• Quality Improvement in Health Care
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.30-38
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• 2022

Purpose: The Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA) in South Korea initiated a quality assessment (QA) program for blood transfusion healthcare services in 2020 to ensure patient safety and appropriate blood use. This study examines the quality of blood transfusion services since the first national QA program for blood transfusion services in Korea. Methods: We analyzed HIRA claims and QA investigation data based on inpatient medical records from all tertiary, general, and primary hospitals between October 2020 and March 2021. The target population was patients aged 18 years and older who received either total knee arthroplasty or red blood cell transfusion. The QA indicators for transfusion healthcare service consisted of four quality indicators and four monitoring indicators. Results: We analyzed the results of QA indicators for transfusion service from the medical records of 189,668 patients from 1,171hospitals and expressed indicators as proportions. The average results for evaluation indicators were as follows: transfusion checklist presence, 64.8%; irregular antibody tests, 61.8%; transfusions in which the hemoglobin levels before transfusion met the transfusion guidelines for patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty, 20.6%, and transfusions in patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty, 59.3%. The average results for monitoring indicators were as follows: transfusion management implementation in medical institutions, 56.9%; preoperative anemia management in anemia patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty, 43.9%; one-unit transfusions, 82.5%; and the transfusion index. Conclusion: The quality of blood transfusion healthcare varied and the assessment revealed that there is scope for improvement. Hospitals require more effective blood transfusion management and this can be facilitated by providing feedback on the QA results about blood transfusion healthcare services to medical institutions, and by disclosing the results to the public.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.115-124
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• 2016

Background: This study aims at making a survey on health care service providers' cultural competence and making an appraisal of Chinese medical tourists on service quality, health care service providers' cultural competence, perceived value, and satisfaction. Methods: The data was collected from August until November, 2014 and 150 health care service providers and 65 Chinese medical tourists from 12 medical institutions in Daegu were enrolled in analysis. Results: The results showed that health care service provider's knowledge on Chinese culture was very low with 33.5% of correct answer. Health care service providers were found to get 3.82 point on a 5 point-scale in cultural perception, 3.53 points in cultural sensitivity, and 2.85 points in cultural skills. Chinese medical tourists were analyzed to give 4.08 points on a 5-point scale to satisfaction on health care service, followed by 4.01 points to health care service quality, 4.00 points to perceived value of health care service, and last 3.85 points to a health care service providers' cultural skills. However, there was a difference in points in cultural skills between health care service providers and Chinese medical tourists. Chinese medical tourists' satisfaction with health care service in Daegu was found to be comparatively high, but in relation to satisfaction with communication, it was found to be relatively low. Conclusion: Through this research, health care service providers' knowledge level of Chinese culture and cultural skills were low while they seemed to take a half-hearted attitude towards educational experience for building up cultural competence and foreign patient service response.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.43 no.5
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• pp.343-351
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• 2020

This study analyzed dose reduction and quality of images through dose reduction tools and shielding board to protect sensitive eye lens in radiation during orbit CT examinations for clinical data use. During CT scans of the phantom, surface dose (CT scanner dosimetry phantom, ion chamber-3 times) and quality of image (radiosurgery head phantom, visual assessment-2 times, HU standard deviation) were evaluated using X-care which is dose reduction tools and bismuth shielding board. The results of experiments of eight conditions showed a relatively reduced dose in all other conditions compared to when no conditions were set. In particular, the area corresponding to the ophthalmic part reduced the surface dose by up to 45.7 %. The visual evaluation of images by specialists and the quality evaluation of images analyzed by HU standard deviation were clinically closest to the use of X-care and shielding board (1 cm in height). Therefore, it is believed that the use of shielding board in a suitable location with dose reduction tools while investigating the optimal radiation dose will reduce the exposure dose of sensitive lens at radiation while maintaining the quality of the images with high diagnostic value.

• Quality Improvement in Health Care
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.8-19
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• 2003

Background : There have been many studies and efforts about quality management in health services, but there were not founded quality assessment on social services. This study was designed for understood level of quality on social service, identified for correlation factors of quality assessment on social services in general and teaching hospitals in Korea. Methods : The subjects of this survey were 80 leaders of social service units. The survey data from each subjects were measured to evaluate level of quality that service provider perceived of sample hospitals. Social worker's attitude of quality assurance activities, perception of quality assurance system in that hospitals were measured. Under the method of one-way ANOVA, t-test and correlation, associated factors of quality assessment in social work service was analyzed. Results : The major findings were as following ; First, the level of quality perceived showed less score, especially the lowest was the score of quality of outcome. Second, social worker's attitude of quality assurance activities showed high score, but quality assurance system of hospitals showed less score. Third, the level of quality assurance system of hospitals, social worker's attitudes of quality assurance activities. Conclusion : The quality of social work service correlated positive hospitals's quality assurance system, social worker's attitudes of quality assurance activities. Therefore, to assure the proper level of quality, qualified for hospitals system of quality assurance, and needed to a educational program for enhanced social workers's attitudes in quality assurance activities.

• Quality Improvement in Health Care
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.5-20
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• 2011

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.233-242
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• 2021

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to verify influencing factors affecting service quality provided by caregivers working for the elderly with dementia. Methods: Data were collected using a self-reported questionnaire from 214 caregivers in a long-term care facility in D city. The data were analyzed with service quality, dementia knowledge, work value, and job performance confidence. For data analysis, the descriptive statistics, t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficients, and multiple regression were performed using SPSS/WIN 21.0 program. Results: There were significant differences in service quality depending on the health status. Factors influencing service quality were work value, and job performance confidence with R² value of 38%. The highly influencing factors were work value, and job performance confidence. Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that the effort to improve the service quality of caregivers should focus on work value and job performance confidence.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.1-26
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• 2009

Objectives : To identify target areas and set priorities among those areas identified for national quality evaluation. Methods : Target areas were identified from: i) analysis of the national health insurance claims data, mortality and prevalence data ii) various group surveys, including representatives from 22 medical specialty associations, 19 physician associations, QI staffs in hospital, civil organizations, and commissioners of Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service(HIRA) ⅲ) literature reviews and RAM(RAND/UCLA appropriateness method). The priority areas for national quality evaluation represented the full spectrum of health care and the entire life span. The criteria for selecting the priority areas were impact, improvability, and measurability. The priority areas were divided into three categories : short-term, mid-term, long-term. Results: Based on the group surveys and the data analysis, 46 candidates were selected as quality evaluation priority areas. 13 areas were selected as having a short-term priority areas: tuberculosis, community acquired pneumonia, stroke, ischaemic heart disease, diabetes, hypertension, chronic lower respiratory disease(asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease), intensive care unit, emergency room, nosocomial infection, use of antibiotics, multiple medication and renal failure. This results suggested that we need to enlarge the target priority areas to the chronic diseases in short-term. Conclusions: The priority areas identified from the study will assist healthcare quality associated institutions as well as HIRA in selecting quality evaluation areas. It is required to develope and implement strategies for improving the quality of care within the next 5 years.

• The Korean Journal of Health Service Management
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.161-176
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• 2020

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of health status and health behaviors on health-related quality of life in Korean adults. Methods: The study was based on the 2017 National Health and Nutrition Survey. Of the total 8,127 people, 5,780 (71.1%) participated: 2,553 (44.2%) were male and 3,227 (55.8%) were female. The variables for this study were demographic factors, disease count, subjective health status, health behaviors, and health-related quality of life (measured by the EQ-5D Index). Results: After analysis, the statistically significant factors associated with health-related quality of life were gender, age, income, education, daytime health status, number of comorbidities (6 or more) and stress. Conclusions: Seven demographic factors have been identified as having a significant impact on health-related quality of life, categorized by model, gender, age and income. Therefore, it is possible that quality of life can be improved through proactive management and by improving subjective health status and health behaviors while in considering of demographic and sociological factors by providing indicators as per gender and age.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.210-216
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• 2018

National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) has put a great effort on extending life expectancy, for last 40 years. The system has also made remarkable outcomes in achieving universal health coverage. However, it is facing challenges of low health insurance benefits and sustainability risk due to low birth rate and aging society at the same time. To overcome the difficulties and build a lifelong health security system for the nation, it is required for NHIS to make multilateral changes in its roles. Based on the quantitative growth achieved so far, NHIS needs to strive for the growth in quality by not only increasing coverage and reforming contribution imposition system, but also reorganizing the relevant systems such as lifelong health management support, rational adjustment to the medical fee, and benefit costs monitoring. In addition, it's important for NHIS to restructure the organizational culture by having specialty and communicating with people for high quality of administration and health insurance sustainability.

• Quality Improvement in Health Care
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.134-147
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• 2002

Background : As an empirical study, current research about the quality of social services carried out in general and teaching hospitals across the country. In the flux of health care reforms and market transformation, the quality of social services in the hospital becomes increasingly significant. Methods : A sample of total 80 hospitals, including general hospitals with one social worker at least and single-department hospital with two social workers or more, were identified nationwide through the registry of Korean Association of Medical Social Workers and Korean Association of Hospitals. The subjects of this survey were 80 leaders of social service units. The survey data from each subjects were measured to evaluate level of quality that service provider perceived of sample hospitals. Under the method of one-way ANOVA and multiple regression, the level of quality in social work service was analyzed. Results : The major findings were as following ; First, the level of quality perceived showed less score, especially the lowest was the score of quality of outcome. Second, the key variables of each hospital which turned out significantly different in quality of social work service were the departmental form of social work unit, unit leader's age, educational level, field experience, and job rank. Third, the level of quality of social work service correlated positively with the field experience of unit leader, the size of social work unit, the job rank of the unit leader. Conclusion : The most influential variables to the quality of social work service proved departmental form of social work unit, leader of social work unit. Therefore, to assure the proper level of quality, social work unit in hospital must be structured single, independent department in which entitled social worker is supposed to supervise and manage. And a leadership-development program for leaders in social work unit are strongly recommended.