simulators and trainers in several domains.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.143-164
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• 2010

Although word-of-mouth (WOM) has been regarded as one of the very important topics in consumer research, its effects on other aspects of consumer behavior have been scarcely investigated in the context of health-care service industry. The WOM literature also suggests that it is essential for medical care service organizations in fierce competition to adopt WOM communication as a competitive weapon so as to be able to stay ahead of competition. The goal of this research was set to empirically study various relationships between antecedent variables, WOM acceptance, and purchase of medical care services. Specifically, drawing on the WOM literature, eight antecedents to WOM acceptance were selected first. Based on the relevant literature, seven sets of hypotheses on the relationships among antecedents to WOM, WOM acceptance, purchase intention and purchase of medical services were developed. Data were collected via an on-line survey. A total of 571 out of 600 responses turned out to be usable. The major findings of this study can be summarized as follows: First, 6 out of 8 antecedent variables to WOM acceptance were found to be positively affect WOM acceptance. However, the effects of (1) "newness of technology" pertaining to medical care service characteristics and (2) "involvement in health", one of receiver characteristics, were found to be insignificant. Second, most moderating effects on the relationship between purchase and purchase intention of medical care services were found to be insignificant with one exception. That is, elapse of time was found to be a marginally significant moderator on the relationship between purchase and purchase intention of medical care services. Third, it was found that the higher the WOM acceptance, the higher the purchase intention of medical care services. Finally, the effect of WOM acceptance was found to be particularly strong when WOM contents were perceived as useful and positive. Overall, it seems essential for hospitals to actively adopt WOM communication as a competitive marketing tool if they plan to improve their business performance. In this respect, the current study may serve to improve the business performance of hospitals by way of providing theoretical and empirical evidence on the effects of WOM communication variables on WOM acceptance and medical care service purchase.