• Journal of the Korean Society for Library and Information Science
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.265-291
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• 2013

Because of the increased interest in health, medical care, and wellness, the utilization of health-related information resources, especially those found on the Internet, has been rapidly increasing. In addition, despite encountering an increasing number of health and medical-related reference questions in public libraries, public librarians feel limitations in their ability to perform these types of reference services. Therefore, this study proposed the cooperative network system model for vitalizing CHI Services, meaning that all the related agencies, including public libraries, medical libraries, medical institutions, and the health and medical community collaboratively provide consumer health information service. This study presented in detail the key elements of the cooperation model, the subject of cooperation, target sources for cooperation, the content of cooperation, operations of CHI-providing sites, operations and roles of Cooperation Centers, and directions for cooperating with commercial institutions.

• Journal of Home Health Care Nursing
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.58-72
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• 2000

This study was an attempt to encourage the development of a rehabilitation delivery system and programs as a substitute service for hospitalization on the case of car accident patients, such as hospital based home health care nursing services. Various substitute services for hospitalization are required to curtail the length of stay for inpatients who were hospitalized with car accident compensation insurance. It focused on developing an estimation an early discharge day for car accident inpatients based on detailed statements of treatment for 111 inpatients who were hospitalized at the General Hospital in 1997. This study had four specific purposes as follows. First. to find out the utilization of medical services. Second, to estimate the time of early discharge and income increasing effect based on early discharge for those patients. Third, to identify the factors affecting total medical expenditure and the length of stay for those inpatients. Forth, to figure out the need of utilizing home health care nursing service for accident patients. In order to analyze the length of stay and medical expenditure for inpatients who were hospitalized due to car accidents, the authors conducted micro- and macro-analysis of medical and medical expenditure records. Micro-analysis was done by nominal group discussion of 4 expertise with the critical criteria, such as a decrease in the amount of treatment after surgery, treatments, tests, drugs and changes in the test consistency, drug methods, vital signs, start of ROM exercise, doctor's order, patient's outside visiting ability, and stable conditions. In addition to identifying variables affecting medical expenditure, and the length of stay and income effect due to early discharge day, the data was analyzed with a multiple regression analysis and linear regression analysis model by SPSS-PC for windows and Excell program. Results of this study were as follows. First. the mean length of stay was 50.3 days. whereas the mean length of stay due to early discharge was 34.3 days at the hospital. The estimation of time of early discharge depended on the length of stay. The longer the length of stay, the longer the length of time of early discharge : for instance a length of stay under 10 days was estimated as correlating to a mean length of stay of 6.6 days and early discharge of 6.5. The mean length of stay was 217.4 days and the time of early discharge was 110.1 respectively. The mean medical expenditure per day was found to be 169.085 Won and the mean medical expenditure per day showed negative linear trends according to the length of stay at the hospital. The estimation results of the income effect due to being discharged 16 days early was around 2,244,000 won per bed. However. this sum does not represent the real benefits resulting from early discharge, but rather the income increasing amount without considering medical prime cost in the general hospital. Therefore, further analysis is required on the cost containments and benefits as turn over rate per bed as the medical prime costs. The length of stay was most significant and was positive to the total medical expenditure, as expected. Surgery and patient's residential area was also an important variable in explaining medical expenditure. The level of complications was the most significant variable in explaining the length of stay. There was a high level for need a home health care nursing service which further supports early discharge for accident patients. In addition, when the patient was discharged. they needed follow up care for complications suffered during the car accident. $86.8\%$ of discharged patients responded that they needed home health services after early discharge. From these research findings, the following suggestions have been drawn. Strategies on a health care delivery system must be developed in order to focus on the consumer's needs and being planned for 21 century health policy in Korea. Community based intermediate facilities or home health care should be developed for rehabilitation services as a substitute for hospitalization in order to shorten the length of stay would be. A hospital based home health care nursing service. it would be available immediately to utilize by patients who want rehabilitation services as a substitute for hospitalization with the cooperation of car insurance companies.

• Journal of Information Technology Services
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.17-45
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• 2017

Health Information Exchange (HIE) is expected to improve the quality and efficiency of care by allowing providers online access to healthcare information generated by other providers at the point of care. However, the adoption of the technology in Korea has been slow since its pilot program in 2007~2010 at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital. The objective of this study was to survey stakeholders on the incentive program for the facilitation of HIE adoption. We surveyed 39 experts representing 6 categories of stakeholders-provider, insurer, government, information service firms, customers, and medical informatics experts for the interviews. Interview questions included program objectives, program participation requirements, incentive payment method, and administrative burden for program participation. Experts indicated that the quality of care was the most important value the program should aim to achieve through the HIE adoption. They suggested that the requirements and administrative burden for participation should be kept at minimum to recruit a large number of providers to the program, which is an indicator of program success. Experts were divided on the payment method whether the incentive should be paid as a part of the fee payment scheme operated by the National Health Insurance (NHI) or should be a payment made independent of the NHI. The source of the divide was conflict of interest among stakeholders as to who pays for the program, and the insurer and consumer groups were against the NHI taking the financial burden. It appeared to be the most significant factor for the successful program launching to resolve the gap in perceptions about benefits of the technology among stakeholders and to win the willingness to pay for the program.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2003

This study was carried out to investigate the airborne microbial pollution in hospital environment. Using a mechanical air sampler, microbiological samples were taken from intensive care unit, general ward room, patients wailing room and outdoor of 20 hospitals in Seoul, Korea. The concentration of airborne bacteria and fungi ranged 97-410 cfu/㎥ and 37-77 cfu/㎥, respectively and patients waiting room had highest bacterial count. 10 genera of molds were identified and the most frequently recovered molds were Aspergillus, followed by Penicillium, Alternaria and Cladosporium. Among Staphylococcus species, S. haemolyticus and S. epidermidis were predominant and 47% of Staphylococcus species were isolated from intensive rare unit.

• Journal of Families and Better Life
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• v.24 no.3 s.81
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• pp.95-115
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• 2006

The purpose of this study was to analyze the affecting factors on male salary workers' pre-retirement plans and pre-retirement planning programs. The focus was on male workers' pre-retirement plans and programs for economy, housing, family relationship, leisure and health care in their elderly life. The major findings were as follows: First, the salary workers estimated their level of economic and health problems among their elderly life as relatively high. Second, the major factors affecting the level of planning for post-retirement were salary workers' age, job satisfaction, and reserved savings for their elderly life. Third, the major affecting factors on participation in pre-retirement planning programs were age, educational attainment, and spouse's job status. From these findings, it can be concluded that salary workers' level of pre-retirement planning and the needs of pre-retirement planning programs differed from their personal characteristics and preferences. Also, salary workers' characteristics related to job and retirement had more important effects on their pre-retirement planning than economic status.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.45-64
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• 2003

This study was conducted to examine the recognition level of the people on oriental medical Services and the need for it's improvement. Data were collected from 1174 residents in Daegu metropolitan city and Gyungbuk province. According to the satisfaction level with each items of oriental medical services, the respondents had positive views on efficacy, kindness, and side-effects. They, however, had negative view on the cost of oriental medical services. In regarding to the priority of improvement of oriental medical system, 'expansion of insurance benefit package' ranked first. Followed by 'safety of herbal medicine(heavy metal/pesticides)', 'improvement of scientific methods and diagnostic technique' etc. For the further development of oriental medical services in the consumer - focused and evidenced-based health care environment, much attention to implement relevant health policy reflecting user's need positively should be made.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.103-110
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• 2011

We investigated consumer perceptions of and purchase intentions for health foods. Data were collected from 454 adults over the age of 20 years living in Seoul and Gyeonggi province, from May 10 to June 5, 2010. Those that "hardly ever drink" (41.4%) were most prevalent in terms of drinking activity, whereas 80.8% of respondents did not smoke. Also, those who responded "hardly ever exercise" ranked highest; although 43.8% in fact exercised frequently. Of all respondents, 44.5% admitted to suffering slightly from stress. A total of 59.5% of respondents opined "I am healthy but I do worry about health", and "exercise" topped the list of approved (37.2% of respondents) health care methods. We also found that 83.5% of respondents claimed to have tried health foods, whereas in the case of having no taking experience, 60% had not purchased such foods because, in their view, this was unnecessary. The extent of concerns about health foods scored 3.09, and the level of purchase intentions for health food was high, with a score of 3.40. Therefore, all of government, producers, distributors, and academic researchers must provide consumers with accurate and complete information, and need to collaborate in the development of consumer education programs on health foods. This will enhance consumer interest in such foods, and empower logical choices.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.68-90
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• 2007

Nurse staffing level is an important factor that influences the quality of health service and patient outcomes. This study was carried out to examine the current state of acute hospital nurse staffing and find out factors that affect the nurse staffing level. Nurse staffing of individual hospitals was measured using the number of registered nurses per 100 beds. Descriptive and multiple regression analyses were conducted using 592 acute care hospitals' data. Regression model included structure factors such as referral level, ownership, medical and general staffing, and financial outcome factors such as occupancy rate, inpatient and outpatient revenues. Market characteristics included strength of competition, supply of nurses, and income and health status level of consumers. The average number of nurses per 100 beds was 28 and showed a great variation according to the referral level. Regression model explained this variation as much as 76.87%. Hospital structure variables which affecting the hospital nurse staffing level positively were ICU bed ratio, the staffing level of specialist, training doctor and employees except doctor and nursing personnel, while the negative factor was nurse aid staffing level. General hospitals employed more nurses than hospitals. Among outcome characteristics, occupancy rate and the amount of health insurance inpatient revenue affected positively on the hospital nurse staffing level. The more supply of the new nurse and the higher consumer income and health status in the medical service markets, the more nurses were employed by the medical institutes. According to the study result, hospitals employed more nurses when they had more financial incentive by increasing nurses. This means appropriate hospital incentive policy and regulation policy, which hospital violate nurse staffing level have to pay penality, should be needed. Clarifying job description between nurses and nurse aids and the reentry program for unemployed experienced nurses will be helpful to increase nurse staffing level.

• The Journal of Information Systems
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.105-129
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• 2013

Recently, since the interest with well-being has been getting higher than ever, people want reliable source of information related with health and medical treatment. Because of the characteristics of information related with medical care, there have been difficulties to find the information from books, television and internet surfing, for treating disease. Misinformation that can be obtained when considering dangerous situations or side effects, the role of the e-Health system is becoming more important. The objective of this study is an analysis of correlation and effect among patient's information need, e-Health system use and system outcome. To achieve the object of this study, e-Health system had been given to patients of breast cancer in Wisconsin and Detroit for 16 weeks. As a result, 282 sample was gathered and modified to meet purpose of the study. As a result, the information needs of patients due to the performance of the e-Health systems and shown to affect even the perception of patients' emotional and physical health and social support.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.303-313
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• 2013

During last 65 years, Korea has achieved very rapid economic growth and social reformation including healthcare system. Many foreigners have praised that Korea healthcare system is very good in the respect of ease accessibility to healthcare under the lowest cost among the industrialized countries. Whole population are covered by the National Health Insurance. Also utilizations of healthcare among different income classes are even. However Korea healthcare system faced with several challenges, in terms of the an aging population and a rise in chronic disease problem, new threats of communicable disease due to globalization, the rapid increase of healthcare expenditure and high financial burden of patients even though they are insured. To cope with these challenges, we need reconsider the healthcare system as followings; to set up ideology of healthcare as normative public goods, to rebuild paradigm of healthcare for 21 century, to reform public health for strengthening health promotion, to develop new method for healthcare management including quality improvement and consumer responsiveness, to build new governance for health and to view new perspective on healthcare as a kind of industry.