• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
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• v.34 no.6
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• pp.409-415
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• 2021

Medical waste management is becoming increasingly important, specifically in light of the current COVID-19 pandemic, as hospitals, clinics, quarantine centers, and medical research institutes are generating tons of medical waste every day. Previously, a traditional incineration process was utilized for managing medical waste, but the lack of landfill sites, and accompanying environmental concerns endanger public health. Consequently, an innovative sterilization shredding system was developed to resolve this problem. In this research, we focused on the design and numerical analysis of a shredding system for hazardous and infectious medical waste, to establish its operational performance. The shredding machine's components were modeled in a CAD application, and finite element analysis (FEA) was conducted using ABAQUS software. Static, fatigue, and dynamic loading conditions were used to analyze the structural stability of the cutting blade. The blade geometry proved to be effective based on the cutting force applied to shred medical waste. The dynamic stability of the structure was verified using modal analysis. Furthermore, an S-N curve was generated using a high cycle fatigue study, to predict the expected life of the cutting blade. Resultantly, an appropriate shredder system was devised to link with a sterilization unit, which could be beneficial in reducing the volume of medical waste and disposal time, thereof, thus eliminating environmental issues, and potential health hazards.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.83-93
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• 2021

Objectives: 'Confined space' was only defined in the Safety and Health Regulations as a place where oxygen deficiency and hydrogen sulfide must be dealt with at the time of the initial enactment (1982). The danger of fire and explosion were added in 2003. We will compare and review the regulations related to confined space work under the current safety and health rules alongside regulations in other countries and prepare a plan to improve the system through enhanced clarity and execution. Methods: In a comparison of systems for the prevention of suffocation in confined spaces in major countries (Germany, United States, Japan) different concepts of the definition of confined spaces in different countries apparently due to differences in each country's legal implementation system, accident analysis methods, the status of safety and health implementation in workplaces, the precautions against actual confined space work, and the definition of confined spaces were found to be not much different between Korea and the other foreign countries. Results: In the case of Germany and the United States, a confined space is defined as a contextual concept rather than a place, so more careful attention is needed from operators or enclosed space managers as it is often necessary to judge the actual workplace. In the case of Korea and Japan, the interior of the place is mainly defined as a place, especially in the case of Japan, which concentrates on oxygen deficiency and hydrogen sulfide poisoning. Conclusions: For measures to improve regulations on the prevention of suffocation accidents in Korea, I would like to propose three major measures to improve the system in the rules on domestic industrial safety and health standards. It is necessary to prepare and provide a guide to ensure that the 18 types of confined spaces currently defined as confined spaces are clearly understood by field management supervisors or workers.

• Journal of Industrial Convergence
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• v.20 no.12
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• pp.87-96
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• 2022

The Ministry of Land, Infrastructure and Transport has also been promoting the commercialization of land transport technology to commercialize the technologies owned by small and medium-sized venture companies, and to support the transfer and commercialization of public technologies. At this point, in order to improve the investment effect of subsequent new projects and to select excellent research institutes, it is necessary to establish a valid evaluation index system suitable for the purpose of the project. The evaluation index system for subsequent new projects should be linked to the project objectives and goals of the preceding project, and should be selected in consideration of existing evaluation indicators to prevent interruption of research results. Therefore, this thesis sets the evaluation index system into multiple scenarios through hierarchical cluster analysis using the evaluation result data for each evaluation committee for small and medium venture companies participating in the land transportation technology commercialization support project, and then analyzes the structural equation model. As a result of scenario analysis, considering the measurement effect of each path representing the causal relationship between evaluation indicators and the effect of each evaluation index on evaluation items, the scenario with the highest impact on the evaluation result was selected as an improvement plan.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.52 no.4
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• pp.86-103
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• 2024

This study interprets the evolving ideologies of Singapore's urban environmental policies focusing on the meanings encapsulated within the notion of 'garden'. Through a comprehensive review of policy documents, legislative materials, development projects, government promotional materials, and organizational changes in each era, the study identifies three phases, each with distinct central themes. Commencing in the 1960s, the initial phase projected a meticulously controlled and managed cityscape using the notion of garden, which was epitomized by the slogan 'Garden City'. In this phase, garden was a representative concept that embodied the cleanliness and greenness of the city, and also served as a strategic rhetoric to effectively transfer the ideology of an exemplary picturesque city to the public. Subsequently, in the 1970s, the focus gradually shifted from individual green spaces and bodies of water towards a collective system which served as a foundational infrastructure of the city-nation. This evolution was reflected in the new slogan 'City in a Garden', where the garden is now not only summoned for its external appearance but also as an unified system which serves as the cornerstone of the city. Through these phases, the Singaporean government developed a scheme capable of integrated management of green spaces and water resources tailored to the scale and function of each. Building upon this foundation, the early 2000s saw the adoption of a new orientation focusing on sustainability and urban ecology, encapsulated in the revised slogan 'City in Nature'. For more than five decades, Singapore has demonstrated an adept utilization of the notion 'garden'. This scholarly examination underscores Singapore's journey in redefining urban landscapes through the strategic employment of the concept of garden in its urban environmental policies. By tracing the evolution of the garden concept across distinct phases, the study illuminates how the Singaporean government leveraged the garden's versatility: from an effective metaphor of aesthetic values to an integral component of its holistic urban system, and finally to a bridge between the urban and the natural.

• Korean Security Journal
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• no.33
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• pp.197-228
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• 2012

The private security industry in Korea has rapidly proliferated. While the industry has grown quickly, though, private security officers have recently been implicated in incidents involving violence, demonstrating an urgent need for systematic reform and regulation of private security practices in Korea. Due to its quasi-public service character, the industry also risks losing the public's favor if it is not quickly disciplined and brought under legitimate government regulation: the industry needs professional standards for conduct and qualification for employment of security officers. This paper shares insights for the reform of the Korean private security industry through a study of the licensing and training requirements for private security businesses in the United States, mainly focusing on the Private Security Officer Employment Authorization Act (hereinafter the PSOEAA) and the California system. According to the PSOEAA, aspiring security officers shall submit to a criminal background check (a check of the applicants' criminal records). Applicants' criminal records should include not only felony convictions but also any other moral turpitude offenses (involving dishonesty, false statement, and information on pending cases). The PSOEAA also allows businesses to do background checks of their employees every twelve months, enabling the employers to make sure that their employees remain qualified for their security jobs during their employment. It also must be mentioned that the state of California, for effective management of its private security sector, has established a professional government authority, the Bureau of Security and Investigative Services, a tacit recognition that the private security industry needs to be thoroughly, professionally, and actively managed by a professional government authority. The American system provides a workable model for the Korean private security industry. First, this paper argues that the Korean private security industry should implement a more strict criminal background check system similar to that required by the PSOEAA. Second, it recommends that an independent professional government authority be established to oversee and enforce regulation of Korea's private security industry. Finally, this article suggests that education and training course be implemented to provide both diverse training as well as specialization and phasing.

• Korean Security Journal
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• no.18
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• pp.169-190
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• 2009

Today, the rapid advance of scientific technologies has brought about fundamental changes to the types and levels of terrorism while the war against the world more than one thousand small and big terrorists and crime organizations has already begun. A method highly likely to be employed by terrorist groups that are using 21st Century state of the art technology is cyber terrorism. In many instances, things that you could only imagine in reality could be made possible in the cyber space. An easy example would be to randomly alter a letter in the blood type of a terrorism subject in the health care data system, which could inflict harm to subjects and impact the overturning of the opponent's system or regime. The CIH Virus Crisis which occurred on April 26, 1999 had significant implications in various aspects. A virus program made of just a few lines by Taiwanese college students without any specific objective ended up spreading widely throughout the Internet, causing damage to 30,000 PCs in Korea and over 2 billion won in monetary damages in repairs and data recovery. Despite of such risks of cyber terrorism, a great number of Korean sites are employing loose security measures. In fact, there are many cases where a company with millions of subscribers has very slackened security systems. A nationwide preparation for cyber terrorism is called for. In this context, this research will analyze the current status of Korea's cyber security systems and its laws from a policy perspective, and move on to propose improvement strategies. This research suggests the following solutions. First, the National Cyber Security Management Act should be passed to have its effectiveness as the national cyber security management regulation. With the Act's establishment, a more efficient and proactive response to cyber security management will be made possible within a nationwide cyber security framework, and define its relationship with other related laws. The newly passed National Cyber Security Management Act will eliminate inefficiencies that are caused by functional redundancies dispersed across individual sectors in current legislation. Second, to ensure efficient nationwide cyber security management, national cyber security standards and models should be proposed; while at the same time a national cyber security management organizational structure should be established to implement national cyber security policies at each government-agencies and social-components. The National Cyber Security Center must serve as the comprehensive collection, analysis and processing point for national cyber crisis related information, oversee each government agency, and build collaborative relations with the private sector. Also, national and comprehensive response system in which both the private and public sectors participate should be set up, for advance detection and prevention of cyber crisis risks and for a consolidated and timely response using national resources in times of crisis.

• Asia pacific journal of information systems
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.71-96
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• 2011

Within the traditional medical delivery system, patients residing in medically vulnerable areas, those with body movement difficulties, and nursing facility residents have had limited access to good healthcare services. However, Information and Communication Technology (ICT) provides us with a convenient and useful means of overcoming distance and time constraints. ICT is integrated with biomedical science and technology in a way that offers a new high-quality medical service. As a result, rapid technological advancement is expected to play a pivotal role bringing about innovation in a wide range of medical service areas, such as medical management, testing, diagnosis, and treatment; offering new and improved healthcare services; and effecting dramatic changes in current medical services. The increase in aging population and chronic diseases has caused an increase in medical expenses. In response to the increasing demand for efficient healthcare services, a telehealth service based on ICT is being emphasized on a global level. Telehealth services have been implemented especially in pilot projects and system development and technological research. With the service about to be implemented in earnest, it is necessary to study its overall acceptance by consumers, which is expected to contribute to the development and activation of a variety of services. In this sense, the study aims at positively examining the structural relationship among the acceptance factors for telehealth services based on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM). Data were collected by showing audiovisual material on telehealth services to online panels and requesting them to respond to a structured questionnaire sheet, which is known as the information acceleration method. Among the 1,165 adult respondents, 608 valid samples were finally chosen, while the remaining were excluded because of incomplete answers or allotted time overrun. In order to test the reliability and validity of the assessment scale items, we carried out reliability and factor analyses, and in order to explore the causal relation among potential variables, we conducted a structural equation modeling analysis using AMOS 7.0 and SPSS 17.0. The research outcomes are as follows. First, service quality, innovativeness of medical technology, and social influence were shown to affect perceived ease of use and perceived usefulness of the telehealth service, which was statistically significant, and the two factors had a positive impact on willingness to accept the telehealth service. In addition, social influence had a direct, significant effect on intention to use, which is paralleled by the TAM used in previous research on technology acceptance. This shows that the research model proposed in the study effectively explains the acceptance of the telehealth service. Second, the research model reveals that information privacy concerns had a insignificant impact on perceived ease of use of the telehealth service. From this, it can be gathered that the concerns over information protection and security are reduced further due to advancements in information technology compared to the initial period in the information technology industry, and thus the improvement in quality of medical services appeared to ensure that information privacy concerns did not act as a prohibiting factor in the acceptance of the telehealth service. Thus, if other factors have an enormous impact on ease of use and usefulness, concerns over these results in the initial period of technology acceptance may become irrelevant. However, it is clear that users' information privacy concerns, as other studies have revealed, is a major factor affecting technology acceptance. Thus, caution must be exercised while interpreting the result, and further study is required on the issue. Numerous information technologies with outstanding performance and innovativeness often attract few consumers. A revised bill for those urgently in need of telehealth services is about to be approved in the national assembly. As telemedicine is implemented between doctors and patients, a wide range of systems that will improve the quality of healthcare services will be designed. In this sense, the study on the consumer acceptance of telehealth services is meaningful and offers strong academic evidence. Based on the implications, it can be expected to contribute to the activation of telehealth services. Further study is needed to assess the acceptance factors for telehealth services, such as motivation to remain healthy, health care involvement, knowledge on health, and control of health-related behavior, in order to develop unique services according to the categorization of customers based on health factors. In addition, further study may focus on various theoretical cognitive behavior models other than the TAM, such as the health belief model.

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.4
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• pp.5-29
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• 1995

Occupational health services in Korea have been operated as dual types : one is operated by occupational health care manager and the other is health care agency without their own personnel. The performance of occupational health service should be different due to the variety of characteristics of health care manager and workplace, qualification of health care manager. This study is to analyze performance of occupational health care services with a particular consideration of job performance shape and efficiency, based on comparing those two types of health care management to show on the basic data for the settlement of more qualitative health care management system at workplace. For this study, total 391 places in Seoul and Inchon city area ; 154 places (39.4%) managed by designated health care manager and 237 places (60.6%) by the agency with their commission are selected as research samples. Tools for data collection are questionnares that have been investigated during the period of 20 September 1993-20 December 1993. Those data are compared with percentiles, mean, standard deviation and B/C ratio using SPSS PC program. Conclusions observed from the tests and each comparison could be summerized as follows : 1. Occupational health care have been accomplished at workplaces with designated people than with agencies people, and coverage rate of the occupational health care services has differences, due to management types. The reason of these results is due to visit only one or two times monthly by the agencies, while their own health care manager obsess, at the workplaces all the times. 2. Most of the expense for environmental control of all health care services expenditures shows that there is almost no fundamental improvement because more expenses are needed for procuring personal protective equipment and measuring work environment instead of environmental improvement. 3. It is investigated how much the cost of occupational health care services needs per worker, and calculated how much the cost needs per service hour per worker. The results from this show that the cost of occupational health services at workplaces with their own managers used less than the cost of health care agencies, eventually the former gives better services with less cost than the latter. 4. Benefit/Cost ratio is also produced by total benefit/total cost. The result from the above way reads 4.57 as a whole, while their own manager having workplaces reads 4.82 and the agencies do l.56. Even if their own manager performing workplaces spent more cost, this system produces more benefit than the agencies management. 5. The B/C ratio for medical organization such as local clinic, health care center and pharmacy shows more than or equal to at the workplaces controlled by the agencies. It is inferred that benefit would be much less than the cost used, with so being inefficient. 6. It is assumed that the efficiency ratio of health education is equal to reduction rate of workers medical organization visit. Estimated reduction rate 5%, 10%, 15%, show that the efficiency ratio of health education have an effect on producing benefits. It is estimated that more benefit can be produced if more qualitative education will be provided for enhancing health care efficiency. 7. Results of this study cannot be generalized because there are large scale of deviation in case of workplaces with less than 300 full time workers, but B/C ratio reads 2.69 as a whole and 3.25 at workplaces with their own health care manager are higher than 1.63 at the workplaces manged by the agencies. Finally, all the benefit concerning health care services could not be quantified, measured and shown on the value of money. This is a reason that a considerable part of benefits are so underestimated. This is also thought that measurement tools should be developed for measuring benefits of health care services with a comprehensive quantification. in the future. It is also expected that efficiency of occupational health care services should be investigated using cost-effectiveness analysis.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.334-346
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• 2024

Background: Research on the link between subjective health and unmet healthcare needs is limited. This study examines whether experiences of subjective healthcare needs and unmet needs are related to subjective health in South Korea, where the rate of poor subjective health is notably high. Methods: This analysis utilized data from the Korea Health Panel (2014-2018), incorporating 68,930 observations from 16,535 adults aged 19 or older. The dependent variable, subjective health, was dichotomized into poor (bad or very bad) and non-poor (fair, good, or very good) categories. The primary variables of interest were the experiences of subjective healthcare needs and unmet needs, while control variables included 14 socio-demographic, health, and functional characteristics. The study employed population proportion analysis and multivariable two-level binary logistic regression analysis for each gender, accounting for the complex sampling design. Results: In 2018, the rate of reporting poor health was 8.7% (95% confidence interval [CI], 8.0%-9.5%) for men and 14.7% (95% CI, 13.8%-15.6%) for women. For both genders, compared to individuals whose healthcare needs were met, those without healthcare needs were less likely to report poor subjective health (adjusted odds ratio [AOR], 0.58; 95% CI, 0.39-0.86 for men; AOR, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.37-0.93 for women). Conversely, individuals whose healthcare needs were not met were more likely to report poor subjective health (AOR, 2.31; 95% CI, 2.01-2.65 for men; AOR, 2.19; 95% CI, 1.98-2.43 for women). A policy simulation indicated that reducing the experience of subjective healthcare needs would be approximately 5 times more effective in reducing poor subjective health than a policy focused on reducing the experience of unmet needs. Conclusion: South Korea must make significant efforts to reduce the deterioration of subjective health and promote appropriate healthcare utilization. To achieve this, a set of policies is recommended to address subjective healthcare needs. These policies should include (1) prompting individuals to proactively manage their own health, (2) providing primary healthcare similar to that in advanced countries, (3) ensuring the healthcare delivery system operates effectively, (4) decentralizing the healthcare management system, and (5) reducing the likelihood of people being misled into thinking they have a healthcare need.

• The Korean Society of Law and Medicine
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.109-132
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• 2019

Recently, medical accidents related to surgical procedures have increased. In addition, the media reported that some of these accidents were involved in health crimes. Patient-advocate groups have called for mandatory establishment and management of CCTV in operating rooms. There is a lot of discussion among the interested parties, so it is necessary to review the relevant laws and regulations. The purpose of this study is to identify the characteristics of CCTV in operating rooms and to review legislations related to establishment and management of the CCTV in operating rooms. Medical institutions use CCTV for management of facilities and patient safety and install it in operating rooms optionally. The Constitution guarantees the privacy and the privacy of correspondence of every citizen, but it can be limited by the law for public welfare. Currently, however, there is no existing law about establishment and management of the CCTV in operating rooms and it can be defect of legal system. Under the current legislations, it is likely that the Self-determination can be violated due to the characteristic of healthcare provider when CCTV is mandatorily installed in operating room. In addition, the regulations on access and leakage of confidential information known by operator are insufficient. So that, the safety of the visual data might be threatened. Furthermore, unless the period and the place of storage of the visual data are clearly defined, it is highly unlikely to meet the original purpose of patient safety and prevention of medical accidents. This study is meaningful as there is few previous study on this topic although the need for legal review about this is growing and several bills are being proposed. It is expected that the results of this study can be utilized as basic data for enactment or amendment of the laws and regulations about establishment and management of CCTV in operating rooms.