• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.318-323
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• 2016

Background: Multidisciplinary team care (MTC) is a collaborative approach to treatment plan and ongoing care. We aimed to evaluate the clinical effect of MTC on the regulation of chronic kidney disease-mineral and bone disorder (CKD-MBD) complications in dialysis patients. Methods: This retrospective observational study was approved by the institutional review board. Among patients who have undergone dialysis at admission, the patients admitted to the nephrology ward were allocated to MTC group, and the others to usual care (UC) group. The MTC group had collaborative care by nephrologists, nurses, pharmacists, and nutritionists. The endpoints were the regulation of corrected calcium (cCa) and phosphate (P), the percent of patients in target level of cCa-P product ($cCa{\times}P$), and the prescription rate of non-calcium based P-binders. Results: A total of 163 patients were included from January to December 2009. A significant difference was shown in the percentage of patients in target $cCa{\times}P$ level at admission (MTC vs. UC, 81.40% vs. 91.67%; P = 0.038), but there was no significant difference at discharge. During admission, the cCa and P levels of patients in only UC group were significantly changed. In addition, compared with UC group, patients in MTC group were more likely prescribed appropriate P-binders, when they had higher $cCa{\times}P$ levels than $55mg^2/dL^2$ (P <0.001). Conclusion: It was found that MTC had beneficial effect on improving the regulation of CKD-MBD and the appropriate phosphate binder uses. Therefore, application of the MTC is anticipated to enhance quality of clinical care in chronic diseases.

• The Journal of Korean Medical History
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.175-185
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• 2013

Purpose : The current Medical Law and the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act, which are incapable of utilizing the research results and the advanced academic, clinical, and pharmaceutical system of the present-day Korean (Oriental) medicine, have limitations and create a paradox by provoking social conflict among the professionals in the field. The aim of this study was to find out the legal and systematic problems that contributed to a complicated conflict amongst Korean (Oriental) medicine doctors, doctors, pharmacists, and Korean (Oriental) pharmacists regarding the classification of their functions. Methods : We reviewed the history and characteristics of the legislation regarding the duties of Korean (Oriental) medicine doctors and Korean (Oriental) pharmacists as well as the relevant and important public health policies since the enactment of the National Medical Services Law in 1951. We focused on the laws and regulations that are made in the process of the separating functions of physicians and pharmacists and the dispute between the Korean (Oriental) medicine doctors and the Korean (Oriental) pharmacists in the 1990s and 2000s. Results : The legislations and amendments of the medical and pharmaceutical laws and regulations that reflect the modern academic, clinical, and pharmaceutical system of the Korean (Oriental) medicine and the research results could be summarized as follows: 1) A partial amendment of the Medical Law in 1987, which added the provision of "Oriental health guidance" as one of the duties of Korean (Oriental) medicine doctors, assured a place for Korean (Oriental) medicine doctors in the field of public health. 2) A partial revision of Pharmaceutical Affairs Act in 1994 established a new system for Korean (Oriental) pharmacists, bringing about the creation of dualistic pharmaceutical system that complements the dualistic medical system. 3) The Promotion of the Research and Development of Wonder Drugs by Using Natural Substances Act was legislated in 2000 in order to stimulate research and development of Korean (Oriental) medicine and its industrialization. 4) Oriental Medicine Promotion Act in 2003 was enacted to lay foundation to specify and promote technology and industry that are related to Korean (Oriental) medicine. Discussions and conclusions : Although the dualistic medical and pharmaceutical system is set up by the Medical Law and Pharmaceutical Affairs Act, it is shown that the relevant regulations have been developed from a perspective of the western medicine.

• Journal of the East Asian Society of Dietary Life
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.516-523
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• 2005

This study was performed to investigate dietary behaviors and consumption of health food in cancer patients. The subjects were 163 cancer patients recruited from the general hospital in Seoul, Korea. The data were obtained by the structured self administered questionnaire. The mean age of subjects was 51 years. Most of subjects didn't eat the visual fat of meat and chicken skin. The mealtime of the subjects was generally regular and most of subjects had breakfast. The subjects of this survey liked to eat foods with sweet taste but disliked to eat hot, salty and sour taste ones. The preference for fish, marine products and vegetables was high but that for instant foods and frying foods was very low. Most of subjects consumed the foods that is generally known as anticancer foods such as vegetables and fruits. On the other hand, most of subjects didn't intake butter, margarine, and frying foods that is known as risk factors of cancer. The majority of subjects$(84.7\%)$ consumed the health food The main reasons for taking health foods by subjects were to cure disease$(58.0\%)$, to prevent disease$(45.3\%)$, to supply nutrients$(39.3\%)$, to maintain the mental state$(12.7\%)$ and to recover fatigue$(10.7\%)$. Majority of subjects$(66.0\%)$ spent money more than 200,000 won/month to buy health foods. The purchasing channels of health foods by subjects were recommendation by family or friend$(64.0\%)$, by physician/pharmacist$(18.0\%)$ and by nutritionist or dietician(6.0), and advertisement through TV or radio$(12.0\%)$. The types of taking health foods of the subjects were vegetable extracted food$(60.0\%)$, mushrooms$(51.3\%)$, Lactobacillus food$(25.3\%)$, enzyme food$(22.6\%)$ calcium containing food$(20.0\%)$ and so on. The results of the current study show that although many cancer patients already practice healthy dietary behaviors, there is a substantial proportion who do not and most of cancer patients consume health foods.' Further intervention is needed to explore the effect of health foods in cancer patients

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.52 no.5
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• pp.576-580
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• 2009

Purpose : Growth-promoting attempts are widespread in Korea, but little is known about their prevalence or associated factors. This study was designed to assess the prevalence of growth-promoting attempts among children visiting a university growth clinic. Methods : A questionnaire-based survey was carried out with 823 children (416 boys, 407 girls) who visited the growth clinic at Paik Hospital. Results : The mean age of the subjects was $10.4{\pm}2.6$ yr, and the height z-score was $-1.58{\pm}0.91$. Approximately 33.4% of the children had tried growth promotion. Among the height-gain methods, herbal medicine was the most frequently used (37.8%), followed by health-promoting supplements (37.1%), exercise or machine (3.0%), and growth hormone treatment (2.9 %). The mean age at which the parents began to worry about their children's height was 7.7 yr. The mean age at which they started height-gain methods was 8.9 yr for herbal medicine, 9.1 yr for health-promoting supplements, 9.4 yr for exercise or machine, and 9.9 yr for growth hormone treatment. Motivating factors included advice from relatives or friends (36.0%), advertisements in the Internet or newspaper (28.4%), advice from pharmacist (16.8%), and advice from their medical doctor (5.5%). The degree of satisfaction from the height-gain methods was 29.1% with growth hormone treatment, 6.6% with exercise or machine, 6.4% with herbal medicine, and 2.8% with growth-promoting supplements. Conclusion : Approximately one third of the children reported use of growth-promoting methods, but the satisfaction rate was not high. The benefits of growth-promoting methods should be carefully weighed against their costs and side effects.