• The Korean Society of Law and Medicine
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.101-130
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• 2023

Korea has very easy access to tertiary hospitals, including university hospitals, among OECD countries, and patients can reach the emergency room of a university hospital within 1-2 hours. However, there are many so-called 'essential medical' blind spots where people die because they do not receive surgery in time. In particular, in the case of essential medical care in the surgical field, despite basic surgery, there is a shortage of medical staff to perform outpatient surgery in emergency situations at university hospitals. Although this lack of manpower has a problem with low insurance premiums for surgery, it also has a very large impact on the burden of criminal liability for medical malpractice, which increases the incidence in case of emergencies. Here, we propose crime immunity to solve the manpower shortage of converged smart surgical essential medical (SES) hospitals. Currently, the medical community agrees on the need for crime immunity, but it is an ambiguous scope of immunity that has not reached a national consensus. We would like to present clear standards for essential medical practices (surgery) that require criminal immunity.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.87 no.1
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• pp.40-51
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• 2024

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic, progressive, fibrosing interstitial pneumonia with a very poor prognosis. Accurate diagnosis of IPF is essential for good outcomes but remains a major medical challenge due to variability in clinical presentation and the shortcomings of existing diagnostic tests. Medical history collection is the first and most important step in the IPF diagnosis process; the clinical probability of IPF is high if the suspected patient is 60 years or older, male, and has a history of cigarette smoking. Systemic assessment for connective tissue disease is essential in the initial evaluation of patients with suspected IPF to identify potential causes of interstitial lung disease (ILD). Radiologic examination using high-resolution computed tomography plays a pivotal role in the evaluation of patients with ILD, and prone and expiratory computed tomography images can be considered. If additional tests such as surgical lung biopsy or transbronchial lung cryobiopsy are needed, transbronchial lung cryobiopsy should be considered as an alternative to surgical lung biopsy in medical centers with experience performing this procedure. Diagnosis through multidisciplinary discussion (MDD) is strongly recommended as MDD has become the cornerstone for diagnosis of IPF, and the scope of MDD has expanded to monitoring of disease progression and suggestion of appropriate treatment options.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.54-90
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• 2006

Medical clinics are core institutes that cover the primary medical care in Korea. Financial viability of the clinics is essential for them to conduct their roles and functions, and can be improved by increasing their operating profitability. On this ground, this study aimed at finding important factors that affect the operating profitability, and thereby at suggesting strategic alternatives that can contribute to the improvement of the profitability. Operating margin was set as a dependent variable, and such factors as general management conditions, number of visits, medical revenue, marketing activities, input resources, medical cost as independent variables. Nineteen hypotheses related to the variables were established and tested using data collected from 138 sample clinics for the year 2003. The results of the study are as follows : Firstly, such variables as percent ratio of the depreciation plus rent costs to total administration costs, type of clinical department manifested whether medical, surgical, or quasi-surgical, percent ratio of the interior facility investment to total fixed assets, and total number of outpatient visit are important factors that affect, positively or negatively, the medical profitability of the clinics. Secondly, following measures are needed to be established and implemented to improve the medical profitability. (1) Administration costs share 53.2% of the total medical costs, and depreciation plus rent costs 16.3% of the total administration costs. This implies that such measures as reinforcement of marketing activities, establishment of the cooperative utilizing system of the facility and equipment, or group practice are needed to increase cost-effectiveness. (2) Occupancy rate of the clinics with inpatient bed is as low as 45.5%, causing high fixed costs and low medical profitability. For its improvement, the resource input structure should be reorganized. Thirdly, in the future, a study that can increase sample representativeness of the study and explanation power of the variables should be performed for each type of clinical department to find more specific determinant factors and to contribute to the improvement of the medical profitability of the clinics.

• Korean Journal of Bronchoesophagology
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.46-49
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• 2011

Background and Objectives Cervical necrotizing fasciitis is a fulminant disease associated with necrosis of connective tissue, spread along the fascial plane, and high mortality. We analyzed the clinical characteristics and treatment outcome of this rare fatal disease. Materials and Methods We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 19 patients treated for cervical necrotizing fasciitis from January 1999 to January 2009. Mean age was 53.7 years. Results The most common predisposing illness was tonsillitis (36.8%), followed by odontogenic infection (15.7%). Diabetes mellitus was most common underlying disease. Liver cirrhosis and chronic renal failure were found in 2 patients each. All patients were treated with combination of parenteral antibiotics and wide surgical debridement by transcervical and/or thoracotomy approach. Multiple surgical debridements were performed in 7 patients. Tracheotomy was performed in most of the patients (88.8%). Period of total hospitalization and Intensive care unit was 23 days and 10.1 days. Two patients died of disease and overall survival rate was 89.4%. Conclusion Early surgical management and care in intensive care unit are essential for cervical necrotizing fasciitis. Possible complications such as respiratory failure, mediastinitis or sepsis should be carefully evaluated.

• Journal of Neurocritical Care
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.81-85
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• 2018

Proper glucose management in hospitalized patients can improve clinical outcomes. In particular, intensive care unit (ICU) patients are known to have significantly higher rates of mortality from changes in blood glucose due to severe comorbidities. Improving glucose control in ICU patients, therefore, can improve mortality and prognosis. Several studies related to the management of blood glucose in the ICU patients have been conducted. Intensive glucose management of surgical ICU patients has been successful. However, studies on medical ICU patients did not demonstrate positive effects of strict glycemic control. There is no independent glucose management goal for neurological ICU patients. However, maintenance of the usual glucose control target of 140-180 mg/dL is recommended for ICU patients. Intravenous insulin infusion is essential for glucose control in ICU patients not consuming a regular diet, and caution should be exercised to prevent hypoglycemia.

• Quality Improvement in Health Care
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.176-197
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• 2002

Backgound : This study is to suggest the standardized format of the clinical sheets and the standardized items of every clinical sheet. The standardization of the medical records will increase the faithfullnes of the contents in them and it will contribute to construct the good health information system. Method : From Jan. 1st. 2001 to March 31st 2001, we gathered as many paper clinical sheets as possible by every class of institutions to review the faithfulness of the clinical contents in them. Clinical sheets of 9 tertiary care hospitals, 6 general hospitals and 56 clinics were gathered. Two experienced medical record administrators reviewed them. The review focus was to check whether the items recommend by the hospital standardization review criteria and hospital service evaluation organization were appeared in the clinical sheets and whether the contents of every item were written. Results : Tertiary care hospitals; In case of administrative data, the contents were filled well if the items were fixed. The clinical data like C.C, history,physical examiniation were filled well, but if the items were not fixed, some items were omitted. The result is that more items are to be filled if they are fixed. General hospitals Administrative data were filled more than 50%. Final diagnosis was filled about 66.7%.But other clinical data were not filled well and not many clinical related items were appeared in the sheets.In the legal point of view, the reason for visiting hosptals or the right diagnosis, patient condition at discharge could not be confirmed well.In surgery cases, surgical procedures could not be confirmed well as many surgical related information(surgery time, fluids and blood, number of sponges, biopsy, etc) were omitted. Clinics More than 70% administrative data were filled and fixed as items. Among the clinical related data, laboratory result was the most credible data. But without the right diagnosis, drug orders were given and doctors' written signatures were not appeared over 96.4%. So the clinical sheets cannot be used as a legal document. Conculusion : There was a tendency that the contents were filled well if the items were fixed in the documents, We also suggest a clinical check list to review the completeness and faithfulness of the clinical sheets. If many hospitals use the suggested clincal check list and if they make the necessary items fixed in the clinical sheets, the quality of the medical record will increase dramatically.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.349-364
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• 1991

Recognition of the usefulness and the importance of the nursing diagnosis is increasing. There is a prevailing opinion that nursing diagnosis should be used to improve the quality of nursing care. Developing standardized nursing care palns based on nursing diagnoses is therefore considered one of the most essential projects for professional growth and improvement in the nursing world of Korea. Consequently, in the first stage of this research project, the ten nursing diagnses used most frequently with patients on medical and surgical wards were determined and related nursing care plans were developed, implemented and evaluated. The application of the standardized nursing care plans raised the nurses' confidence and proved to be effective in enhancing the quality of nursing care. This study was initiated as the next stage, to develop, test, and determine the validity of nursing care plans for the remaining nursing diagnoses. Nineteen medical and surgical wards were selected for the study ; the 176 staff nurses working on those wards and 1211 patients hospitalized there (603 patients during the nursing care plan use) took part in the project. The following summarizes the results of the study : 1. After listing all the nursing diagnoses up to the 20th in frequency from each ward except the ten used in the first study, 22 nursing diagnoses were selected. Two related to ‘self care deficit’, were combined into one. Standardized nursing care plans were established for these 21 nursing diagnoses. 2. The first page of each nursing care plan lists the related factors and defining characteristics as supporting data. The application rate distribution revealed that the majority were recorded less than 50% of the time. For each nursing diagnosis, only one to three related factors were recorded more than 50% of the time regardless of the number of suggested related factors, and similarly, only one to five defining characteristics were recorded more than 50% of the time regardless of the number of suggested defining characteristics. Therefore, these factors and defining characteristics were proposed as the common related factors and the typical signs and symptoms for each nursing diagnosis. 3. The application rate distribution for the expected outcomes, and the nursing orders that were the main data of each nursing care plan occurred more than 50% of the time, unlike the related factors and the characteristics that occurred less frequently. These findings supported the clinical validity. 4. In an effort to evaluate indirectly the effect of the use of the standardized nursing care plans, nurses' job satisfaction and perceptions of their ability in the use of the nursing process were measured and compared. Scores after the use of the plans were significantly higher than those before. The experience in actually using the standardized nursing care plans with patients increased the nurses' professional and emotional satisfaction and their confidence in using the nursing process. Also when the nurses who actually used the nursing care plans were asked to rate their effectiveness, the highest score was given to ‘the ease of establishing the nursing goal’, followed by ‘improved professional advice and care for patients’, ‘the efficiency and systemization of charting’, ‘the definite recognition of the nursing problem’, and ‘the selection of effective and appropriate nursing interventions’ in descending order. The results indicate the nurses were very positive about the effect of the real clinical application of standardized nursing care plans, and that the objective of this study to utilize the nursing diagnosis to strengthen the nursing process was attained.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2022

Total joint arthroplasty is a successful joint replacement treatment that improves joint function and overall quality of life and provides pain relief. However, the prevalence of periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) has become prevalent with the rise in the incidence of arthroplasty surgery. PJI occurs rarely following arthroplasty however presents with serious complications, including high morbidity. The identification of causative microorganisms is essential for the treatment of PJI. Managing PJI requires complex treatment strategies, including long-term antibacterial treatment, and significant medical costs can be incurred. The American Academy of Orthopedic Surgeons, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and Surgical Care Improvement Project guidelines recommend that prophylactic antibiotics such as first-generation cephalosporins be infused completely 1 hour before surgical incision. However, these preventative antibiotics are very limited, therefore risk factors must be identified to diagnosis and treat patients effectively. Moreover, determining antimicrobial susceptibility during artificial joint surgery and choosing the most appropriate treatment strategy following an accurate diagnosis of microbial infections are essential. In the present review, we describe the management, including the etiology, diagnosis, and classification of PJI, and approaches to its diagnosis using the available novel molecular diagnostic methods.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.185-206
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• 1992

In this study nursing activities were examined to determine the nursing cost. A professional nursing group developed a tool for the investigation. 128 nursing activities were identified by the tool in 16 nursing care areas as referenced in the literature. Each activity was examined for four essential factors to define nursing cost ; time consumed for the care, level of professional skill, degree of independency and performer of the care. The activity was rated by a five point Likert scale. This investigation was conducted with the nursing staffing working in the 21 university hospitals in Korea and having more than four years experience especially in medical or surgical wards. The participating nursing staff were screened on the basic of the recommendation of the nursing director. The data were gathered from June 12th to August 12th, 1989. All the data were analyzed for mean, standard deviation, percent, and correlation coefficients between items. The results are summarized as follows : 1. Direct nursing care was classified into 16 large areas and 128 small activities. 2. No significant correlation was found between the study items of each activity. 3. Among 128 nursing activities, Those performed less than 50% of the time by a nurse were excluded from the nursing cost. Also excluded activities which were given less than 9 marks in all three items, time consumed, level of professional skill, and degree of independency. As a result, 83 activities in 14 nursing care areas were selected for the proposal to estimate nursing cost.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.275-281
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• 2021

Background: The aim of this study was to understand the importance of professional oral care for inpatients by examining the type and frequency of surgery and hospital discharge period at dental hospitals, and identify the types of professional oral care actually in progress. Methods: In this study, the type of surgery and length of hospitalization were investigated among patients admitted to the dental hospital for oral and maxillofacial surgery, and the professional oral care status of inpatients who had difficulty self-managing their oral care was retrospectively identified by collecting data on oral care before and after surgery, including the type and frequency. Results: The majority of inpatients at dental hospitals were male (57.6%), elderly patients over 60 years accounted for 20% of patients, and the average length of hospitalization was 4 days. In the 20s (aged 20~29 y), the number of orthognathic surgery patients (73.1%) was high, and the incidence of cysts was high in middle-aged patients. Regarding the oral care of hospitalized patients, scaling was performed once by a dentist before surgery. After surgery, surgical dressings using H₂O₂ balls were applied and oral care education was introduced before discharge. Conclusion: Based on the results of this study, professional oral care is essential to prevent infection and complications caused by oral bacteria among inpatients at dental hospitals. It is necessary to use various oral hygiene aids for inpatients and to conduct effective oral care instruction according to each patient's situation. In addition, it is necessary to raise awareness and the role of dental hygienists in professional oral care.