• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.52 no.2
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• pp.158-163
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• 2020

This study examines and presents reasonable improvement measures for the operation and revision of the relative value scoring system, and the basis for performance of a medical technologist. Seven hospitals were enrolled in the study, and included 5 resident laboratory medicine specialists and 53 medical technologists, giving a ratio of 10.6 technologists per laboratory medicine specialist. The average of professional manpower scores was 18, and the average of each medical institution's total score was 78. Ratings and additional rates were in the range 2~3%, and quality-added ratios were 2~3%, with no significance. Excluding pathological testing and assessing physiological functions, the average number of diagnostic tests for health insurance claims were 9,618,062, including 4,378,146 points for 5% of the total relative value scores. According to the DEA, the appropriate number of medical technologist is one person per 49,974 points of relative value. In conclusion, our study results indicate that it would be desirable to set the appropriate workforce for medical technologist to one person per 50,000 points of relative value. Our data could be used as a basis for enhancing productivity of the workforce and balancing health care resources.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.31 no.5
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• pp.694-708
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• 2011

In this study, we developed tasks including cognitive scaffolding for students to explain scientific phenomena using valid evidences in science classroom and sought to investigate how tasks influence the development of small group scientific argumentation. Heterogeneous small groups in gender and achievement were organized in one classroom and the tasks were applied to the class. Students were asked to write down their own ideas, share individual ideas, and then choose the most plausible opinion in a group. One group was chosen for investigating the effect of tasks on the development of small group argumentation through the analysis of discourse transcripts of the group in 10 lessons, students' semi-structured interview, field note, and students' pre- and post argument tests. The discrepant argument examples were included in the tasks for students to refute an argument presenting evidences. Moreover, comparing opinion within the group and persuading others were included in the tasks to prompt small group argumentation. As a result, students' post-argument test grades were increased than pre-test grades, and they argued involving evidences and reasoning. The high level of arguments has appeared with high ratio of advanced utterances and lengthening of reasoning chain as lessons went on. Students had elaborate claims involving valid evidences and reasoning by reflective and critical thinking while discussing about the tasks. In addition, tasks which could have various warrants based on the data led to students' spontaneous participation. Therefore, this study has significance in understanding the context of developing small group argumentation, providing information about teaching and learning context prompting students to construct arguments in science inquiry lessons in middle school.

• Journal of Korean Society of Transportation
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.119-130
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• 2009

The aim of this study is to analyze the effects of DVR(Driving Video Recorder) operation on decreasing the number of traffic accidents, the cost of traffic accident claim, and the behavioral change in drivers' driving. The data for this research are obtained from taxi drivers in Busan. For this, Structural Equation Model and two-way ANOVA are employed for empirical analysis. Overall results of this study show that the number of traffic accidents of 4 taxi corporations in Busan has decreased by average 32.7 percent after using DVRs. In addition, as to the cost of taxi accident claims, it is expected that the DVR operation has a considerable effect on economic benefits of taxi corporations. Moreover, this study could make clear the difference in behaviors between DVR users and non-users, and discriminate the positive and negative impacts of the DVR operation on the drivers' driving behavior. The study quantitatively examined the indirect impact of 'attitude', 'subject norm' and 'behavioral control' factors on planned 'behavior', and the direct impact of 'behavioral control' factor on the planned 'behavior'. This study suggests that they should add the video recoding function of DVRs when operation recorder(blackbox for the car) is obligatorily set up on cars for business by traffic security law.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.523-534
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• 2010

Objectives: We assessed impact of performance reporting information about the readmission rate, length of stay and cost of hip hemiarthroplasty. Methods: The data are from a nationwide claims database, National Quality Improvement Project database, of Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service in Korea. From January 2006 to April 2008, we received information of length of stay, readmission within 30 days, cost of 22 851 hip hemiarthroplasty episodes. Each episodes has retained the diagnoses of comorbidities and demographics. We used time-series analysis to assess the shifting of patients selections, between high volume (over 16 operations in a year) and low volume institutions, after performance reporting (December 2007). The changes of quality (readmission, length of stay) and cost were evaluated by multilevel analysis with adjustment of patient's factors and institutional factors after performance reporting. Results: As compared with the before performance reporting, the proportion of patients who choose the high volume institution, increased 3.45% and the trends continued 4 months at marginal significance (p = 0.059). After performance reporting, national average readmission rate, length of stay were decreased by 0.49 OR (95% CI=0.25 - 0.95) and 10% (${\beta}$=-0.102, p<0.01) and cost was not changed (${\beta}$=-0.01, p=0.27). The high volume institutions were more decreased than low volume in length of stay. Conclusions: After performance reporting, readmission rate, length of stay were decreased and the patient selections were marginally shifted from low volume institutions to high volume institutions.

• Journal of Nutrition and Health
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.653-660
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• 2010

Along with the steady growth of health functional food (HFF) markets, research evaluating the human effects of HFF has been expanding. In this study, we investigated the regulatory and management system of human study on HFF in the USA, Japan and UK, and the Korean domestic regulations on HHF, medicines, medical devices, cosmetics and biotechnology in order to improve the domestic management system. In these four countries, institutional review board (IRB) or research ethics committee (REC) approvals are required for on human study of HHF, but regulatory and management systems differ from country to country. In the USA, human studies on HFF for structure/function claims do not require the FDA's prior approval but clinical trials of the disease treatment effects of HHF require prior approval from the FDA. In the USA, IRBs are managed by the Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) rather than the FDA, and IRBs in those institutions which would execute the clinical trials requiring prior approval from the FDA or human studies funded by the USA federal government are required to be registered on the DHHS. In the UK, although the government does not require prior approval of human study, authorized RECs managed by the National Research Ethics Service (NRES) and other independent RECs review the human study. In Japan, human study for HFF must conform with "Ethical guidelines for epidemiological research" and IRB registration has not been required. In Korean domestic regulations, the responsibilities, compositions, functions and operations of IRBs on medicines, medical devices and biotechnology are legally specified, but not those of IRB on HHF. These foreign statuses for the management of human study on HFF and comparisons with Korean regulations are expected to be used as basic data to improve the domestic legal system.

• Journal of Korean Ophthalmic Optics Society
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.173-179
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• 2016

Purpose: This study is to help assist in the management of optical shops by using the importance sequence of optical shop selection attributes, which is related to the consumer's selection method of consumer, and by using the importance sequence of optical shop information sources which is related to a route for optical shop selection. Methods: Customer surveys were conducted from March 10 to March 31, 2015 targeting customers who have visited an optical shop in Seoul and Northern Gyeonggi-do regions. The analys method was descriptive statistics and data were analyzed by utilizing SPSS v.10.0 statistical package program. Results: The highest ranking five attributes among the importance of optical shop selection are "friendliness and politeness of staff", "cleanliness of an optical shop", "quick resolution of customer's complaints by staff", "eyes examination and glasses dispensing skill of staff", "customer's complaints and claims handling". The lowest ranking five attributes among the importance of optical shop selection are "provide free gifts", "scale or size of an optical shop", "opening time and closing time", "convenient parking facilities", "favorable countenance of staff". The two highestr ranking criteria among the importance of optical shop information sources are "previous utilization experience", "recommendation by a relative, a friend and a family etc". The two lowest ranking criteria among the importance of optical shop information sources are "advertisement" and "spatial exterior view of optical shop". Conclusions: It is shown that the important thing in management of an optical shop is an inner caliber like ability of ophthalmic optician, interaction with customers, and previous utilization experience rather than external factors like advertisement, exterior view, and bonus gift.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.81-88
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• 2010

Purpose: This study was conducted to study the attitude of Korean lawyers toward withdrawal of life sustaining treatment, and compare and analyze different types of their attitudes. Methods: Research design of this project was Q methodology approach. The study population was 24 lawyers, aged from 32 to 69 years. Q sample to investigate the attitude of the lawyers toward withdrawal of life sustaining treatment included 34 statements obtained from literatures, TV debate, and depth interviews of 5 lawyers among the lawyers included. After listening to the purpose and method of the study, the 24 lawyers agreed to fill out a survey asking sociodemographic information, and the information was distributed in 9 scale Q-sample. Results: The collected data were processed through QUANL PC program and sorted into 5 types as follows: The first type was 'Choosing to withdraw life sustaining treatment', the second 'Withholding life sustaining treatment' regardless of the cost, the third is neutral type that claims that humans have the right to decide the death and life, and demands the proper legalization to protect such rights, the fourth type agrees to withdrawal of life sustaining treatment, nevertheless, admits that one has a rigt to withhold one's own life treatment, categorized as self contradiction type. The fifth type believed that 'Life and death are providential' with the faith, therefore, such authority to decide life and death belongs to God, but not human beings. Conclusion: In conclusion, the lawyer's attitudes toward withdrawal of life sustaining treatment were grouped into five different types as follows: 'Choosing to withdraw life sustaining treatment', 'Withholding life sustaining treatment', 'Demanding legalization', 'Self contradiction type', and 'Life and death are providential'.

• Journal of Science and Technology Studies
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.5-62
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• 2018

Over the last 10 years, the fight against occupational diseases of semiconductor workers led by SHARPS(the Supporters for the Health And Rights of People in the Semiconductor industry, NGO) has accomplished considerable achievements, especially in the legal and institutional aspects. First, the court and the government accepted the claims that 24 injured workers respectively filed, recognizing their 10 types of diseases as occupational illness. The court not only expanded the list of work places and diseases that it recognized, but also presented more progressive logic of recognition. The most remarkable achievement among them is the case ruled by the Supreme court in July, 2017. In terms of 'worker's right to know', which is the most important factor in preventing occupational diseases, there have been significant legislative bills, court rulings and government guidelines. The revised bill of the Industrial Safety and Health Act to strengthen workers' rights to know and to introduce the pre-review system on trade secret is currently under review by the National Assembly. The court recently ruled that the government should disclose its inspection results on safety and health management at semiconductor factories. The ministry of labor has drawn up internal guidelines to more actively open its safety and health data to public. This study looks over recent developments in such rulings, bills and guidelines and then, analyzes their implications, laying the groundwork for future actions for worker health in the electronic industry.

• Journal of Home Health Care Nursing
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.5-14
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• 2003

Recently, there has been an increasing need for long-term care and comprehensive health care services in community settings. The Ministry of Health and Welfare introduced the Hospital-Based Home Nursing Care Program in 2000. Before this initiative, there was a Home Nursing Demonstration Center, affiliated with the Seoul Nurse Association, had offered home nursing services with the financial support from the local government. since 1993, the Center's nursing staff has been engaged in a general hospital in an effort to provide home nursing care services within Korea's health care system. The purpose of this study was to analyze and identify characteristics of community-based home nursing care supplied by a community-based home nursing team engaged in a general hospital. Also. visit nursing care services provided by public health centers were evaluated in terms of accessibility and supply versus demand, to enhance the accessibility of low-income patients living in Seoul to home nursing care services. Data were collected from home nursing insurance reimbursement claims submitted by the community-based home nursing care team from March 1 to October 30 in 2001 and a questionnaire survey on home-visit nursing services of 25 public health centers in Seoul. The subjects consisted of 197 patients and 12 public health centers. The result were as follows. First, medical institution's community-based home nursing care program was better in technical quality than health-center-based home-visit nursing care. In addition. the pattern of the subject patients was similar to that of hospital-based home nursing care program. Second, there was a high demand for community-based home nursing care while only a small number of home-visiting nurses served at public health centers in Seoul. As a result, many patients could not receive adequate care. Finally, we suggest that community-based home nursing care program should be introduced in the national health system to meet the at-home care needs of severely ill low-income patients. Furthermore, to better utilize home nursing and visit-nursing care resources and offer continued care for patients in community settings, an efficient referral network should be built among related institutions. This would require improvement of reimbursement system and amendment of the law related to health insurance system and community-based home nursing care services.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.190-198
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• 2009

Objectives : The objective of this study is to estimate the economic costs of cancer on society. Methods : We estimated the economic burden of people with cancer in South Korea. To perform the analysis, we reviewed the records of people who were cancer patients and those who were newly diagnosed with cancer. The data was compiled from the National Health Insurance Corporation, which included the insurance claims database, a list of cancer patients, a database that records the cancer rates, the Korea Central Cancer Registry Center s cancer patient registry database and the Korea National Statistical Office s causes of death database. We classified the costs as related to cancer into direct costs and indirect costs, and we estimated each cost. Direct costs included both medical and non-medical care expenses and the indirect costs consisted of morbidity, mortality and the caregiver's time costs. Results : The total economic costs of cancer in South Korea stood at 14.1 trillion won in 2005. The largest amount of the cost 7.4 trillion won, was the mortality costs. Following this were the morbidity costs (3.2 trillion won), the medical care costs (2.2 trillion won), the non-medical care costs (1.1 trillion won) and the costs related to the caregiver's time (100 billion won). As a result, the economic cost of cancer to South Korea is estimated to be between 11.6 trillion won to 14.1 trillion won for the year 2005. Conclusions : We need to reduce the cancer burden through encouraging people to undergo early screening for cancer and curing it in the early stage of cancer, as well as implementing policies to actively prevent cancer.