• Quality Improvement in Health Care
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.16-25
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• 2019

Purpose:The healthcare system of South Korea is at the extreme of the dispersed system. Few regulations limit patients from directly visiting higher-level medical institutions for primary care sensitive conditions. As a result, similar to local clinics, general and tertiary teaching hospitals also provide diverse primary care services. Our study aimed to examine the general public's perceptions of their primary care performance. Methods: Face-to-face surveys were conducted with 1000 adults who were living in South Korea with the aid of a questionnaire that included the Korean Primary Care Assessment Tool (KPCAT). The KPCAT consists of five domains, which are the main indicators of primary care performance: first contact, comprehensiveness, coordination, personalized care, and family/community orientation. One-way analysis of variance and post hoc tests were used to compare the KPCAT scores across the three types of medical institutions. Results: Domain-wise analyses revealed two different patterns. With regard to first contact and its subdomains, the highest and lowest scores emerged for local clinics and tertiary teaching hospitals, respectively. However, the other four domain scores were significantly lower for local clinics than for the other two types of medical institutions. Conclusions: Local clinics were perceived to be medical institutions that are responsible for providing primary care. However, the general public perceived only one domain of their primary care to be superior to that of the other two types of medical institutions: first contact. National efforts should be taken to strengthen their other four domains of primary care by training their workforce and providing appropriate incentives.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.275-285
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• 1995

The purpose of the study is to evaluate the visiting nurses service of a public health center. Data were collectd from the 36 clients who received services from a public health center. In terms of the process evaluation, the tool is composed 4 parts, 27 items such as assessment planning, implementation, and evaluation. It was measured through the health records by 2 peer review. In terms of the outcome evaluation, the level of client satisfaction was measured by self report or interview by 2 supervisor. The result were as follows: 1. 30% of 36 health records showed narsing process was not and out of them, nursing care plann including spectific activities were rarely established or unclear. 2. The lack of systematic data collection' showed and nursing diagnosis was not adressed in health records review. 3. Client satisfaction score was 32, 97, out of maximum score 36. 4. The lack of sufficent objective data, care plan, record of client's health status change, and evaluation was founded therefore quality assurance for visiting nurses service and in-service education are required and the development of standardized record system need.

• Journal of Korean Academic Society of Home Health Care Nursing
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.85-94
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• 2010

Purpose: The study aimedto provide basic data to improve the quality of home healthcare nursing services by evaluating quality of care in representative nationwide sites. Method: The current quality of home care service in 104 nationwide sites was evaluated in terms of structures, processes, and outcomes based on published standards of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of healthcare Organizations. Results: The mean score for three dimensions of quality of home care service was as follows in descending order: structures (77.6), outcomes (60.4), and processes (38.7). Additionally, by specific item compared level of quality of home care servicein each site, the highest score was 97.3 and the lowest score was 42.3 out of 100, with a mean score of 74.7. Conclusions: These findings provide a base for establishing the quality management system and to develop a tool for evaluating the quality of home healthcare nursing. The result should be continuous management and improvement of home healthcare nursing quality.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2010

The Finnish risk assessment practice is based on the Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) Act aiming to improve working conditions in order maintain the employees' work ability, and to prevent occupational accidents and diseases. In practice there are hundreds of risk assessment methods in use. A simple method is used in small and medium sized enterprises and more complex risk evaluation methods in larger work places. Does the risk management function in the work places in Finland? According to our experience something more is needed. That is, understanding of common and company related benefits of risk management. The wider conclusion is that commitment for risk assessment in Finland is high enough. However, in those enterprises where OSH management was at an acceptable level or above it, there were also more varied and more successfully accomplished actions to remove or reduce the risks than in enterprises, where OSH management was in lower level. In risk assessment it is important to process active technical prevention and exact communication, increase work place attraction and increase job satisfaction and motivation. Investments in OSH are also good business. Low absenteeism due to illness or accidents increases directly the production results by improved quality and quantity of the product. In general Finnish studies have consistently shown that the return of an invested euro is three to seven-old. In national level, according to our calculations the savings could be even 20% of our gross national product.

• Asian Journal of Innovation and Policy
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.277-303
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• 2023

The importance of ecosystem service such as green spaces has risen due to restrictions on outdoor activities amid the climate crisis and COVID-19. While gardens significantly impact economic development, quality of life, and social well-being, comprehensive studies on their multidimensional values are lacking. This research categorizes garden values into social, cultural, environmental, and health dimensions and proposes an integrated assessment framework that introduces detailed elements and evaluation methods. An empirical assessment of carbon storage index in two Korean gardens, Semiwon and Juknokwon, reveals Semiwon's higher carbon storage per unit area. The proposed framework, emphasizing a quantitative approach, enables cross-national and regional comparisons, contributing to a broader understanding and evaluation of garden values beyond specific facilities.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Rural Health Nursing
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.60-69
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• 2007

Objectives: This study was done to identify health and functional status of rural elders, to identify the use of health and medical treatment and welfare services in order to present directions for improving use of health and welfare services by rural elders. Methods: The participants in the study were 170 elders over 65 years of age who live in the one of the 6 villages served by the Young Am Community Health Post. The elders were visited at home and interviewed the elders using the RAI tool. Descriptive statistics including frequency and range were used to analyze the data. Results: Limitations in physical function, finances and medical treatment service were identified. Conclusions: The findings of this study indicate a need to develop good quality service which is affordable and convenient.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.21-30
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• 2016

Purpose: This research was conducted to identify long-term care service needs in the baby boom generation. Methods: Data were collected from September 3 to October 9, 2012 targeting 196 baby boomers residing in Seoul and Gyeonggi-do with the measurement of long-term care service needs having five domains. Collected data were analyzed using the SPSS 20.0 program. Results: Demand for long term care service in those who preferred nursing homes was highest as $4.40{\pm}0.69$ in the safe environment domain. In case of those preferring home care services, demand was highest as $4.37{\pm}0.56$ in the social interaction domain. People who preferred nursing homes had higher needs in personal health care and improvement of the service quality domains. Those who preferred home care services showed diverse needs according to their characteristics. Conclusion: The baby boom generation had high needs in all the domains of long-term care services and such needs were diverse according to their characteristics. However, long-term care services had limitations that they provided standardized and uniformed services only. Therefore, health care services and improved quality services should be provided in a way of meeting the users' needs, and tailored services should be provided in consideration of the users' characteristics.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.462-470
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• 2021

Background: Fatigue is pervasive, under-reported, and potentially deadly where flight operations are concerned. The aviation industry appears to lack a standardized, practical, and easily replicable protocol for fatigue risk assessment which can be consistently applied across operators. Aim: Our paper sought to present a framework, supported by real-world data with subjective and objective parameters, to monitor aircrew fatigue and performance, and to determine the safe crew configuration for commercial airline operations. Methods: Our protocol identified risk factors for fatigue-induced performance degradation as triggers for fatigue risk and performance assessment. Using both subjective and objective measurements of sleep, fatigue, and performance in the form of instruments such as the Karolinska Sleepiness Scale, Samn-Perelli Crew Status Check, Psychomotor Vigilance Task, sleep logs, and a wearable actigraph for sleep log correlation and sleep duration and quality charting, a workflow flagging fatigue-prone flight operations for risk mitigation was developed and trialed. Results: In an operational study aimed at occupational assessment of fatigue and performance in airline pilots on a three-men crew versus a four-men crew for a long-haul flight, we affirmed the technical feasibility of our proposed framework and approach, the validity of the battery of assessment instruments, and the meaningful interpretation of fatigue and work performance indicators to enable the formulation of safe work recommendations. Conclusion: A standardized occupational assessment protocol like ours is useful to achieve consistency and objectivity in the occupational assessment of fatigue and work performance.

• Research in Community and Public Health Nursing
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.243-250
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• 2009

Purpose: This is a qualitative study to identify dimensions of long-term care hospital care quality that provide high-level medical services for long-term care patients in Korea. Methods: Service consumers and providers were interviewed, and collected data were analyzed into thesis, type and dimension. The focus group method was applied to two provider groups and individual interview was applied to two persons who had experienced a long-term care hospital. Results: The results of analyzing the consumers and providers was integrated into 8 dimensions: physical environment, staff, clinical care and nursing, multiplicity of activity program, atmosphere, interaction with family, nutrition, and quality improvement system. Conclusion: The dimensions of long-term care hospital care quality from this study can be used as a basis of quality indicators. Quantitative studies to test these dimensions are required for establishing quality management systems.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.451-461
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• 2021

Background: Readmissions related to lack of quality care harm both patients and health insurance finances. If the factors affecting readmission are identified, the readmission can be managed by controlling those factors. This paper aims to identify factors that affect readmissions of convalescent rehabilitation patients. Methods: Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service claims data were used to identify readmissions of convalescent patients who were admitted in hospitals and long-term care hospitals nationwide in 2018. Based on prior research, the socio-demographics, clinical, medical institution, and staffing levels characteristics were included in the research model as independent variables. Readmissions for convalescent rehabilitation treatment within 30 days after discharge were analyzed using logistic regression and generalization estimation equation. Results: The average readmission rate of the study subjects was 24.4%, and the risk of readmission decreases as age, length of stay, and the number of patients per physical therapist increase. In the patient group, the risk of readmission is lower in the spinal cord injury group and the musculoskeletal system group than in the brain injury group. The risk of readmission increases as the severity of patients and the number of patients per rehabilitation medicine specialist increases. Besides, the readmission risk is higher in men than women and long-term care hospitals than hospitals. Conclusion: "Reducing the readmission rate" is consistent with the ultimate goal of the convalescent rehabilitation system. Thus, it is necessary to prepare a mechanism for policy management of readmission.