• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.384-388
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• 2014

Background: Recently, single-port video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) has been proposed as an alternative to the conventional three-port VATS for primary spontaneous pneumothorax (PSP). The aim of this study is to evaluate the early outcomes of the single-port VATS for PSP. Methods: VATS was performed for PSP in 52 patients from March 2012 to March 2013. We reviewed the medical records of these 52 patients, retrospectively. Nineteen patients underwent the conventional three-port VATS (three-port group) and 33 patients underwent the single-port VATS (single-port group). Both groups were compared according to the operation time, number of wedge resections, amount of chest tube drainage during the first 24 hours after surgery, length of chest tube drainage, length of hospital stay, postoperative pain score, and postoperative paresthesia. Results: There was no difference in patient characteristics between the two groups. There was no difference in the number of wedge resections, operation time, or amount of drainage between the two groups. The mean lengths of chest tube drainage and hospital stay were shorter in the single-port group than in the three-port group. Further, there was less postoperative pain and paresthesia in the single-port group than in the three-port group. These differences were statistically significant. The mean size of the surgical wound was 2.10 cm (range, 1.6 to 3.0 cm) in the single-port group. Conclusion: Single-port VATS for PSP had many advantages in terms of the lengths of chest tube drainage and hospital stay, postoperative pain, and paresthesia. Single-port VATS is a feasible technique for PSP as an alternative to the conventional three-port VATS in well-selected patients.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.51 no.6
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• pp.338-342
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• 2012

Objective : The aim of this study is to implement a critical pathway (CP) for patients undergoing lumbar laminectomy or microdiscectomy and describe the results before and after the CP in terms of length of hospital stay and cost. Methods : From March 2008 to February 2009, 61 patients underwent lumbar laminectomy or microdiscectomy due to stenosis or one- or two-level disc herniation in our department and were included in the prepathway group. After development and implementation of the CP in March 2009, 58 patients were applicable for the CP, and these were classified as the postpathway group. Results : The CP, which established a 6-day hospital stay (5 bed-days), was fulfilled by 42 patients (72.4%) in the postpathway group. The mean length of stay was 5.4 days in the postpathway group compared to 6.9 days in the prepathway group, demonstrating a 20% reduction, which was a statistically significant difference ($p{\leq}0.000$). There was a statistically significant reduction in charges for bed and nursing care (p=0.002). Conclusion : Implementation of a CP for lumbar laminectomy or microdiscectomy produced significant decreases in length of hospitalization and charges for bed and nursing care. We believe that this CP reduces the unnecessary use of hospital resources without increasing risk of adverse events.

• Quality Improvement in Health Care
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.42-56
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• 2003

Background : The purpose of this study is to investigate the influencing factors on the length of emergency department stay of patients with acute myocardial infraction. Methods : we reviewed medical records of all patients who were Hospitalized with acute myocardial infraction from March 1, 2002 to February 28, 2003. Results : The average length of stay in the emergency room of the subjects was 182.74 minutes. After the emergency room treatment, 48.1% of the subjects were transferred to intensive care unit. The hospitalization through emergency room mostly took place in the office hours. There were more patients on Monday. The influencing factors on the length of stay in the emergency room of patients with acute myocardial infraction were emergency room arrival time which was classified in seasons, treatment hours of specialized doctors, medical care insurance and required time of radiologic examination. Conclusion : In order to reduce the length of emergency room stay, it might be an available solution secure enough spaces, facility, and staff of the radiologic test only for the patients of the emergency room. And the effective use of emergency facility and space, establishment of standardized treatment guideline, and provision of emergency treatment support system are also needed.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.133-144
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• 2016

Objectives This study was designed to find out influential factors associated with Hospitalization of the patients from traffic accident by Groups. Methods Based on the medical charts, we analyzed statistical study of 486 patients putting them into two groups to identify the factors associated with the duration of hospitalization involving age, sex, elapse day (Interval between time of injury and visit to hospital), and the types of accident. Patients in group A were diagnosed with a mere 'sprain', and patients in Group B had other symptoms accompanied by 'sprain'. Results 1. In group A, cervical sprain was the most and male patients with the symptom outnumbered female patients. In group B, headache was most where female patients had the symptom 1.7 times more than male patients. 2. Female patients in group B were found to stay for a longer period of time in the hospital than the male counterparts (p<0.05). 3. Both group A and B have positive correlation between length of hospital stay and age though group B exhibited stronger correlation. 4. Patients who had accident while riding bus in group A and those who were pedestrians in group B were found to stay in the hospital for a significantly longer period of time than those who had any other types of accident (p<0.05). Conclusions We noticed that hospital stay lengthened when the patients were older and when they had accidents while riding bus in Group A whereas in Group B, patients stayed longer when they were females and older as well as when they were pedestrians in accidents.

• Journal of Korean Society for Quality Management
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.391-399
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• 2011

Our study was carried out to analyze the variation factors of severity-adjusted length of stay(LOS) in coronary artery bypass graft(CABG). The subjects were 932 CABG inpatients of the Korean National Hospital Discharge In-depth Injury Survey from 2004 through 2008. The data were analyzed using $x^2$ test and the severity-adjusted model was developed using data mining technique. The results of the study were as follows: male(71.1%), older than 61 years of age(61.6%), more than 500 beds(92.8%) and admitting via ambulatory care(70.0%) appeared to have higher rate than otherwise. In-hospital mortality of CABG inpatients was 2.8%. In addition, 46.4% of the patients received their care in other residence. The angina pectoris(45.6%) was found to be the highest in principle diagnosis, followed by chronic ischemic heart disease(36.9%) and acute myocardial infarction(12.0%). We developed severity-adjusted LOS model using the variables such as gender, age and comorbidity. Comparison of adjusted values in predicted LOS revealed that there were significant variations in LOS by location of hospital, bed size, and whether patients received the care in their residences. The variations of LOS can be explained as the indirect indicator for quality variation of medical process. It is suggested that the severity-adjusted LOS model developed in this study should be utilized as a useful method for benchmarking in hospital and it is necessary that national standard clinical practice guideline should be developed.

• Quality Improvement in Health Care
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.112-129
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• 1996

Background : A small number of high cost patients usually spend a larger proportion of scarce health resources. Aged, long-term care and readmitted patients usually belong to these high cost patient group. Among others, long length of stay and readmission can be reduced by checking its cause, and these are the areas needed most of quality improvement activity. Characteristics of high cost medical users between health insurance program and medical assistance program were reviewed. Methods : The inpatient claims of health insurance and medical assistance program were analyzed. Patients were divided by 6 groups; long-term, mid-term, short-term, readmitted, cancer and aged. We defined high cost patients as those who had spent one and half million won and over per 6 months. Characteristics of high cost patients for each group were reviewed. Results : medical assistance patients used much more resources than the insured members in the average hospital cost per case but less in daily hospital cost. The former had a longer length of stay and had much heavier diseases. Major diseases of both group were cancer, diseases of circulatory system and chronic degenerative diseases. Gallstone and schizophrenia were more in the insured program. However, pulmonary tuberculosis, asthma were more common among the medical assistance patients. Early readmission before 2 weeks were 28-30% of the total readmission. Readmission rate in the malignat neoplasm and renal failure were 80% and more. Q.A program should be installed to prevent unnecessary readmissions. Conclusion : Almost 30% of early readmissions and admissions due to complications and long length of stay should be reviewed carefully to keep cost down and to enhance the quality of hospital care.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.29 no.1 s.52
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• pp.51-65
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• 1996

The purpose of this study was to examine the trends of length of hospital stay (LOS), which is most likely to be a major attribute to hospital performance. From 1984 to 1994, an average LOS of each hospital was analyzed by factors such as medical departments, bed size, occupancy rate, region and ownership. This study was analyzed changing rate of LOS during 11 years. This rate was calculated by simple regression, which was used only with hospital without missing data during 11 years. This study findings are as follows. 1. The results indicated that the average LOS was steadily increased until 1990 but it was slightly decreased after 1990. 2. This trend could be found in all hospital scale and all group of occupancy rate. Specifically this trends of LOS were found in internal medicine, corporate owned hospitals, and hospitals in major city. But LOS of individual owned hospital was continuously increased until 1994. 3. Means of changing rates of LOS were calculated from 1984 to 1994. If we devided it into two parts, before 1990 and after 1990, most changing rates of LOS before 1990 except individual owned hospital were found positive sign. The changing rates after 1990 were negative sign but small hospital(lesser then 200 bed), individual owned hospital, national & public hospital and hospital in small urban have little change of LOS after 1990. Finally from this results we thought that most hospitals in Korea began to be concerned with LOS. Nevertheless LOS of several hospital such as small hospital or individual owned hospital was increased. And this trend may be caused by a few patients, low occupancy rate, or low profit. This trend of LOS is different from that of other countries. Perhaps this phenomenon is resulted from the reimbursement method. Because of fee for service reimbursement system in Korea the hospitals didn't need to shorten LOS in order to save the cost and increase the profit. Therefore reform of hospital cost reimbursement method will be needed to reduce hospital cost in Korea. We thought that the Korean health authority should consider the reimbursement method by unit of bundle of services, for example DRG and prepayment in the United States. This study presents some limitations such as no insight of severity of disease, case-mix measurement of hospital, and other clinical characteristics that can. possibly affect LOS. However, this study reports an important trend in LOS from 1984 to 1994.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.17 no.12
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• pp.345-352
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• 2019

This study aims to analyze the factors affecting the length of stay in elderly pediatric inpatients in traffic accidents. We used Korean National Hospital Discharge In-depth Injury data on the discharged from 2012 to 2016. Statistically significant factors affecting the length of stay are admission route, Charlson Comorbidity Index(CCI), injury parts, operation, results, hospital area, and beds for hospitals. The length of stay was shorter in the case of the admission route of the outpatient department than the emergency room, the results were not improved or death rather than improved, and the bed size was 500-999 beds or over 1000 beds rather than 100-299 beds. However, the length of stay was longer in the case of CCI score was 1-2 or over 3 rather than 0, injury parts were other parts rather than head/neck, when the operation was yes, and when the hospital area was a province, metropolitan rather than Seoul. This study intends to understand the medical characteristics of inpatient to prevent pedestrian traffic accidents in accordance with the population aging. Based on this finding, we wish to be used as the basic data for the establishment of policies to effectively manage traffic safety and medical resources in consideration of the characteristics of the elderly people.

• 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 Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.54 no.3
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• pp.220-224
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• 2013

Objective : This study aimed to determine the optimal time for tracheostomy by evaluating the benefits and safety of early versus late tracheostomy in spinal cord injury (SCI) patients. Methods : We retrospectively reviewed a total of 254 patients with spinal cord injury. Of them, we selected 21 spinal cord injury patients who required tracheostomy due to long-term mechanical ventilation and analyzed their medical records. The patients were categorized into two groups. Early tracheostomy was performed day 1-10 from intubation in 10 patients and the late tracheostomy was performed after day 10 in 11 cases. We also evaluated the duration of mechanical ventilation, stay in the ICU and complications related to tracheostomy, the injury level of and clinical severity. All data was analyzed using SPSS 18.0/WIN. Results : The early tracheostomy offered clear advantages for shortening the total ICU stay (20.8 day vs. 38.0 day, p=0.010). There was also statistically significant reduction in the total length of time on mechanical ventilation (5.2 day vs. 29.2 day, p=0.009). However, the reductions in the incidence of pneumonia (40% vs. 82%) and the length of ICU stay post to tracheostomy (6 day vs. 15 day) were found to be statistically not significant. There were also no statistically significant differences in the injury level and clinical severity between the groups. Conclusion : We concluded that the early tracheostomy (at least 10 days) is beneficial for SCI patients who are likely to require prolonged mechanical ventilation.