• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.36 no.1
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• pp.36-46
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• 2011

Objectives: To investigate the experience and competence of physicians providing emergency medical services at public health sub-centers on remote Korean islands. Methods: This study enrolled 79 doctors who work at public health sub-centers on remote Korean islands. Data were collected in December 2009 via self-administered e-mail questionnaires. The response rate was 44.3%. Results: Emergent situations occurred at most (58.68%) of the public health sub-centers that were surveyed in December 2009. An average of 1.92 cases required treatment by public health physicians. Only 20.25% of the physicians were specialists in emergency medicine, while the remainder were general practitioners (GPs) without clinical experience as emergency doctors. We also found that the physicians we surveyed had insufficient knowledge of emergency medical care. At some health centers only one doctor was available, and there was no medical team in holiday, although most of the physicians indicated that the ideal number of doctors per center was two or three. In cases of emergency, patients were often sent to the mainland by ship without receiving first-aid treatment. The public health sub-centers lacked the necessary medical equipment to save lives in emergencies and lacked escort systems for emergency patients. Conclusions: The Korean government should address the importance of providing emergency care in remote areas. Health administrators should provide suitable manpower, medical equipment, guidelines for emergency medicine, and education for public health physicians on remote islands.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.56-80
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• 1984

The main objectives of the present study is to evaluate Physician's Health Education Activities by means of physician's direct response to the prepared questionnaire and patient's perception to the physician in the course of medical care. For the data collection, the present study was conducted from Aug. 16 to Oct. 7, 1983 for 739 patients and 91 physicians who were attended outpatient clinics of 5 general hospitals in Seoul. The major findings are summarized as follows: 1. Self-evaluation on Physician's Health Education Activities (1) In consideration of health education services for the patient, the data revealed that 9.9% of the sampled physician wanted to strength public health and preventive medicine lecture in the curricula at medical education. On the other hand, only 1.1% expressed that they wanted to make it short. (2) In consideration of the necessity of health education service, it was shown that 95.6% of physicians agreed to take it into consideration. Self expression for the practice of health education was placed on the 3.15 score when 5 point scale used. (3) To evaluate the degree of an explanation about medical care for the patient, Index score with 4 point scale was employed. The Index score for the first time was shown that scale was placed on 3.23 for 'diagnosis', 3.12 for 'progress of the disease', 3.11 for 'discription of procedure' and 3.02 for 'cause of the disease' respectively. In comparison of the physician's explanation about the status of disease for the first and the second visitors to clinic, they evaluated themselves as giving more detailed explanation for the second visitors rather than the first visitors. 2. Physician's Health Education Services evaluated by patients (1) To evaluate physician-patient communication at beginning time for taking history about disease, the Index score with 5 point scale was employed. The data on taking history have shown that the score placed on 3.07 for those patients who visited the first time and 2.53 for second visitors. And the score about listening from the patients was placed on 3.52 and 3.42 respectively. (2) The Index score with 5 point scale, as used before, was also employed to evaluate medical care services for the patient. The data evaluated by the patients was shown that the score placed on 4.21 for patient treatment in general, 4.58 for physician's credibility, and 3.6 for physician's kindness. However, approximately 80% of those who failed to understand physician's explanation was caused by highly sophisticated medical terminology. (3) According to the Index score with 4 point scale, to evaluate physician's explanation, the data was shown that the patient who visited the first time gave 2.51 for 'diagnosis', 2.35 for 'progress', 2.11 for 'cause of the disease' and so on. It is acknowledged on the whole that the patients who visited the second time have more satisfaction in physician's explanation about their disease, than those who visited the first time. 3. Comparison of self-evaluation of Physician's Health Education Activities and patient's perception. (1) There was communication barriers between physicians and patients in expressing some medical terminology. For example physician understood that they explained more than 50% of medical terminology into common words for the patient, but 30% of patient complained medical terminology used by physician. (2) Comparing the index score of health education practice recognized by patients and physicians for both first visit and revisit groups, it was shown that the Index score of health education activities evaluated by physicians themselves were slightly higher than the score evaluated by patients.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.188-202
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• 1996

Telehealth is widely tested in the U.S.A and other developed countries. This system is expected to solve rural health problems reducing professional isolation. Some demonstration projects showed that the system can provide quality care in reasonable prices to rural residents. However, few study has been done on whether telehealth system can attract physicians by reducing professional isolation. The system is not available to most of the rural hospitals because the price for the equipment and telephone charges are not low enough. It is promising that the system cost and telephone charges are decreasing gradually. As time passes, rural hospitals will be more viable for the system. Satisfaction of the physicians and patients is a key factor for the implementation of the system. The physicians need to understand more about telecommunication and computer systems. After physicians are well-versed about the system, we can expect wide use of telehealth in rural areas. Effort for the confidentiality and standardization should be devoted to assure patient's privacy and compatibility of patient records and exam results. In Korea, two projects are being operated in Uljin and Kurye. A study evaluated the economic efficiency of the projects suggesting that increase of the number of patients up to three times of current number or decrease in hardware costs and telecommunication charges into two thirds of the current costs. The hardware and telecommunication charges are decreasing. Another area telehealth system can be applied is psychiatric accommodation facilities. Establishment of telehealth in the psychiatric facilities will increase the access of psychiatric care for patients and is expected to be economically efficient.

• The Journal of Korean Academic Society of Nursing Education
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.105-113
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• 2007

Background: Cancer genetics have gained public attention dramatically. Everyday physicians and nurses use the knowledge of cancer genetics in their practices. Despite the importance of the knowledge of the health care providers on cancer genetics, there is a paucity of literature investigating the levels of knowledge about cancer genetics among health care providers. Purpose: This study aimed to describe the Korean physicians' current knowledge level about hereditary breast and ovarian cancer (HBOC). Method: This nation-wide survey used a 15-item questionnaire which is modified from the Breast Cancer Genetic Counseling Knowledge Questionnaire originally developed by Erblich et al.(2005). One hundred and forty-four physicians participated in this survey from October 1, 2006 to March 31, 2007. Result: Physicians' knowledge level about hereditary breast cancer was 11.94 (S.D=2.46). Physicians with short-term careers (less than one year), the position of Intern, or who were involved in breast or ovarian cancer care demonstrated the highest knowledge about HBOC. Conclusion: Genetic courses in medical education seemed to contribute to the high level of physicians' genetic knowledge. Also, nursing discipline needs to incorporate genetics or genetic counseling courses into the formal educational curriculum in order to deliver up to date cancer care services which are sensitive to ever-changing cancer genetic information.

• Quality Improvement in Health Care
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.296-310
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• 1998

Background : Performance evaluation of medical care providers has become more important than before in Korea. Especially in university hospitals, job contents of medical staffs are so complicated that evaluation is not easily performed. In addition, in order that the feedback of evaluation be successful, acceptance of staffs to be evaluated is essential. This study is aimed at the development of items for evaluation and weighting of each item in one university hospital, and clustering departments by different weight given by medical staffs. Methods : Through resource group meeting. performance items were listed up by categories of education, research, medical services, and other activities in and out of the hospital. For each item, all the medical staffs were asked how important they thought, compared with publishing one original article. By factor analysis, the items in each category were grouped into a few subgroups. In turn, cluster analysis was done for the purpose of grouping departments by priority the medical staffs gave. Results and Conclusion : Among five major categories, medical staffs regard education, research, and medical services more important than other activities in and out of the hospital. Five categories consisted of two or three components. Departments in hospital were grouped into three. However, characteristics of each group was not clearly delineated. This result suggests that more comprehensive tool should be developed and applied in the process of performance evaluation in university hospitals.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.183-202
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• 1997

Health care organizations have been faced with financial difficulties under turbulent health care environment. This situation led hospitals to concentrate their efforts to improve their managerial efficiency in various ways. This study aims to evaluate technical efficiency of 31 tertiary hospitals in Korea and find determinants which are closely related with hospital efficiency. Data envelopment analysis(DEA) and Tobit Model were adopted for study. For the analysis, human resource factors such as number of physicians, nurses, and administrative staffs are used as input variables and the number of inpatients and outpatients) are used as output variables. Among 31 hospitals, in CCR model, 8 hositals showed efficiency score 1 which means they have been operated in very efficient ways and BCC model showed 13 of 31 hospitals as efficient organizations. Next, we analyzed determinants which are closely related with hospital efficiency. By using Tobit model, the study showed hospital size, Quality of care, value added per capita, and revenue per patient were closely related with hospital efficiency, However, it appeared that financial status of hospitals(i.e : making profit or not) was not related with hospital efficiency.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.109-116
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• 1976

Reorganization of myun health care service is one of the main issues in health care delivery in rural Korea. The fundamenta, concept of the role and function of the myun health subcenter is that it is the basic unit of rural health care service and is to provide comprehensive health care service through the integration of curative and preventive services. The aim of this study is to analyze the patterns of curative activities in the myun health subcenter in terms of the most prevalent types of diseases, necessary diagnostic methods and required equipment, types of treatment, necessary drugs and materials, and finally the cost of curative services. The population on which this study was done was the 1596 patients who visited the two myun health subcenters (Sunwon Myun and Naega Myun) in Kang Wha County, the area of the Yonsei University Community Health Teaching Project, during period from May 1, 1975 to June 10, 1976. For the patient's record in the clinic, problem oriented medical records were used. Decisions regarding the disease classification, the diagnostic methods used and selection of the most appropriate and adequate medical treatment were made by a group of three experienced physicians after reviewing the medical records which had been written by public physicians who were treating patients in the study area. The records were reviewed by resident staff members of the Department of Preventive Medicine, of Yonsei University College of Medicine. A brief summary of results of the study is as follow: 1. 29.9% of the patients who visited the clinics were ages between 0-4. No sex difference was observed among patients less than 20 years of age. However, among patients over 20 years old, females predominated. Thus it is evident that the majority of patients were either children or mothers and grandmothers. 2. The distance from the individual villages to the myun health subcenter was one of important factors in determining the ratio of clinic visits. However, other factors such as the activities of the health workers also affected the rates substantially. 3. The most common 25 diseases comprised 90.2% of all the diseases recorded. Acute respiratory infection (25.5%), Skin (12.7%) , diarrheal diseases (6.8%), neuralgia and back pain (4.9%) and. all other injuries (3.9%) were the five most common diseases. 4. Of all the diseases diagnosed and treated, 9.2% required simple laboratory tests for diagnosis, 6.5% required X-ray examination, and altogether 13.6% required either laboratory test or X-ray examination. 5. Treatment and management of 42.0% of the cases could be accomplished with simple, inexpensive drugs, 12.8% required the use of more expensive drugs (mostly antibiotics) and injections were required in 19.7% of the cases. Minor surgery and referral were necessary in 5% of the cases. 6. The cost for diagnosis and treatment was estimated with a standard which was set by general concensus. The average cost of diagnosis was 144 per case and the cost of treatment was 726 per case, The Total average cost per visit was 870.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.35-38
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• 2015

Background: Organizational changes that involve healthcare hospital departments and care services of health districts, and ongoing technological innovations and developments in society increasingly expose healthcare workers (HCWs) to work-related stress (WRS). Minimizing occupational exposure to stress requires effective risk stress assessment and management programs. Methods: The authors conducted an integrated analysis of stress sentinel indicators, an integrated analysis of objective stress factors of occupational context and content areas, and an integrated analysis between nurses and physicians of hospital departments and care services of health districts in accordance with a multidimensional validated tool developed in Italy by the National Network for the Prevention of Work-Related Psychosocial Disorders. The purpose of this retrospective observational study was to detect and analyze in different work settings the level of WRS resulting from organizational changes implemented by hospital healthcare departments and care services of health districts in a sample of their employees. Results: The findings of the study showed that hospital HCWs seemed to incur a medium level risk of WRS that was principally the result of work context factors. The implementation of improvement interventions focused on team development, safety training programs, and adopting an ethics code for HCWs, and it effectively and significantly reduced the level of WRS risk in the workplace. Conclusion: In this study HCW resulted to be exposed to occupational stress factors susceptible to reduction. Stress management programs aimed to improve work context factors associated with occupational stress are required to minimize the impact of WRS on workers.

• Journal of Korea Association of Health Promotion
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• v.2 no.3
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• pp.97-116
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• 2004

Lifetime Health Maintenance Program(LHMP) for Koreans is the Korean guide to clinical preventive services which include screening for chronic diseases, counseling and immunization. The Korean Task Force on the LHMP vigorously reviews evidence for interventions to prevent over 50 different illnesses and conditions which are important in Korea. The problems addressed in this program are common ones seen every day by primary care physicians in Korea: cardiovascular, infectious diseases, gastrointestinal and endocrine diseases, cancers, alcohol and smoking, and many others. Primary care clinicians have a key role in screening for many of these problems and immunizing against others. Of equal importance, however, is the clinician's role in counseling patients to change unhealthful behaviors related to diet, smoking, exercise, injuries, and sexually transmitted diseases. The recommendations are grouped by age, sex, and other risk factors.

• Journal of Korea Association of Health Promotion
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.231-245
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• 2004

Lifetime Health Maintenance Program(LHMP) or Koreans is the Korean guide to clinical preventive services which include screening for chronic diseases, counseling and immunization. The Korean Task Force on the LHMP vigorously reviews evidence for interventions to prevent over 50 different illnesses and conditions which are important in Korea. The problems addressed in this program are common ones seen every day by primary care physicians in Korea: cardiovascular, infectious diseases, gastrointestinal and endocrine diseases, cancers, alcohol and smoking, and many others. Primary care clinicians have a key role in screening for many of these problems and imunizing against others Of equal importance, however, is the clinician's role in counseling patients to change unhealthful behaviors related to diet, smoking, exercise, injuries, and sexually transmitted diseases The recommendations are grouped by age, sex, and other risk factors.