• The Korean Journal of Health Service Management
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.69-79
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• 2013

The purpose of this research is study how housewives dispose unused medications in a household and produce basic research data that can be used to establish efficient recycling and handling of unused medications. Data collection was done using proportional sampling and survey was done in February, 2011. The unused medications in household consist of "tablets(58.4%)", "ointment(31.3%)" and "eyewash(22.7%)". The main way of disposing unused medications was "standard garbage bag(74.1%)". The ideal way of disposing unused medications was "returning to the pharmacy(57.9%)". Only 39.2% of people recognize about unused medications disposal system. In order to establish recycling and treatment of unused medications, it is necessary to create laws and regulations related to unused medications and allocate budget to actively promote the program to public. Most importantly, we must induce doctors and pharmacies to participate in the campaign and there should be laws to require them to explain to their patients how to recycle and treat unused medications when they give prescription and make preparation to them.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.505-512
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• 2010

Objectives: Because of the changing life style of Koreans, we have witnessed an increase of patients with back pain. The development of medical knowledge and technology has resulted in more numerous and better treatment methods. However, the outcomes of diverse treatments have been examined by using a few medicine-oriented measures like pain. This study aims at identifying the factors that influence the outcomes of back pain treatments by using two outcome measures (e.g., quality of life and pain). Methods: We used the questionnaire survey method for data collection. The questionnaires contained 5 categories (treatment methods, clinical conditions, exercise, quality of life and, socio-demographic characteristics). We interviewed 188 back pain patients. We used the regression analysis method to predict the quality of life or pain. Results: Surgery showed a statistically significant effect on the quality of life as well as pain. The illness period, age and exercise were turned out to be significant factors for both of the dependent variables. The social class and surgery methods showed a statistically significant effect solely on the quality of life. Conclusions: In choosing the surgical methods, doctors need to provide detailed explanations on the quality of life outcomes for each of the surgical methods to the patients.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.1-30
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• 2007

This study aims to analyze the policy change which is caused by conflicts between interest groups when the Separation of the Prescribing from the Dispensing of Drugs (SPDD) was enforced. With the theory of New Institutionalism, the reason why the policy was to be changed can be explained by the concept of property right and transaction cost. As the government did not consider the change of property right and transaction cost between actors before introducing new institution, it was hard to adapt the SPDD. Though, under the established institution, the institutional change can cause the alteration in property right and transaction cost, government just focused on the new institution's execution. Therefore, the group which suffers the loss could not accommodate to the change of institution. For this reason, the adaptation of SPDD also caused huge conflicts between doctors and pharmacists. Then, this research shows that the reason why they conflict to the some issues in the content of PSPDD and why the issues was changed with the property right and transaction cost.

• The Journal of Korean Medical History
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.121-133
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• 2015

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to suggest how to interpret the 'practice of Korean Medicine', differentiating it from 'medical practice'. Methods : I analyze the legislations and precedents regarding the practice of Korean Medicine. Results : The Korean Medicine and Pharmaceutics Promotion Act defines 'practice of Korean Medicine' and it clearly differentiates it from the definition of 'medical practice'. However, the scope of this definition is somewhat restricting and it can violate doctors of Korean Medicine's right to equality and their academic freedom. Thus, the application of this definition of the 'practice of Korean Medicine' should be limited to the field of research and development. Meanwhile, criteria of distinguishing 'practice of Korean Medicine' from 'medical practice', which used to make a sharp distinction between Medicine and Korean Medicine by rigorously applying their academic standards, are now focusing more on protecting and improving health of the people. Discussions & Conclusions : I suppose that the distinction between the 'practice of Korean Medicine' and 'medical practice' will be more focused on public health rather than the academic stance of those two medical fields. Meanwhile, in accordance with dualistic medical system, the mutual usage of medical equipment in the area of 'treatment' should be limited while it should be allowed in the area of 'diagnosis' if it satisfies requirements suggested by the Constitutional Court.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.224-233
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• 2022

Purpose: In Japan, the Long-Term Care Insurance Act has stipulated visiting rehabilitation since 2000. This study aimed to identify the actual conditions of visiting rehabilitation in Japan through a literature review of reports published by the Japanese government. Methods: This literature review was conducted on eight articles among various government reports on the topic of the actual conditions of visiting rehabilitation. These reports were published by the Ministry of Health, Labor and Welfare of Japan based on their own investigations or reports from an external agency entrusted with the task, and were issued between 2000 and 2021. Results: The characteristics of the visiting rehabilitation offices, their number, manpower allocation, the number of users, and their visits to each office were identified. Also, the characteristics of the users, number of users, age and required degree of long-term care, causative disease, and required medical care were identified. To evaluate the actual status of the visiting rehabilitation service, the service use time, frequency, period of use, intervention by doctors and the degree of such intervention, therapist's service content, visitors' address before the use of the service, reason, and timing of the service introduction, evaluation of the service effectiveness, combination of services and transfer destination after termination, and status after service termination were checked. Conclusion: Based on the Japanese experience where visiting rehabilitation was introduced and applied to long-term care insurance, it would be meaningful to review the factors that required benchmarking among the Japanese service models while designing a similar model in Korea.

• Korean Medical Education Review
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.41-47
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• 2024

The ultimate goal of career guidance is to help medical students develop a career plan that matches their personal characteristics, allows them to train in their desired subspecialty, and helps them to adapt well to medical practice after graduation. Gachon Medical School has designed a longitudinal career guidance program called GLORI (Gachon Longitudinal Orientation and Career Development), which is based on the outcome of each phase. The program consists of regular courses and portfolio-based career guidance from a mentor professor. In phase 2 (basic medical science), the "Career Seminar" course was developed. This course focuses on self-understanding through a psychological inventory, exploration of postgraduate career paths, and interviews with professors in specialties of interest. In phase 3 (the integration of basic and clinical science), the "Exploring Nonclinical Career Options" course was introduced. This course presents perspectives from doctors who have followed various pioneering career trajectories, including biomedical engineering, medical journalism, writing, public health, health care administration, the pharmaceutical and medical device industries, and other areas. All teaching methods were designed to encourage student participation. The assessment methods are assignment-based, including self-reflective reports and presentations. In addition, a portfolio-based career guidance program is implemented in phases 3 and 4 (clinical clerkship). It is expected that this case study will serve as a practical example for developing comprehensive career guidance programs for medical schools.

• The Korean Nurse
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.43-50
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• 1993

The purpose of this study was to develop a strategy for the promotion of the image of nursing. The study questions were; Do nurses have a proper self image\ulcorner What image of nursing do the public have\ulcorner It is thought that the prejudices that the public have about nursing personnel have to be eliminated in order to provide for better health care. Even though the public have misconceptions of prejudices, nurses have not paid much attention to them, nor sought ways to change them. This study was designated to make out a model project to improve the image of nursing held by the public. This study was a strategy building descriptive study. This study was oriented to a model project to improve the image of nursing. The subjects for the study were 650 nurses who were staff nurses. The study procedures were as follow ; First step ; a special action committe for nursmg image making was established of nine members who were divided into five subgroups. 2nd step ; a 1st workshop was held to improve self concept of nurses and to recognize them the necessity of nursing image development, a 2nd workshop was held to develop a conceptual framewrk for the action plan and for budget planning. 3rd step ; a master plan for a nursing image was developed and evaluated through discussion and presentation. 4th step ; lecture and role playing were used to further the development of a caring attitude in the nurse. 5th step ; a situation oriented video film was made and previewed the film is done for nurses and doctors, and lastly ; an academic symposium was held to redefine and reinforce the nursing image under the title of future directed nursing for Yonsei University, at this time three nurses were given awards for demonstrating a caring attitude in order to motivate nurses to develop a care oriented attitude.

• The Korean Society of Law and Medicine
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.385-411
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• 2008

The goal of medicine is to contribute to promoting national health by preventing diseases and providing treatment. The scope of modern medicine isn't merely confined to disease testing, treatment and prevention in accordance to that, and making experiments by using the human body is widespread. The advance in modern medicine has made a great contribution to valuing human dignity and actualizing a manly life, but there is a problem that has still nagged modern medicine: treatment and healing for terminal patients including cancer patients. In advanced countries, pain care and hospice medicine are already universal. Offering a helping hand for terminal patients to lead a less painful and more manly life from diverse angles instead of merely focusing on treatment is called the very hospice medicine. That is a comprehensive package of medical services to take care of death-facing terminal patients and their families with affection. That is providing physical, mental and social support for the patients to pass away in peace after living a dignified and decent life, and that is comforting their bereaved families. The National Hospice Organization of the United States provides terminal patients and their families with sustained hospital care and home care in a move to lend assistance to them. In our country, however, tertiary medical institutions simply provide medical care for terminal patients to extend their lives, and there are few institutional efforts to help them. Hospice medicine is offered mostly in our country by non- professionals including doctors, nurses, social workers, pastors or physical therapists. Terminal patients' needs cannot be satisfied in the same manner as those of other patients, and it's needed to take a different approach to their treatment as well. Nevertheless, the focus of medical care is still placed on treatment only, which should be taken seriously. Ministry for Health, Welfare & Family Affairs and Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service held a public hearing on May 21, 2008, on the cost of hospice care, quality control and demonstration project to gather extensive opinions from the academic community, experts and consumer groups to draw up plans about manpower supply, facilities and demonstration project, but the institutions are not going to work on hospice education, securement of facilities and relevant legislation. In 2002, Ministry for Health, Welfare & Family Affairs made an official announcement to introduce a hospice nurse system to nurture nurse specialists in this area. That ministry legislated for the qualifications of advanced nurse practitioner and a hospice nurse system(Article 24 and 2 in Enforcement Regulations for the Medical Law), but few specific plans are under way to carry out the regulations. It's well known that the medical law defines a nurse as a professional health care worker, and there is a move to draw a line between the responsibilities of doctors and those of nurses in association with medical errors. Specifically, the roles of professional hospice are increasingly expected to be accentuated in conjunction with treatment for terminal patients, and it seems that delving into possible problems with the job performance of nurses and coming up with workable countermeasures are what scholars of conscience should do in an effort to contribute to the development of medicine and the realization of a dignified and manly life.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.3-15
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• 1977

In order to find out health problems among inhabitants in slum areas in Kwanak-Ku, Seoul, a series of health survey was conducted upon 510 households by interview from March to December, 1976. The results obtained were as follows: 1. Employments of householders were unstable; Out of 508 householders, 164(32.3%) were unemployed and 184 (36.2%) were daily or temporary employees. 2. Average number of households per house was 2.0 and average area of residential room per person was $4.0m^2$. 3. 476(93.3%) out of 510 households were supplied with tap water and rest of them made use of ground water as a source of drinking water. 4. Only 279(18.3%) out of 1527 live births were delivered at medical facilities, 496(32.7%) were at home attended by doctors or midwives and 358(25.1%) took prenatal care. The above findings were worse in urban slum area than in other urban area of relatively high economic level, but were better than in rural area of less medical facilities. 5. Initiation of treatment were delayed until their illnesses were advanced in most of the households, 472(92.5%) out 510. In the early stage of the illness, 131(25.6%) of the house-holds sought physicians in their clinics or general hospitals and 250 (40.9%) visited chemists, to toy drugs at first hand. Frequency of visits to physician increased to 52.8% as the disease aggravated in later stages. 6. Cost of medical expenditure per household amounted to 815 won, and was paid to, in the order of chemists, physicians, chinese herb stores, chinese herb doctors. 7. Concerning the health knowledge of the inhabitants, 273(53.9%) out of 506 respondents were aware of the infectivity of pulmonary tuberculosis, and 68(13.4%) of them checked regularly their chest findings by X-ray at least once every two years. 8. As for the family planning, although 448(87.3%) out of 510 respondents were in favor of it, 215 (41.8%) of them were actually practicing contraception. 9. About 40.6% (125 respondents) of them obtained information and knowledge concerning contraception through personal contact with family planning workers. 10. Nutritional status of housewives was generally poor: 49(38.3%) out of 128 housewives were found to be anemic and average serum protein level was $7.5{\pm}0.82g/dl$.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.219-227
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• 2001

Objectives : To understand the current status of the opening, closing and relocation of primary medical institutes in Korea and identify the underlying decision factors. Methods : Sources of analyzed data included the medical institutional master file at the National Health Insurance Corporation(1998, 2000) and Regional Statistic Annual Bulletins. To investigate changes including the opening, closing and relocation, a total of primary medicalinstitutions(16,757 in 1998, 19,267 in 2000) were analysed. Results : Between 1998 and 2000, there was a 15.0%(2,510) increase in the number of primary medical institutions and the rate of increase in the rural area was higher than the urban area, and higher for specialty clinics than primary practice. However, these findings did not suggestany improvement in the maldistribution of primary medical institutions. During the time period studied, newly opened and closed primary medical institutions numbered 4,085 and 1,573, respectively. Additionally, institutions thatrelocated numbered 2,729, or 16.3% of all primary medical institutions in operation in 1998. These openings and closings were more frequent among young doctors. As a result of our analysis on the underlying regional factors forrelocation, the factors that were statistically significant were local per capita tax burden and the number of schools per ten thousand persons. !n, the case of institutional factors, movements were significantly associated with gender and the location of primary medical institutions. Conclusions : In order to establish effective long-term intervention for primary medical institutions, further study and monitoring of primary medical institutions and the identification of factors influencing opening location and relocation is necessary.