• 보건행정학회지
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• 제1권1호
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• pp.27-41
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• 1991

The purpose of this study is to estimate cesarean section rate in Korea and analyze characteristics of health care institution which affect regional variation in the rate. We have searched vaginal and cesarean section deliveries among Diagnosis Related Group dat based upon insurance claim bills which have been submitted to Korean Insurance Corporation for two years since March, 1985. The results are as follows: 1. Out of all delivery cases of 87,500, cesarean section rate was 16.3% (14,299 cases). 2. Cesarean section rate varied according to size and ownership of health care institutions. In above 6- bed sized hospitals, the rate was at about 20% higher than small sized institutions, but rather in hospitals that have more than 500 beds, it was somewhat low. Classified by the hospital ownership, the rate was low at 18.4% in hospitals of religious organization and highest at private or corporate hospitals. 3. This study shows large regional variation in cesarean section rate; there are two times differences between region with the highest and lowest rate. Strongly related factors in that variation was the ownership of health care institution and urbanization variables. Low level of cesarean section rate in a region is explained by high proportion of delivery cases at institutions of religious organization and at insitutions in county level site. This result shows that apart from medical conditions of patients, indications of cesarean section differs from health care providers, and especially ownership of institution strongly affect them. Cesarean section rate in Korea is supposed to be at high level and development of utilization review programs to keep appropriate cesarean section rate is needed.

• 보건행정학회지
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• 제33권1호
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• pp.19-28
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• 2023

Background: With the enactment of the Hospice, Palliative, Care, and Life-sustaining Treatment Decision-Making Act in February 2018, legal guidelines for physician orders for life-sustaining treatment (POLST) were presented. This study was conducted to analyze the association of writing POLST on the use of health care before death. Methods: The study analyzed the electronic medical records and POLSTs of 1,003 adult patients who died at a tertiary hospital located in Seoul from February 4, 2018 to February 4, 2019. Results: Of the deaths, 80% (n=804) completed POLST. Among patients who completed POLST before death, 51% (n=412) were written 1-7 days before death, and only 31% (n=246) were completed by patients themselves. 99% (n=799) decided to withdraw or withhold cardiopulmonary resuscitation. As a result of analyzing the effect of POLST on medical use before death, it was found that POLST and inpatient cost had a significant negative correlation, and POLST completion significantly reduced death in the intensive care unit (ICU). However, both inpatient costs and death at ICU increased when the POLST was completed by surrogate decision-makers rather than patients themselves. Conclusion: The enactment of the Hospice, Palliative, Care, and Life-sustaining Treatment Decision-Making Act provided a legal basis for withdrawing and withholding meaningless life-sustaining treatment. By specifying the treatment to be received at the end of one's life through the POLST, inpatient treatment costs and death at the ICU were decreased. However, the frequent decision-making by the surrogates and completion of POLST close to death may hinder the original purpose of the law.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제56권6호
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• pp.563-572
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• 2023

Objectives: The high readmission rate of patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has led to the worldwide establishment of proactive measures for identifying and mitigating readmissions. This study aimed to identify factors associated with readmission, as well as groups particularly vulnerable to readmission that require transitional care services. Methods: To apply transitional care services that are compatible with Korea's circumstances, targeted groups that are particularly vulnerable to readmission should be identified. Therefore, using the National Health Insurance Service's Senior Cohort database, we analyzed data from 4874 patients who were first hospitalized with COPD from 2009 to 2019 to define and analyze readmissions within 30 days after discharge. Logistic regression analysis was performed to determine factors correlated with readmission within 30 days. Results: The likelihood of readmission was associated with older age (for individuals in their 80s vs. those in their 50s: odds ratio [OR], 1.59; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.19 to 2.12), medical insurance type (for workplace subscribers vs. local subscribers: OR, 0.84; 95% CI, 0.72 to 0.99), type of hospital (those with 300 beds or more vs. fewer beds: OR, 0.77; 95% CI, 0.66 to 0.90), and healthcare organization location (provincial areas vs. the capital area: OR, 1.66; 95% CI, 1.14 to 2.41). Conclusions: Older patients, patients holding a local subscriber insurance qualification, individuals admitted to hospitals with fewer than 300 beds, and those admitted to provincial hospitals are suggested to be higher-priority for transitional care services.

• 대한영상의학회지
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• 제81권5호
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• pp.1024-1037
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• 2020

상대가치란 소모된 자원의 양을 기준으로 의료행위의 가치를 상대적으로 비교한 점수로 의사업무량, 진료비용, 위험도로 구성된다. 2차 상대가치 개정 당시 영상검사 수가는 높은 원가 보존율을 이유로 인하되었다. 영상검사 수가는 상대가치 체계에서 진료비용이 대부분을 차지하고 있으며, 의사업무량은 상대적으로 저평가되어 있다. 문재인케어라고 불리는 새로운 건강보험 보장성 강화 대책은 비급여의 급여화, 본인부담금 상한제 확대, 재난적 의료비 지원을 골자로 국민의 의료비 부담을 줄이는 것이 목표이며 향후 건강보험 재정에 부담이 늘어날 것으로 우려된다. MRI와 초음파 검사 급여 확대는 문재인케어에서 큰 비중을 차지하고 있으며 영상의학과는 문재인케어 적용 과정에서 저평가된 영상검사에서의 의사의 노동을 적절히 평가받을 수 있도록 노력해야 한다.

• 대한한의학회지
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• 제20권2호
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• pp.3-11
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• 1999

The Korean system of health and medical care has been organized with both Oriental and Western medical sciences. To get complete clinical treatment results is not possible with only one-sided medical care, therefore we need to formulate an interdisciplinary plan for better health care, that is to say our ultimate purpose is the cooperative medical care for the promotion of social welfare and health. Hereupon, I made a searching inquiry into the present condition of cooperative medical care and its problems and also took a consideration into the medical state of other countries like China. Japan and North Korea where the Oriental medical care is used. The results of this investigation are as follows. There are some problems in both Oriental and Western(general) medical care, such as a lack of mutual confidence, a severance of interdisciplinary study, a shortage of professional human resources and so on. There also used to be problems of the system such as, the responsibility of medical care, the double charge for medical treatment, the governmental passive participation and policy, the private-oriented study system and so on. The solutions of these problems are that the mutual understanding and coexistence between both Oriental and Western medical sciences should be preceded and the interdisciplinary study, identified terminology and cooperative medical specialists would be necessary. Furthermore, the government has to seek some policies and legislation for the cooperative medical system and needs to support the public research institutes and centers of the cooperative medical care. After all, we have to train the cooperative medical specialists for the mutual aid of both Oriental and Western medical sciences and the government also has to support it with some policies and legislation for the better medical care system.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• 제15권6호
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• pp.2901-2904
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• 2014

The incidence of colorectal cancer has been increasing in many Asian countries including Malaysia during the past few decades. A physician recommendation has been shown to be a major factor that motivates patients to undergo screening. The present study objectives were to describe the practice of colorectal cancer screening by primary care providers in Malaysia and to determine the barriers for not following recommendations. In this cross sectional study involving 132 primary care providers from 44 Primary Care clinics in West Malaysia, self-administered questionnaires which consisted of demographic data, qualification, background on the primary care clinic, practices on colorectal cancer screening and barriers to colorectal cancer screening were distributed. A total of 116 primary care providers responded making a response rate of 87.9%. About 21% recommended faecal occult blood test (FOBT) in more than 50% of their patients who were eligible. The most common barrier was "unavailability of the test". The two most common patient factors are "patient in a hurry" and "poor patient awareness". This study indicates that colorectal cancer preventive activities among primary care providers are still poor in Malaysia. This may be related to the low availability of the test in the primary care setting and poor awareness and understanding of the importance of colorectal cancer screening among patients. More awareness programmes are required for the public. In addition, primary care providers should be kept abreast with the latest recommendations and policy makers need to improve colorectal cancer screening services in health clinics.

• 한국병원경영학회지
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• 제3권1호
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• pp.219-237
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• 1998

Economists have identified informed consumer choice as one element of a better-functioning health care market, and thus increased attention is directed to the role of information in the health care system. In this country, however, little work has been done for understanding consumers' search behavior in health care market. Based upon this observation, expectant mothers' information search for the choice of delivery care institution was investigated. In doing so, two hypotheses were proposed: 1) Those women who were more active in the search for information would make choice of a delivery care institution with more confidence and would feel greater subsequent satisfaction. 2) The activeness of expectant mothers in information search would depend upon their various personal characteristics, such as socio-economic status, obstetric conditions, and knowledge and attitudes in relation to delivery and health care. The data used for the analysis were collected through face-to-face interviews with those women who had childbirth during the period from January 1, 1996 to the date of interview in February 1998. The survey was conducted using prepared structured questionnaire in Seoul. The sample was drawn from each of arbitrarily defined four regions of Seoul, Northeast, Northwest, Southeast and Southwest, in proportion to the number of births reported in 1996 in each of them. The distribution of the interviewed women by educational level was made similar to that of mothers of new babies reported in 1996. The sample size was planned to be about 300, but ended up with 319. The results of analysis were generally consistent with the proposed hypotheses. Apparently, information increased expectant mothers' confidence in selecting a delivery care institution and subsequent satisfaction with the institution. Indication is that policy efforts should be strengthened to produce and disseminate relevant, comprehensible and credible information that can aid patient decision making. Also, attention should be directed to motivate patients to actively engage in information search from adequate sources.

• 한국농촌간호학회지
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• 제12권2호
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• pp.45-54
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• 2017

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to provide a survey of patients with dementia registered and managed by primary health care posts. Method: Computation of 2016 dementia data registered in Health Care Center programs of 14 municipalities in ChoongNam province was analyzed. Data collection was done based on a pretest for dementia prevention and general management of registered dementia patients. Results: Results showed; Screening tests for dementia, 40% of population 60 or over, average number of cases, 174, average number of dementia registrants, 3.1, programs for prevention, approximately 70% special policy measures and 28% cognitive rehabilitation programs, counseling and education operating well overall, average number of dementia registrants/clinic 11.8, with women accounting for 70%, elders with less than 3 years of education, 75%, residence type cohabitation by married couples, 41%, and elders with Alzheimer type dementia, 64%. Conclusion: During early detection of dementia and follow-up examinations, high-risk groups (women, elders) should receive a dementia examination. In management of dementia there is a need to develop various programs including physical, economic, and emotional support not only for patients, but also for families. Health care managers also need systematic education to give them expert knowledge of dementia and management of dementia.

• 한국치위생학회지
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• 제20권4호
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• pp.457-467
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• 2020

Objectives: This study confirms the current status of visiting oral health-care services for the elderly to draw policy implications for revitalization of the visiting oral health care services in the future. Methods: First, a survey was conducted on health centers about the current status of the elderly visiting oral health-care service and how to revitalize it. Next, the number of oral hygiene services provided to the elderly was checked in the long-term care insurance system. Results: Oral health education (100%) was the most common practice in visiting oral health-care service for the elderly, and the most difficult thing in providing services was the lack of dental hygienists (38.9%). The status of oral health-care services in the long-term care insurance system for elderly revealed that the total number of service claims has been confirmed to be zero since the introduction of the system. Conclusions: Despite the existence of a system that provides elderly visiting oral healthcare services, to revitalize it, the law must be amended to secure a dental hygienist as the main agent of the activity and to further take responsibility for autonomous authority and performance.

• 임상간호연구
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• 제21권1호
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• pp.53-66
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• 2015

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the status of organizational nursing service for foreign patients in tertiary hospitals in order to build up a database for nursing care policy development for foreign patients. Methods: The subjects of this study were nursing managers or department managers of international care center in 36 tertiary hospitals nationwide. Questionnaires were consisted of the items measuring the details of and evaluations for nursing care for foreign patients within the given organizations and any organizational support for culturally competent care. The data from 35 hospitals out of 36 were analyzed finally. Results: The organizational nursing service for foreign patients was rated 6.49 points out of 10. Organizational support for culturally competent care was 2.61 points out of 4. Challenges to improving nursing care for foreign patients were listed such as developing interpreter services and international care units without accompanying by a family member, improving nursing staffs' attitudes and behaviors for providing culturally competent care, and preparing various medical documents using multiple languages. Conclusion: In order to improve nursing care for foreign patients in tertiary hospitals, we need to be more aware of cultural knowledge and sensitivity toward the care needs of foreign patients.