• Health Policy and Management
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.1-17
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• 2007

Limited coverage for health care services of National Health Insurance(NHI) in Korea has been ongoing policy issue but additional NHI financing through raising contribution or taxes in order to improve coverage faces substantial obstacles. Private health insurance(PHI) is often considered as an alternative financing source to improve coverage. Recent reform that attempted to stretch the role of PHI allowed life insurance companies to provide complementary PHI, indemnity plan which will pay for uncovered services by NHI and out-of-pocket spending for covered services. Although complementary PHI may relieve financial burden of patients, it may significantly raise NHI spending as well as total health expenditure since little out-of-pocket spending may increase utilization of health care. So far, there has not been enough discussion about concerns of potential adverse effect resulting from extended role of PHI. This study investigated potential increase of NHI spending followed by extension of complementary PHI through sensitivity analysis. The amount of NHI spending for services that would be covered by complementary PHI was calculated using 2005 NHI statistics and expected complementary PHI enrollment rate by age and sex. Expected utilization increases were obtained based on price elasticities$(-0.2{\sim}-0.5)$ from previous studies and expected coverage rate$(50{\sim}80%)$ of complementary PHI and then converted to monetary figures. Because coverage rate of complementary PHI has not been determined yet, we employed the sensitivity analysis using coverage rate of $50{\sim}80%$. Findings demonstrate that additional spending for health care services is expected to be $426{\sim}1,702$ billion won, corresponding amount payed by NHI $298{\sim}1,192$ billion won. In conclusion, since complementary PHI may raise NHI spending significantly, there should be an agreement whether this additional cost would be accountable and acceptable in our society. Potential inefficiency resulting from extended role of complementary PHI should be considered since public and private financing do not operate in isolation and there should be more discussion on proper role of PHI in Korea.

• Journal of Technology Innovation
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.85-110
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• 2019

This study examines the social problem-solving R&D policies from the perspective of 'Mission-oriented innovation policy'. To this end, we analyzed the 'second science and technology-based social problem solving plan' in terms of civil society's participation, securing the government's dynamic capabilities, and government's risk investments. The plan introduces an institutional framework for civic participation for social problem-solving innovation, strengthening R&D program coordination and integration, and new innovation ecosystem formation. However, there is a need for a concrete program to overcome a path dependency of existing activities. Otherwise new institutions are likely to be formalized. In addition, in order to derive risk investment, it is necessary to integrate innovation policy with social policy fields such as community care and climate change. It is necessary to establish an policy process that combines the agenda of social policy beyond with R & D policy, and to forms a platform for problem solving, integrates various technologies, industries and resources.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.183-192
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• 2014

Purpose: This study was aimed to identify the status of utilization of healthcare services and self-care behaviors, knowledge level and influencing choice factors of non-prescription drugs (OTCs) on consumers since sales of OTCs at the outside of pharmacy in Korea, and to confirm the changes in perception of consumers for OTCs policy through check of perception level for current OTCs policy. Methods: Data was collected from April 2014 to May 2014 from questionnaires by 418 adults who are in university located in Seoul or live in Seoul Metropolitan area but not health science major and healthcare providers. Results: The female gender was 56.6% and University students were 73.9%. The ratio by age was as follows: below 25 (60.9%), 26-30 (18.2%), 30-40s (14.9%) and 50-60s (6.0%). The knowledge level of OTCs for use of medicine, dose and side effects was generally low and especially they knew little how to deal with side effects after taking OTCs on sale at the outside of pharmacy, even though over one year has passed since the policy. The proportion of those who thought the current OTCs policy has problems regarding safety issues since the policy was very high and it was also high that the study group thought there are problems with the current way to sale OTCs and educate employees. Conclusion: After selling OTCs at the outside of pharmacy, the consumers still lacked knowledge of OTCs and did not get correct information properly. Especially, they had little information about the way to deal with side effects after taking OTCs. Public policy should be based on the health of the people and the public health is a national health priority. When all these things are taken into consideration, the government has to strengthen the OTCs policy and provide a safer environment with the accurate drug information for people than developing OTCs policy in the future.

• Korean Journal of Social Welfare
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• v.57 no.4
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• pp.291-319
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• 2005

The purpose of the paper is to discuss the restructuring of the family policy from a gender-integrating perspective. Several meaningful conclusions were reached. First, examining family policy from the laborer's perspective, the issue of work and family becomes not a gender-related issue but rather an issue for universal people. Second, in order to include the difference in interest among men and women in the labor market, and to view the issue from a gender-integrating perspective, the framework for family policy should consider the place of labor. Third, if family policy is divided into family and labor arena based on the above mentioned framework, the core content of the policy should gear toward loosening and/or eliminating barriers to fulfill the right to work for pay and the right to care for family. Lastly, family policy should aim at men and women sharing the responsibility of supporting and caring for the family. By doing so, we may be closer to maintaining work and family together, the ultimate goal of family policy.

• The Korean Journal of Applied Statistics
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.1229-1237
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• 2009

In the long-term care insurance(LTCI) system, the question of how to provide the most appropriate care has become a major issue for the elderly, their family, and for policy makers. To help beneficiaries use LTC services appropriately to their needs of care, National Health Insurance Corporation(NHIC) provide them with the individualized care plan, named the Long-term Care User Guide. It includes recommendations for beneficiaries' most appropriate type of care. The purpose of this study is to develop a recommending system for care plan(Res-CP) in LTCI system. We used data set for Long-term Care User Guide in the 3rd long-term care insurance pilot programs. To develop the model, we tested four models, including a decision-tree model in data-mining, a logistic regression model, and a boosting and boosting techniques in an ensemble model. A decision-tree model was selected to describe the Res-CP, because it may be easy to explain the algorithm of Res-CP to the working groups. Res-CP might be useful in an evidence-based care planning in LTCI system and may contribute to support use of LTC services efficiently.

• Women's Health Nursing
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.133-145
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• 1999

The purposesof the study are to analyze the community nursing center in U.S.A and to develop the model of nursing care system based on nurse-midwifery clinic in community for women's health in Korea. 1. In America nursing center is defined as nurse-anchored system of primary care delivery or neighborhood health center. Nursing centers are identified the following four types: (1) community outreach centers, which are similar to traditional public health clinics: (2) institutional-based centers following the mission of a large institution, such as a hospital or university: (3) wellness/health promotion centers, which offer screening, education, counseling, triage, and health maintenance services: and (4) independent practice. Nursing centers are a concept of services provided by nurses in practice arrangements in a community. Nursing centers offer a variety of services, ranging from primary care provided by advanced practice nurses with medical acute management and nursing care to the more traditional education, health promotion, screening wellness and coordination services. Some services, such as the care provided by advanced practice nurses are reimbursed under various insurance plan in some instances and states, where as others, such as preventive and educational services, are not. Thus, lack of reimbursement has threatened the survival of some centers. Licensing of nursing centers varies by state and program and accreditation of nursing centers is also limited. 52% of centers are affiliated with another facility and 48% are freestanding centers. The number of registered nurse at the nursing centers ranges from just one to 115, with a mean of eight RNs peragency and a median of three. Nursing centers avail ability varies: 14% are open 24 hours, 27% have variable short hours, 23% are open 6-7 days per week, and 36% are open Monday- Friday. As the result of my visiting three health centers in Seattle and San Francisco, the women's primary care nurse practitioners focus on a systematic and comprehensive assessment of the health status of women and diagnosis and management of common physical and psychosocial health concerns of women in ambulatory settings. Therapeutic nursing strategies are directed toward self-care, risk reoduction, health surveillance, stress reduction, healthy nutrition, social support, healthy coping, psychological well-being, and pharmacological therapy. They function as primary care providers for the well ness and illness care of women from adolescence through the older adult years and pregnant families. 2. In Korea a nurse-midwife practices independently for pregnant women's health including childbearing family at her own clinic in community. Her services are reimbursed under national health insurance but they are not paid on a fee-for-service schedule covering items. Analyzing the nursing centers in America, I suggest that nurse-midwifery clinics offer primary care for women and home care for chronic ill patients. The health law and health insurance policy should be reovised in order to expand nurse-midwife's and home care nurse's roles at nurse-midwifery clinic.

• Journal of Home Health Care Nursing
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.1-40
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• 2005

This study investigated the relationship among home care nurses' perception of ethical values and conflicts and job satisfaction. The subjects of the study were 257 home care nurses working at 101 institutions involved in home care practice, the data were collected between December 28, 2004 February 14, 2005. The instruments were perception of ethical values, ethical conflicts, and job satisfaction and it was revised by the author. The reliability of Cronbach's a was .74, .93, .85, respectively. SAS 8.0 program was used to analyze the data, and frequency, percentage, unpaired t-test, ANOVA, $Scheff\`{e}$ test, and Pearson's Correlation Coefficient were calculated for data analysis. Followings are the results of the study: The scores of home care nurses' perception of ethical values were average 3.8points (5points scale). There was no significant difference between the groups according to general characteristics such as age (P=.001), religions (P=.001), ethical standard (P=.018), and current job satisfaction (P=.000). The scores of home care nurses' ethical conflicts were average 2.9points (5points scale). There was significant difference according to pay (P=.008) and employment status (P=.001) of general characteristics; conflicts was showed to go up with higher pay and temporary employment status. The scores of home care nurses' job satisfaction were average 3.3points (5points scale). There was significant difference among the groups according to age (P=.023), pay (P=.001), job career of home care (P=.030), and current job satisfaction (P=.000) of the general characteristics. There was significant positive correlation between subject's perception of ethical values and ethical conflicts (P=.004) and perception of ethical values and job satisfaction (P=.005). However, ethical conflicts and job satisfaction (P=.772) showed negative correlation, but it was not significant. With the results, home care nurses showed firm perception of ethical values and relatively higher job satisfaction. However, they showed ethical conflicts regarding the lack of administrative support and dignity of human life. In conclusion, It requires some alternative measures to solve the ethical conflicts and to enhance job satisfaction of home care nurses through the support in policy, continuous ethics education, rewarding system, and introducing laws to protect individual home care nurses.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.457-492
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• 2011

The primary goal of our study was to investigate the vast transformations of the healthcare sector in Korea during the past half century. Official data reported in the Korean statistical yearbooks and secondary data suggested by previous studies were used for institutional analysis of healthcare environment. Information on hospital released by the Korean Hospital Association was also used for ecological analysis. Institutional analysis: We identified three distinctive eras based primarily on changes in institutional logics, institutional actors, and governance structures : 'professional dominance (1952-1976)', 'government involvement (1977-1999)', and 'coexistence of competing institutional logics (2000-present)'. During the first era, physician association supported by Korean government comprised the primary governance regime. During the second era, the government became a major actor as a regulator and purchaser in health care sector, introducing of the 'mandatory national health insurance'. During the third era, making healthcare system sustainable and providing health care efficiently was overarching goals although it was hard to find a single central logic dominating this period. Ecological analysis: Evidence from the analysis of hospital population suggested that the expansion of the bed capacity was made from different processes, shifting from the ecological process in 1980s to the adaptive process in 1990s. And Korean hospitals had changed following both 'directional process' and 'stabilizing process' over time. Based on our results, we concluded that more studies to compare more organizational populations other than hospitals and to empirically test the effects of institutional changes on organizational changes and vice-versa, need to be conducted.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.149-156
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• 2017

Background: This study was conducted to evaluate the performance of the Hierarchical Condition Category (HCC) model, identify potentially high-cost patients, and examine the effects of adding prior utilization to the risk model using Korean claims data. Methods: We incorporated 2 years of data from the National Health Insurance Services-National Sample Cohort. Five risk models were used to predict health expenditures: model 1 (age/sex groups), model 2 (the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services-HCC with age/sex groups), model 3 (selected 54 HCCs with age/sex groups), model 4 (bed-days of care plus model 3), and model 5 (medication-days plus model 3). We evaluated model performance using $R^2$ at individual level, predictive positive value (PPV) of the top 5% of high-cost patients, and predictive ratio (PR) within subgroups. Results: The suitability of the model, including prior use, bed-days, and medication-days, was better than other models. $R^2$ values were 8%, 39%, 37%, 43%, and 57% with model 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5, respectively. After being removed the extreme values, the corresponding $R^2$ values were slightly improved in all models. PPVs were 16.4%, 25.2%, 25.1%, 33.8%, and 53.8%. Total expenditure was underpredicted for the highest expenditure group and overpredicted for the four other groups. PR had a tendency to decrease from younger group to older group in both female and male. Conclusion: The risk adjustment models are important in plan payment, reimbursement, profiling, and research. Combined prior use and diagnostic data are more powerful to predict health costs and to identify high-cost patients.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.155-182
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• 1997

Objectives : This study was designed to compare North Korea and South Korea in measures of the quality of life (physical quality of life index and human development index) and to investigate the impact of selected medical and socioeconomic factors on PQL variables. Data and Methods : The World Bank, the United Nations Development Programme, and Population Reference Bureau were the principal sources of statistical data of 121 countries. Variables included infant mortality, life expectancy at birth, literacy rate, secondary school enrollment (male and female), GNP per capita, population per doctor, daily calorie supply per capita, and a composite PQL index. The Ordinary Least Square model was employed for cross-countries analysis. Findings : Both countries under quite different political and economic systems saw big improvememts in the quality of life, reducing mortality and prolonging life expectancy during the past three decades. In recent decad, however, North Korea has experienced abrupt exacerbation in the quality of life. Significant improvements in infant mortality of the population wer attributable mainly to GNP per capita and the secondary school enrollemt of female. The principal predictors of life expectancy at birth were population per doctor, infant mortality, and literacy rate. The secondary school enrollment of female and population per doctor were significantly associated with improvements in the physical quality of life index (PQLI). Conclusion : The results of this study confirmed a point illustrated by other studies : The association between quality of life as a measure of health status and socioeconomic factors was strong and positive. The important contribution of educational attainment in general, female education level in particular to improvements in the quality of life deserves good news for building an integrated health care system in the reunified Korea, taking into account the high level of education two koreas are enjoying. Meanwhile, when a sharp drop in the quality of life has been observed in North Korea under serious economic difficulties and food shortage in recent decade, the significant contribution of economic development to improvements in the quality of life poses bad nows for reunifying Korean health care in economic terms.