• Quality Improvement in Health Care
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.72-111
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• 1996

Background: Group occupational health program by non-for-profit agency, started five years ago, for management of health problems in small and medium sized industries, is one of the measures to cope with limited human and financial resources in occupational health. The program has been rapidly expanding to include 54 participating institutions, private as well as public, all over the country. In spite of its potential impact on health of employees and practice of occupational health in small and medium sized industries, comprehensive evaluation in terms of quality has not been tried. Objectives : The aim of this study are to develop and apply criteria to assess quality of newly developed Korean group occupational health program. Methods : By defining occupational health services, in particular for small and medium sized industries, as one of the primary health care, we included followings as core elements of sound occupational health program; accessibility, continuity, intersectoral collaboration, comprehensiveness, community participation, technical quality, adequacy, focus on preventive services, acceptability, and workers' satisfaction. Again we divided each elements into five major components of national health system infrastructures developed by World Health Organization; development of health resources organized arrangement or resources, delivery of health care, economic support, and management. In turn, we categorized each component into input, process and outcome aspects. After discussions in expert panel, several criteria were selected for evaluation of program. The criteria were modified according to each group of interviewees. Results: We developed five sets of questionnaire that evaluate the quality of 'Group occupational health program'. Conclusion : The refining of the measurement tool and the continuing evaluation process for the 'Group occupational health institute' should be done further.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing Administration
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.455-465
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• 2010

Purpose: To determine the impact of the Patient Safety Program on the safety culture of nursing department. Methods: Patient Safety Program focused on medication safety was launched by QI team and patient safety committee. Patient Safety Program was composed of the establishment of improved reporting system as s way to learn from error, 'Patient Safety Guard' movement, and continuous education for medication safety. With one group pretest-posttest design, nurses' perception of the safety culture were measured with self-administered questionnaire. Subjects were all nurses and managers in nursing department of a tertiary teaching hospital in Seoul. Collected data from survey was statistically analyzed using t-test. Results: Patient Safety Program had been continued for 20 months in participation of all nurses and managers. Safety culture was improved (pretest=2.84, posttest=2.90, p<.001; 4 point scale). Conclusions: This study indicates that there has been a statistically significant increase in the nurses' perception of safety culture. These findings suggest that Patient Safety Program had made great contribution toward system wide safety culture in the hospital. To improve safety culture, leadership supports and flexibility to apply tailored interventions to the hospital were required necessarily.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.63-69
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• 2004

HDR brachytherapy administers a large dose of radiation in a short time compare with LDR, and its optimization for treatment is related to several complex factors, such as physical, radiation and optimization algorithms, so there is a need for these to be verified for accurate dose delivery. In our approach, a previous study concerning the phantom for dose verification has been modified, and a new pelvic phantom fabricated for the purpose of localization, including a structure enabling the use of a CT or MRI system. In addition, a comparison study was performed to verify an orthogonal method that is commonly used for brachytherapy localization by comparing target coordinates from a CT system. Since the developed phantom was designed to simulate the clinical setups of cervix cancer, it included an air-filled bladder and a rectum structure shaped sphere and cylinder An N-shaped localizer was used to obtain precision coordinates from both CT and films. Moreover, the IDL 5.5 software program for Windows was used to perform coordinates analysis based on an orthogonal algorithm. The film results showed differences within 1.0 mm of the selected target points compare with the CT coordinates. For these results, a Plato planning system (Nucletron, Netherlands) could be independently verified using this phantom and software. Furthermore, the new phantom and software will be efficient and powerful qualify assurance (QA) tools in the field of brachytherapy QA.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.63-69
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• 2006

In diagnostic ultrasound, the quality of image affect to diagnose. To maintain suboptimal imaging uniformly, Quality Assurance of Ultrasound equipment should take periodically. This is article about examination the quality of image in diagnostic ultrasound to understand conditions of probes in hospitals. There is comparative study of convex and linear probes on ultrasound using tissue-mimicking phantom included simulated cysts, echogenic structures. The ultrasonic attenuation coefficient versus frequency of 0.5 dB is representative of normal liver and 0.7 dB is representative of fatty liver condition in ultrasound phantom. There are results of convex probe, 0.5 dB, vertical group, cystic masses, high contrast masses are mostly shown but 0.7 dB, mid level in vertical group, cystic masses and high contrast masses are nearly visible. In linear probe, 0.5 dB, mid level in vertical group, two or four of them are shown in cystic masses and high contrast masses but there are not visible in 11 of cases. 0.7 dB, there are mostly appear under 6 in vertical group, two or four of them show in cystic masses and high contrast masses and there are not shown in 40 of cases, besides. Linear probes in fatty liver condition of ultrasound instrument are not good in the quality of image practically. So there needs to be replace and fix of probes. Actually management of ultrasound probes is inadequate in hospitals. So if there are program of evaluation to check probes periodically in hospitals from establishment of the ultrasound equipment, there will get better image and have a suitable condition of instruments further more.

• Annual Conference on Human and Language Technology
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• 2012.10a
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• pp.206-208
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• 2012

본 논문에서는 위키백과를 이용한 지식DB구축의 예로서 연예인 관련 정보들을 자동으로 추출한다. 우리는 위키백과의 연예인 문서로부터 생년월일, 학력, 본명 등 총 9가지 정보들을 추출하고 이를 지식DB로 구축한다. 또한 추출된 지식 DB를 이용하여 질의응답 시스템을 구현하여 유용함을 입증하였다. 질의응답 시스템은 어휘의미패턴 방법으로 질의를 분석하고, 템플릿 기반의 문장생성 방법으로 정답을 자연어문장으로 생성한다. 성능 평가결과 총 6471명의 연예인 정보들을 추출하였고 95%에 해당하는 질의분석 성능을 제공하였다.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.35 no.6
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• pp.556-565
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• 2003

A quality assurance safety assessment database, called QUARK (QUality Assurance Program for Radioactive Waste Management in Korea), has been developed to manage both analysis information and parameter database for safety assessment of low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste (LILW) disposal facility in Korea. QUARK is such a tool that serves QA purposes for managing safety assessment information properly and securely. In QUARK, the information is organized and linked to maximize the integrity of information and traceability. QUARK provides guidance to conduct safety assessment analysis, from scenario generation to result analysis, and provides a window to inspect and trace previous safety assessment analysis and parameter values. QUARK also provides default database for safety assessment staff who construct input data files using SAGE(Safety Assessment Groundwater Evaluation), a safety assessment computer code.

• Proceedings of the KOSOMBE Conference
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• v.1998 no.11
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• pp.117-118
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• 1998

The aim of this work is to develop 3-D stereotactic localization system in order to determine the precise shape, size and location of the lesion in the brain in the field of Stereotactic Radiosurgery(SRS) and neurosurgery using CT/MRI/angiography and multi-purpose QA phantom. The algorithms to obtain a 3-D stereotactic coordinates of the target have been developed, and targets on each CT image were superimposed each other on MR/angiography images without distortion corretion. This system was implented in Visual C++ as a PC-based application program.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.231-240
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• 2008

We developed a user-friendly program to independently verify monitor units (MUs) calculated by radiation treatment planning systems (RTPS), as well as to manage beam database in clinic. The off-axis factor, beam hardening effect, inhomogeneity correction, and the different depth correction were incorporated into the program algorithm to improve the accuracy in calculated MUs. A beam database in the program was supposed to use measured data from routine quality assurance (QA) processes for timely update. To enhance user's convenience, a graphic user interface (GUI) was developed by using Visual Basic for Application. In order to evaluate the accuracy of the program for various treatment conditions, the MU comparisons were made for 213 cases of phantom and for 108 cases of 17 patients treated by 3D conformal radiation therapy. The MUs calculated by the program and calculated by the RTPS showed a fair agreement within ${\pm}3%$ for the phantom and ${\pm}5%$ for the patient, except for the cases of extreme inhomogeneity. By using Visual Basic for Application and Microsoft Excel worksheet interface, the program can automatically generate beam data book for clinical reference and the comparison template for the beam data management. The program developed in this study can be used to verify the accuracy of RTPS for various treatment conditions and thus can be used as a tool of routine RTPS QA, as well as independent MU checks. In addition, its beam database management interface can update beam data periodically and thus can be used to monitor multiple beam databases efficiently.

• Quality Improvement in Health Care
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.86-97
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• 1997

Background : It is a primary goal for hospital personnel to improve the quality of patient care. In Korea the concept of quality assurance has been spread over the last five years. Many hospitals have implemented quality assurance programs that fit their own philosophy and needs. As a result, they are supposed to have different experiences and attitudes toward quality assurance. To investigate their diversity will be helpful to have a direction to the future and to enhance the quality assurance activities in Korean hospitals. Objectives : The aim of this study is to obtain information about hospital personnel's attitude and opinion toward quality assurance in hospitals. Methods : A questionnaire was developed which consisted of five parts; the general characteristics of respondent, the concepts of quality assurance, need for quality assurance program, current status of quality improvement activities, and participation in programs. Using the registry of Korean hospitals, 102 hospitals with more than 400 beds were selected. Questionnaires were mailed to hospital staffs of each hospital; top managers, clinical department heads, registered nurses, medical recorders, and administrators. Results : Of 2038 questionnaires sent, 877 were returned, giving response rate of 44%. Most respondents(70%) regarded quality assurance as efforts to provide patient with care in highest quality and to improve effectiveness or resource utilization. Ninety-nine percent of respondents agreed to need for quality assurance in their hospitals. There were current quality improvement programs implemented in the department of 553 respondents(62%), and most of the(85%) have participated in at least one program. Lack of motivation was pointed out as a barrier to implement the programs. Conclusion : Although most respondents have known of the concept and need for quality assurance, this study suggests that education and motivation of hospital personnel be needed to activate the quality assurance programs in hospitals.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.568-579
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• 2011

Purpose: The purpose of the study was to understand and describe the hospital workers' experience related to the hospital evaluation program implemented in Korea between 2004 and 2009. Methods: During 2010, data were collected using focus group interviews. Four focus group interviews were held with a total of 28 hospital workers participating. All interviews were recorded and transcribed as they were spoken, and data were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Results: Nine themes emerged from the analysis: 1) Positive change in the necessity of the evaluation; 2) Improvement in the hospital system, facilities, and human resources; 3) Unity through cooperation among departments; 4) Nursing work overload; 5) Lack of physicians' awareness and responsibilities; 6) Unfair and unrealistic evaluation items; 7) Lack of credibility of the outcome; 8) Shifting responsibility for negative outcomes to the workers; 9) Lack of pragmatic utility. Conclusion: The results of the study demonstrate that the hospital evaluation program played a key role in improving some work environments and communication among departments. At the same time, they show various negative themes resulting from the context of very authoritarian hospital systems and a connection-oriented society in Korea.