• Journal of Science and Technology Studies
• /
• v.13 no.2
• /
• pp.71-110
• /
• 2013

As a patient has recently been recognized as not a passive object but a subject of medical services, various attempts are being made to strengthen the status of a patient. Medical communication which has been led by a doctor so far is being made with a focus on a patient due to sovereignty of a consumer and activation of medical information. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the process to strengthen the status of a patient as a consumer of health care service through a patient association and consumer movement as medical information becomes public. As the patient centered medical service is creating a variety of health care service market using IT technologies, it has contributed to the improvement on asymmetry of medical information. As the expansion of IT fusion health care market is bringing the fundamental change into the traditional relationship between a doctor and a patient, the medical service market is being re-organized. A patient centered medical service such as expansion of mobile health care model led by a patient is being accelerated.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.22 no.3 s.27
• /
• pp.398-405
• /
• 1989

A change in the consumer's surplus was measured in order to evaluate the social benefit to be derived from expanding health insurance to the entire population. The most refined and correct way to measure a project's net benefit to society is to determine a change in the consumer's surplus. Benefits from introducing the health insurance program to the uninsured people can be classified into two elements. The first is the pricing-down effect(E1) which results from applying the insurance price system, which is lower than the actual price, to the uninsured patients. The second effect(E2) is a decrease in actual payment because an insured patient pays only a portion of the total medical bill(copayment). We collected medical price information from the data banks of 93 hospitals, and obtained information of medical utilization by referring to the results of other research and from data published by the Korean Medical Insurance Societies. The total net benefit was estimated as \214 billion, comprising the first effect(E1) of \57 billion and the second effect(E2) of \157 billion. The price elasticity of physician visits is less than that of hospital admissions: however, benefits from the increase in physician visits are greater than those from hospital admissions because there are considerably more of physician visits than hospital admissions. The sensitivity analysis also shows the conclusion that expansion of the health insurance program to the entire population would result in a positive net benefit. Therfore, we conclude that the National Health Insurance Program is socially desirable.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.33 no.4
• /
• pp.495-504
• /
• 2000

Objectives : To examine various dimensions of consumer ratings of health care service with factor analysis and to find which factors influence the overall quality of health care service. Methods : A cross-sectional study was conducted on outpatients of a general hospital located in Sungnam City. A self-administered questionnaire was used to assess the consumer's ratings of health care service received. The response rate was 92.8% with a total of 537 persons completing the questionnaire. Factor analysis was performed on 34 items evaluating the quality of health care service. Items were grouped into 5 dimensions as a result of factor analysis and the reliability and validity of influence on patient service assessment were evaluated for each dimension. Results : The 5 dimensions were as follows, 1) physician services, 2) non-physician services, 3) process 4) facilities, and 5) cleanliness A positive correlation with the quality of health care service was found for the dimensions of non-physician services and process, while no significant correlation was found for the dimensions of physician services, facilities, and cleanliness. Conclusions : The result of this study may provide basic information for the development of future self-administered questionnaires of consumer ratings and for the evaluation of quality improvement activities in hospital outpatient settings.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
• /
• v.17 no.3
• /
• pp.57-82
• /
• 2012

The primary purpose of this study is to examine consumers'probing actions to see what information sources consumers search for medical information when there are diverse medical service information channels, and classify consumers by information source. Its secondary purpose is to understand trust of information and attitude toward information by consumer type, value of medical service, satisfaction with medical service, and word-of-mouth intention. This study will concretely identify information utilization patterns of medical consumers, and explain the unique characteristics and behavior of segmented types of medical consumers. The significance of this study lies in the search for ways to establish information channels trusted by consumers for building an efficient medical service market in the future. The results of this study show that consumers were classified by the latent class analysis(LCA) into 5 types: low-level information seekers, word-of-mouth information seekers, mass media information seekers, digital information seekers and diverse information seekers. The reliability of information sources by type of medical consumer was statistically significant, and in the analysis of differences in consumer attitude, there was a statistically significant difference in cognitive responses. The value of medical service was statistically significant in health recovery and medical service word-of-mouth intention.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Library and Information Science
• /
• v.48 no.2
• /
• pp.221-240
• /
• 2014

This study aims to analyze contents of websites which provide health information service. The study reviewed 5 websites and selected 15 sample contents among them. Based on the case model that extracted the contents from the websites, this research analyzed the usefulness of the contents. As a result, the usefulness of all the contents are rated above the average. Among the contents, The active core contents include 'information for librarians', 'information bout cancer', 'health related database', and 'multi-lingual health information'.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.25 no.1 s.37
• /
• pp.53-63
• /
• 1992

There are increasing interest and need for information on health care consumer with the significance of hospital marketing and strategic planning being increasingly emphasized. This study was conducted to investigate the criteria for selection of medical facilities according to the characteristics of health care consumer by the types of medical services on a sample of 1,500 population aged 20 years and above. Major findings are as follows ; 1. When considering the criteria for selection of medical facilities into two factors, namely, quality or convenience factors, convenience factor was the major contributor for outpatient and dental services whereas it was quality factor for inpatient services. 2. Females and those residing in large cities selected medical facilities based on convenience factor in the outpatient services. In the case of inpatient service, persons who considered their present health status to be good and whose ages were 50 years old and above choose medical facilities based on quality factor. 3. Persons who considered medical facilities to be profit-making tended to choose medical facilities based on convenience factor for outpatient services. There were no differences in the cases of inpatient and dental services. 4. There was no significant difference on the criteria for selection of medical facilities according to the decision maker for selection or trust on medical facilities. On the use of health service information, selection of medical facilities was based on quality factor for those who made more use of the information in the cases of outpatient and dental services. 5. Analysis using the logistic regression model on the criteria for the selection of medical facilities with the characteristics of health care consumer as independent variables was performed. The selection of medical facilities was significantly related with residential area, sex, and use of information on medical facilities for outpatient services and with age, average monthly income, and perception of health status for inpatient services. For dental services significant association with residential area and use of information on medical facilities was seen. The results of this study, despite some limitations, can be used as baseline data for marketing and strategic planning of hospital management.

• Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
• /
• v.32 no.1
• /
• pp.41-52
• /
• 2022

Objectives: This study intends to review the impact on cleaning workers and suggest directions for improvement by reviewing the legal and institutional ways in which Article 86 Nos. 7 and 16 of the Enforcement Decree of the Occupational Safety and Health Act work on the maintenance and promotion of cleaning workers' health. Methods: The following laws and systems were reviewed and considered: First, the occupational safety and health legislation obligated or required to be applied to protect the health of cleaning workers; Second, the status of control of chemicals or mixtures used at cleaning sites through the Consumer Chemicals Product and Biocide Safety Control Act; Third, Control of consumer products according to foreign material safety data sheet related laws. Results: Legal and institutional measures necessary to protect the health of cleaning workers include the legal control of harmful substances to be controlled, work environment monitoring, and special health examinations. The application of the Consumer Chemicals Product and Biocide Safety Control Act does not satisfy the legal and practical level of health maintenance and promotion required by the Occupational Safety and Health Act, and the communication of chemical information is insufficient. Overseas, there are restrictions on the use of consumer products in the workplace without material safety data sheets. Conclusions: It is necessary to improve the system to ensure the health of workers handling consumer chemical products. The remaining laws and regulations exempted from the obligation to prepare material safety data sheets should be additionally reviewed.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
• /
• v.42 no.1
• /
• pp.111-127
• /
• 2022

This study examined how chicken breed affects consumer behavior. The breeds evaluated were a Korean native chicken (KNC) and a commercial broiler (CB). Consumer behavior was measured by evaluating sensory attributes (taste, odor, and texture) and purchase behaviors [satisfaction, purchase intention, and willingness to pay (WTP)]. The sensory evaluation was conducted using healthy Korean consumers (n=100). The chicken was cooked in baeksuk (Korean traditional chicken soup), which is a seasonal summer health food in Korea. The participants evaluated sensory attributes and purchase behaviors between blinded samples of baeksuk (CB) and unblinded samples of baeksuk (KNC). The sensory evaluation involved chicken breasts and legs. The participants considered KNC as having a more umami taste, a chewier and juicer texture, and a less metallic odor than CB. Moreover, when participants were given KNC breed information, they expressed higher satisfaction, purchase intention, and WTP. The results of this study contribute to consumer behavior literature by revealing the effects of breed information on consumer sensory perceptions and purchase behaviors. Furthermore, the findings provide evidence that branding KNC is one way to increase its demand and low market share while contributing to sustainable consumption.

• Journal of Korean Society for Quality Management
• /
• v.37 no.4
• /
• pp.71-86
• /
• 2009

The healthcare environment today is changing rapidly with factors of healthcare consumers in selecting medical institutions also altering at a fast pace under the circumstances. In this study, the theory of consumption values established by Sheth in 1991 is adopted in order to examine particular value affecting consumer selection of healthcare institutions. For the purpose of this study, healthcare consumers were surveyed using questionnaires developed based on the five values of Sheth supplemented by value of effort to acquire hospital information and value in health. Consequently, 24 consumption values affecting selection process were confirmed through discriminant analysis. As a result of regression analysis on factors affecting consumer selection of healthcare institution, effort to acquire hospital information and age among demographic characteristics of respondents are determined important predictors for consumer selection of general hospitals over clinics or small-sized hospitals. Further, service, reputation scale of healthcare institution among functional values and importance of health and effort to acquire hospital information among value in health are identified as significant predictors for consumer selection of large-sized general hospitals over clinic or small-sized hospitals. This study suggests not only vital implications for marketing strategy of healthcare institutions, but also methods to promote positive image for healthcare providers. In addition, this study closely examines the cause of the leaning phenomenon of healthcare comsumers toward large-sized general hospitals.

• Health Policy and Management
• /
• v.12 no.2
• /
• pp.92-114
• /
• 2002

While making a vigorous discussion about self-regulation for exponential growth of harmful health information on the Internet, many countries lave made various efforts to select and circulate high quality health information on the Internet. The purpose of this study Is to review the serf-regulation methods of health information on the Internet and to suggest quality control methods of health information on the Internet suitable for Korea. Self-regulation methods of the health information on the Internet include ‘content rating system(or content selection system)’, ‘codes of conduct or guideline’, ‘internet hot-line’, ‘education for information providers and consumers’. Any self-regulation method should be used with other methods. We can regulate health information on the Internet effectively by using both self-regulation methods and compulsive methods such as law. Also information providers, information consumers, specialists, consumer representatives, scholars, governments officers should take part in doing these efforts and make concern.