• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.55 no.1
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• pp.65-70
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• 2023

The effect of improvement by keeping the former as the priority was examined through an evaluation of the role of the blood transfusion management (BTM) division. This division manages the status of blood for transfusion, evaluates the adequacy of blood transfusion (EABT), monitors and responds to the occurrence of transfusion-related side effects, and performs other tasks necessary for BTM. Although the establishment and operation of the BTM division can lead to the efficient evaluation of transfusion adequacy, there are disadvantages in that it takes time for EABT and it is difficult for the staff in charge of the BTM division to evaluate the adequacy of all the blood. In the future, it is essential to introduce a BTM division and committee specific to Korean patients to implement safe and appropriate BTM in medical institutions, and to assist medical institutions in training their personnel.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.235-241
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• 2016

Among recent issues emerging in the areas related to the society, health has received the most attention. In this paper, for a patient unable to do self-care because of worsened diseases, a biological information transfer method is proposed by which the disease information can be securely managed, by attaching an implantable device into the body. Our method object of the invention is to prevent a third party from illegally intercepting and interfering with the biological information attached to the insertion device in the body. In the proposed technique to improve the safety of the patient between the hospital and physician by assigning each code to the biometric information of the patient in order to prevent a third party tapping and interfering. In addition, our method is assigned a code necessary for encoding in advance to confirm the biological information between the patient and the hospital (doctor) in a manner dividing the bio-information code. In particular, the proposed technique makes a third party unable to illegally tap or interfere in, by previously generating a code used for encoding so that it can be stored in the database of the hospital, which not only decreased hospital care time to 6.9%, but also increased work efficiency rate up to 12.7%.

• Journal of Korean Clinical Health Science
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.59-71
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• 2014

Purpose. Medical tourism is recently becoming a new industry with great growth potential. The South Korean government is shifting medical tourism from simple cultural tourism to a high value-added industry with a new paradigm. Methods. The government has been providing positive support and marketing policies since the introduction of the article concerning foreign patient attraction to the medical law in 2009, and various types of medical institutions around the country has participated actively in medical tourism by themselves or in cooperation of government bodies and made increasingly greater performance. Results. This study obtained the following results. The medical institutions in Korea have been making efforts to see more development and profitability in diverse ways, including medical tourism for foreign patients and the advance of the Korean medical institutions into foreign markets. However, many local governing bodies and medical institutions participating in medical tourism around the country have primarily focused on examination and treatment on the basis of foreign patients' visit to South Korea and rarely built a medical network with other countries directly for medical tourism. This study presents a case of building a local medical network and a network for international medical tourism successfully on the basis of the local medical association, CMP, which has been formed naturally in Busan. The success factors for CMP included 1) enthusiasm of the official in charge; 2) the medical level, the service level, and open-mindedness of participant medical institutions; 3) cost efficiency due to executive office management with no costs, no conflicts, and constant partnership; 4) security of non-competitive expertise for participants; 5) local factors of CMP; 6) participation of good agencies; 7) reinforcement of participation networks; and 8) post facto management and local doctor management. Conclusions. Its positive effects included patient introduction and greater profitability on an internal basis as well as construction of the collaboration system with the institutions related to medical tourism and confidence. However, there are some limitations: it is still difficult to predict performance due to the short period of their activities, and it is necessary to continue to observe their constant activities since a single medical association was involved.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.479-492
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• 2020

Background: As the prevalence of hypertension is increasing in Korea, the government is seeking policy actions to manage patients with hypertension more efficiently. In this paper, we aimed to identify factors associated with the use of medical care at hospitals among outpatients with hypertension. Methods: We analyzed a total of 15,040 cases of 3,877 outpatients with hypertension obtained from the Korea Medical Panel database from 2010 to 2016. The dependent variable was whether a patient with hypertension visited a hospital or not; and independent variables were the patient's various socio-demographic, health-related, and heath-status characteristics. We conducted a generalized linear mixed model analysis with logit link for all the cases and then conducted it stratified by gender. Results: As a result of a multivariable analysis, women were less likely than to visit at a hospital (odds ratio [OR], 0.44; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.32-0.61) and people aged 65 years and older than those aged less than 65 years (OR, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.57-0.89). Residents in Busan, Ulsan, and Gyeongnam were more likely than those in than Seoul, Gyeonggi, Incheon, and Jeju to visit a hospital (OR, 1.40; 95% CI, 1.05-1.86). The likelihood of visiting a hospital was high in people belonging to a group of: the highest level of annual household income (OR, 1.73; 95% CI, 1.30-2.29); Medical care aid recipients (OR, 1.94; 95% CI, 1.34-2.83); people having three or more complex chronic diseases (OR, 1.59; 95% CI, 1.19-2.11); people having diabetes (OR, 1.81; 95% CI, 1.41-2.32); or people having ischemic heart disease or cerebrovascular disease (OR, 6.80; 95% CI, 5.28-8.76). Also, we found that factors associated with the use of medical care at hospitals among outpatients with hypertension differed between genders. Conclusion: A variety of factors seem to be associated with the use of medical care at hospitals among outpatients with hypertension. Future research needs to find a way to help patients with hypertension visit an appropriate medical institution between clinics and hospitals.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.66 no.6
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• pp.618-631
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• 2023

The brain houses vital hormonal regulatory structures such as the hypothalamus and pituitary gland, which may confer unique susceptibilities to critical illness-related corticosteroid insufficiency (CIRCI) in patients with neurological disorders. In addition, the frequent use of steroids for therapeutic purposes in various neurological conditions may lead to the development of steroid insufficiency. This abstract aims to highlight the significance of understanding these relationships in the context of patient care and management for physicians. Neurological disorders may predispose patients to CIRCI due to the role of the brain in hormonal regulation. Early recognition of CIRCI in the context of neurological diseases is essential to ensure prompt and appropriate intervention. Moreover, the frequent use of steroids for treating neurological conditions can contribute to the development of steroid insufficiency, further complicating the clinical picture. Physicians must be aware of these unique interactions and be prepared to evaluate and manage patients with CIRCI and steroid insufficiency in the context of neurological disorders. This includes timely diagnosis, appropriate steroid administration, and careful monitoring for potential adverse effects. A comprehensive understanding of the interplay between neurological disease, CIRCI, and steroid insufficiency is critical for optimizing patient care and outcomes in this complex patient population.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.23 no.3 s.31
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• pp.285-295
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• 1990

The utilization of medical care services has been partly regionalized with the implementation of referral requirement by the government since July 1, 1989 when the health insurance coverage was extended to all the people. For the purpose of regionalization, the whole country has been primarily divided into tertiary care regions, and each of them again into secondary care regions. This study investigates the self-sufficiency for in-patient care services of secondary care regions focusing on why it varies among the regions. In doing so, analysis is performed to examine a model which embodies three sets of hypotheses as follows : 1) The regional self-sufficiency for medical care services would be subject to direct influences of regional characteristics, amount of available services and structural properties of regional medical care system ; 2) The regional characteristics would have indirect effects on the self-sufficiency which are mediated by medical care services ; and 3) The amount of available services would indirectly affect the self-sufficiency by influencing the structure of regional medical care system. The results of analysis were generally consistent with the model. The findings have some practical implications. The regional self-sufficiency for medical care services partly depends upon basic properties of each region which cannot be changed in a short period of time. Thus the self-sufficiency for medical care services can be improved mainly by health policy measures. In some of the regions the self-sufficiency for in-patient care services was much higher or lower than can be predicted from the bed-population ratio. Indication is that the allocation of health resources should be made considering a variety of factors bearing upon the supply of and demand for health care ; not on the basis of just a single criterion like the availability. The self-sufficiency of a certain region is related to not only its own characterstics but also the characteristics of neighboring regions. Therefore, attention should be also directed to the inter-regional relationships in health care when the needs for investment of health resources in a region are assessed. However, it should be noted that this study used the data collected before the referral requirement was imposed. A replication of this analysis using recent data would provide an evaluation of the impact on the self-sufficiency of the referral requirement as well as a confirmation of the findings of this study.

• The Korean Society of Law and Medicine
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.235-262
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• 2019

While traditionally threatening human infectious diseases are decreasing, chronic diseases such as cancer and diabetes, including cardiovascular diseases, are spreading rapidly. Reflecting the characteristics of chronic diseases that are difficult to treat, the management of risk factors and the preparation of health promotion policies corresponding to them have emerged as important concerns around the world. Providing so-called multi-sector approach such as health promotion and disease prevention policy and solution for community response, The value of primary care is once again highlighted in the changed medical environment. As the existing medical delivery system has become difficult to cope with the people's desire for rapid aging, disease paradigm change, and quality of life improvement, European Union countries have made various efforts to improve the quality of their primary medical system, which provides continuous, com- prehensive and coordinated management. This paper examines the current status and problems of the healthcare delivery system in Korea, draws implications from the European Union examples related to the strengthening of primary care, and discusses the plans for establishing a patient-centered future medical delivery system.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.27-47
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• 2019

Purpose : This study was designed to identify the perception and practice level of infection control among korean medical doctors and to identify factors that may influence the performance and practice level. Methods : Data were collected using the on­line survey method. Seven hundred and eighty four Korean medical doctors(KMD) participated the survey. The study was conducted from December 2018 to January 2019. Results : The results of this study are as follows. 1. Participants who experienced infection risk by needles or sharp instruments were 596(76%). and participants who had experienced blood or body fluid contact with the mucous membrane or skin of the patient during treatment were 226(28.8%) of them. 2. The degree of perception and practice of the infectious guideline was higher in the group over 50 years, in the doctor group, in the group with more than 6 years experience in clinic and in the group who work in the hospital. (p < 0.05) 3. In the performance of the infection control management related to the Korean medical treatment, the practice level of the article 'Discard the remaining needle that used for one patient' was the lowest at 4.02, 'Identify the patient and check the validity period of sterilization of medicines or instruments' was the second lowest in 4.16. 4. Among the contents of "Prevention of Nosocomial infection and Sanitary Safety Guidelines" issued by the Korean Medical Association in 2008, the guideline "Prevention of infection by pathogens such as HIV, MRSA, SARS" were lowest article in the perception and practice level of participants. 5. Regression analysis was performed to find out the factors affecting perception and performance of the participants. The regression model showed significant difference in the regression model of the working years. (p < 0.05) 6. In order to examine the effect of the variables on the perception and practice of the infectious guideline, the mediated effect of the knowledge and education level according to the years of working, age, education degree was found to be significant only in the education degree variable. (p < 0.05) In conclusion : in order to improve the perception and practice of infectious control of Korean medicine doctors, it is necessary to include the contents of infection management as essential education during the continuing education of Korean medicine association.

• Journal of Industrial Convergence
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• v.20 no.10
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• pp.51-59
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• 2022

This study aims to investigate the changes in health status of inpatients before and after a fall accident, and it is a retrospective study using data from 328 inpatients who fell from January 1, 2016 to December 31, 2020, reported to the patient safety reporting system. The average age of the study subjects was 68.57(±14.13), and those in their 70s accounted for the most at 30.49%. Falls occurred on average 13.86(±25.03) days after hospitalization, and the time when the most falls occurred was between 22:30 and 06:59 with 42.99%. Before and after a fall during hospitalization, bowel problems (x²=314.0, p<.001), urination problems (x²=284.0, p<.001), intravenous fluid therapy (x²=85.16, p<.001), and walking (x²=69.77. p<.001), bedridden state (x²=51.60, p< .001), mental state and performance (x²=17.52, p<.001) patient's attitude (x²=220.17, p<.001), there was a statistically significant difference. It is necessary to develop an appropriate method and education program for fall prevention in hospital by considering the individual characteristics of inpatient.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.45 no.2
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• pp.190-198
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• 2024

Introduction: Central pontine myelinolysis (CPM) is a rare neurological disorder marked by symmetric nerve fiber damage, commonly following rapid hyponatremia correction, with no established treatment and a poor prognosis. The condition, often linked to alcoholism, malnutrition, and various diseases, lacks comprehensive studies on its impact on gait. This research aims to quantitatively analyze gait changes in CPM patients receiving both traditional Korean and conventional rehabilitation treatments, addressing a gap in current understanding of CPM management. Case presentation: A 56-year-old male diagnosed with CPM following an initial misdiagnosis underwent combined electoracupuncture and rehabilitative treatment at ○○ university Korean medical center, resulting in significant gait improvements. A treadmill gait analysis system was used to measure changes in key gait parameters at 2-week intervals, and the patient's progress was documented. Conclusions: The quantitative analysis revealed significant gait improvements. Foot rotation decreased from 8.9° to 6.4° (right) and from 11.1° to 7.2° (left); lateral symmetry improved from -7.8 to 0.8; step length increased from 21 cm to 44 cm (right) and from 19 cm to 44 cm (left); and velocity increased from 1.2 m/s to 2.7 m/s. These findings highlight decreased foot rotation and lateral symmetry, along with increased step length and velocity, suggesting a positive outcome of the treatment regimen. Notably, the patient experienced no adverse effects related to the treatments. Despite limitations, including the singe case focus and lack of prior gait-focused CPM research, this case report provides valuable insights into effective CPM management strategies, paving the way for future research in this domain.