• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.3-12
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• 1981

To identify the changes in professional care patterns after the introduction of medical insurance in Korea, professional care in hospitals and clinics of two succeeding years were compared. The hospitals and clinics selected for this study were those which located in Seoul city. Hospitals were classified into 3 categories: university hospital, general hospital and hospital. The diseases selected for this study were acute appendicitis and normal delivery. They were selected because their disease courses are considered to be fairly stable. The variables used for this study were length of stay, total hospital costs, costs of each components of cares. The information used for this study was obtained from the official forms requested by the medical facilities to the Korea Medical Insurance Corporation. The two periods studied were 3 months of each year from March 1st to May 31st in 1979 and 1980, The total number of normal delivery studied was 289 in 1979, 301 in 1980 respectively and the acute appendicitis was 92 and 111 respectively. In order to compare the quantity of medical care between 2 study periods the insurance price scores of 1979 were converted to prices of 1980. For statistical test of difference between 2 periods T-test and Welch's test were used. The result of the study were briefly summarized in below. 1. No significant difference was observed in the average length of stay of both disease between two study periods in all types of hospitals. 2. No significant difference was observed in the average total hospital costs of both diseases in all types of hospital, but in the private clinic the average clinic costs was rather decreased significantly in 1980. 3. More cost decrease were seen than cost increase in 1980 in all types of facilities, More cost changes by items were seen in acute appendicitis than in normal delivery between two study periods. The total hospital costs can be devided into 2 portions: charges for drug and material and for physician. In normal delivery, costs for physician's charges was significantly decreased in almost all the hospitals and costs for drug and material were not changed significantly in all the hospitals in 1980. In the university hospitals, however, the costs for drug and material were increased significantly in 1980. The cost decrease for physician's charge were mainly due to the decrease in the costs of laboratory test, treatment and physical therapy. The increase in the costs for the drug and material in the university hospitals was mainly due to the increase in the cost for drugs for oral administration and injection. 4. The proportion of components of medical care in the hospital has not been changed significantly, however, the cost for injection in normal delivery was characteristically increased in 1980 in all hospitals studied. In general the proportion of the costs for drug and material was tended to increase and the costs for physician was tended to decrease in 1980. The increase in the costs for drug and material were considered to be due to increase in the cost for drugs for oral administration and injection. The decrease in the costs for physician were due to decrease in the costs of laboratory test, treatment and physical therapy. Above mentioned changes in hospital and clinic care patterns are considered to be mostly influenced by the review criteria set by the K.I.C. for the assessment of the fee request made by clinics and hospitals.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.177-184
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• 2007

Objectives : This study was conducted to investigate the levels of psychosocial stress, job stress and their related factors among medical doctors practicing at local clinics. Methods : A survey using a self administered questionnaire was administered to 1,456 doctors practicing at private clinics via post for 2 months (2006. 1 - 2006. 3). Psychosocial stress, job stress, demographic factors, job related factors and health related behaviors were investigated. Among the eligible study population, the respondents were 428 doctors (29.4%). Results : The average scores of psychosocial stress and job stress were 2.19 and 3.13, respectively. The levels of psychosocial stress and job stress were statistically lower in older respondents, those who worked shorter or who were more satisfied with their job, and those with higher socioeconomic status. The level of psychosocial stress was related with smoking status, drinking status and exercise. The level of job stress was related with smoking status and exercise. In multiple linear regression analysis using psychosocial stress as a dependent variable, age, working hours per day, job satisfaction and perception on socioeconomic status were significant independent variables. In analysis using job stress as a dependent variable, age, working hours per day and job satisfaction were significant independent variables. Conclusions : Stress affects the doctor-patient relationship, productivity and overall health level of people. Therefore, it is important to manage and relieve the stress of doctors. It is suggested that more advanced studies on stress level and related factors and ways to improve the stress and health related behaviors of medical doctors should be conducted.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.124-145
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• 1993

General practitioners, internists, pediatricians, and family physicians are classified as so-called primary care physicians in the United States. We carried out this study for the purpose of answering the following question; "Who are the primary care physicians in Korea\ulcorner" We analyzed the 663, 154 claims which were drawn from the health insurance processing file made during the period of one month, April 1992 on the basis of systemic random sampling technique. The 663, 154 cases were matched with the doctor's file registered at the National Federation Medical Insurance by using the indivisual physician code number and analyzed according to the kind of specialty. If we follow the Geyman's definition of primary care physician in the United States, this study shows that they can take care of 43.2% of the total private clinic's claims in Korea. Provided that general practitioners and family physicians are considered the same way as in the United Kingdom, they could with only 8.3% of the total claims in Korea. The most frequent diseases are those which rank first to 46th in the total private clinic's claims. The proportion of the most frequent diseases was highest for pediatricians(90.4%) and followed by internists(81.4%), otolaryngologists(78.7%) and family physicians(76.5%). The proportion of the most frequent diseases in the most common 46 diseases was highest for radiologists(80.4%) and the next was as follows : general practitioners(78.3%), family physicians(67.4%), and internists(67.4%). We classified the most common 20 diseases of each specialty into 17 categories of ICD-9 and compared it with those of general practitioners. The specialists who had managed a similar disease pattern to those of general practitioners were identified as anesthesiologists, family physicians, general surgeons, and internists. Some specialists practicing at private clinics managed the diseases which were not quite appropriate for their specialties. After we evaluated each specialty by the most common diseases, the most frequent diseases, and the most frequent 20 diseases of each specialty in terms of the 17 categories of ICD-9, a tentative assumption is made that the primary physicians in the Republic of Korea are general practitioners, anesthesiologists, family physicians, internists, and general surgeons. This study has concluded that the categories of the primary care physicians are so diverse that their roles and distributions are distorted accordingly. Vigorous health policy efforts in correcting the malcomposition need to be made for the better provision of primary health care in Korea. in Korea.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.46 no.5
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• pp.237-248
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• 2013

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to examine and explain the extent of income-related inequity in health care utilization and expenditures to compare the extent in 2005 and 2010 in Korea. Methods: We employed the concentration indices and the horizontal inequity index proposed by Wagstaff and van Doorslaer based on one- and two-part models. This study was conducted using data from the 2005 and 2010 Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. We examined health care utilization and expenditures for different types of health care providers, including health centers, physician clinics, hospitals, general hospitals, dental care, and licensed traditional medical practitioners. Results: The results show the equitable distribution of overall health care utilization with pro-poor tendencies and modest pro-rich inequity in the amount of medical expenditures in 2010. For the decomposition analysis, non-need variables such as income, education, private insurance, and occupational status have contributed considerably to pro-rich inequality in health care over the period between 2005 and 2010. Conclusions: We found that health care utilization in Korea in 2010 was fairly equitable, but the poor still have some barriers to accessing primary care and continuing to receive medical care.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.61-67
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• 1978

Recently, Demands of automatic X-ray film processors are increasing more and more at general hospitals and private clinics, but various troubles because of incorrect control were found out. Authors have researched to find out the function and activity of automatic X-ray film processor for 70 days with Kodak X-OMAT processor, and results obtained were as follows; 1. Automatic X-ray film processor have an advantage to conduct the rapid treatment of X-ray film processing, but incorrect handling of developing and fixing agents were brought about a great change in contrast and optical density of X-ray film pictures. 2. About 10,000 X-ray films could be finished by same developing and fixing solution without exchanging any other solutions in automatic X-ray film processor.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.111-125
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• 2012

Objectives : One of the fundamental premises of medical anthropology is the interconnectedness of medicine and society. Recent ethnographies of medicine demonstrate that the interconnectedness of the social and the medical not just evokes relatedness of the two parties, but also emphasizes the agency of the constituents, mutually shaping and being shaped. Against this backdrop, this study attempts to anthropologically investigate Korean medicine in South Korea and traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in China. Methods : The findings are based on anthropological studies of East Asian medicine employing long-term fieldwork about Korean Medicine and Traditional Chinese Medicine. Results : TCM is characterized by standardization, hospitalization, and scientization, by which simplification, collectivization, and biomedicalization prevail in contemporary traditional medicine in China. In contrast, Korean medicine is characterized by diversity, care delivery by individual private clinics, and a considerable distance from biomedicine. To understand the divergence of the two East Asian medicines, one should consider the social contexts intervening into the medical contents, such as the role of the state and dominant discourses in given historical periods. Conclusions : Korean medicine in South Korea and TCM in China demonstrate well the hybridity of the social and the medical, suggesting that, for more comprehensive understanding of the medical, the social should be paid attention to.

• The Journal of Korean Society for School & Community Health Education
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.95-108
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• 2009

Objectives: This study is to explore school related adjustmental perception to department of dental hygiene of college students and images of employment. Methods: We surveyed 355 students at department of dental hygiene in Kyungnam and Busan during the period from August to October, 2009 using a self-administered questionnaires. Collected data were analyzed using SPSS 14.0. Results: Students were barely satisfied with the curricula. More than a half respondents said they were fairly good in their major field. Less than a half of the students(47.4%) said they would recommend their junior classmates to take their major. Many students (7d2.3%) wanted to have a job in big cities after graduation. More than a half students (50.8%) wanted to work at general hospitals rather than private clinics. Conclusion: Concerns and support for the students should be provided and more strong public relationship is required. And development of a career counseling program in Department of Dental Hygiene are necessary.

• Herbal Formula Science
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.30-41
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• 2006

Recently. the herbal industry has expanded into the herbal dietary supplements industry, the herbal cosmetics industry, etc. But still the main form of herbal drug usage is water extraction- packaging after herb preparation in private clinics. There was no report or data of investigations about industrial herbal preparations. To search for a better plan of herbal drug improvement and popularization. we surveyed the present state of Korean herbal preparation production. We made an industrial herbal preparation list, investigated the total amount of production, the chief items of manufacture. names of prescriptions each item is based on. scales of each production company, etc., and report on them on this article.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.131-148
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• 1996

This study was carried out by using questionnaires with 200 general doctors serving as the director of health subcenter in Kyongsangbuk-do Province as of January 1995. The results are summarized as follows. It was shown that the general characteristics consisted of 53 directors in the lst year(26.5%), 85 in the 2nd year(42.5%) and 62 in the 3rd year(31.0%). The percentage spent on their medical service showed that 73.0% of those directors spent more than 90% on their medical service. Based on their general service attitiude, 0% answered that the director of the health subcenter completes the given duties as the director, and 24.5% did that the director has the sense of responsibility and duty. Multiple answers concerning inconvenience and difficulties of the health subcenter director showed that less monthly salary accounted for 75.5%, no administrative power for 50.0%, insufficient medical instruments for 35.5%, insufficient budget for 30.0%, respect. In conclusion, in order for the health subcenter to meet the function as the primary medical clinic, it is required to arange the plans to inspire the public health doctors' service desire to that they can give the medical service as good as the private primary medical clinics, to convert existing concept of the public health doctors' placement in Myon administrative district into new concept in Gun by breaking from a uniform placement, and to consider an intensive placement according to the relevant projects so that preventive health activities can be planned and carried out.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.148-173
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• 2000

This thesis is a kind of case report on the managerial difficulties and strategies to overcome them for the rural hospitals in Korea. We examined environmental situations and SWOT(Strength, Weakness, Opportunity, Threat) of the hospitals, and suggested some strategies to improve the hospital business through analysing secondary data and brief survey to staffs and patients at 3 case hospitals. Among the strategies were included establishment of their identity as community hospitals, positioning towards high-touch services rather than high-tech services to improve their competence. For this positioning, patient satisfaction should be emphasized to make rapport with the residents in the community, and a few service areas should be selected and strengthened. Emergency care and geriatric health services are recommended to be covered strongly, because rural hospitals are usually the one and only hospital in the region and rural communities have aged population structure. In addition to these, networking is necessary among rural hospitals nationwide and with local clinics and tertiary hospitals near urban areas. And also, complementary role division with community health post should be developed to lessen the competitive relationship between public and private sectors. To support these strategies, fresh organizational culture should be built up to make hospital staff creative and enthusiastic on their job. Finally, inducement of governmental assistance will be necessary to make the environment advantageous to the rural hospitals.