• Health Policy and Management
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.131-151
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• 1992

The contents of prescription service were comparatively analysed between health centers(HC) and private clinics(PC). Medical chart review was done for 330 otu-patients diagnosed with upper respiratory tract infection(UR) of 120 adults and 90 children, and gastritis or duodenitis of 120 adults. Emphasis on comparison was the prime cost of medication which used in prescription service. The results were as follows; 1. The prime costs fro the medication per visit of HC group were significantly higher than PC group in all three diseases, and the out of pocket payments of patients per visit were significantly lower in the HC group than PC group. 2. The reason for high prime costs of medication per visit of HC in adult case of URI were due to the idverse use of medication and long prescription period per visit. And high medication costs in children cases of URI in HC group were due to the longer prescription day. In cases of gastritis, the prime cost of medication was also higher because of longer prescription period and the higher prime cost of medication. The proportions of medications for injection in the HC and PC groups showed similar features. 3. In depth analysis of the prescription services showed the differences of the contents of medication. In adults cases of URI, the averaged cost of oral medication was significantly lower in HC group, but that of medication for injection was higher in HC group. In children cases of URI, the averaged cost of oral medication and medication for injection was lower in HC group than in PC group. But in the cases of gastritis it was was higher in HC group than in PC group. The prescription periods were longer in HC group than in PC group in all three diseases. As a conclusion prime medication cost and quality of prescription services of HC group were higher than PC group. In terms of health care the cost containment and quality assurance in physician visit for common disease, public sector utilization is good option for those perspectives. But it should not be generalized unless future study about structure and outcome research for quality assurance.

• The Journal of Churna Manual Medicine for Spine and Nerves
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.1-8
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• 2020

Objectives This study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of manual therapy on constipation in patients with Parkinson's disease. Methods We searched electronic databases (PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, CAJ, KISS, KISTI, KMBASE, NDSL, OASIS, and RISS) for randomized controlled trials for manual therapy on constipation in patients with Parkinson's disease. Results Three randomized controlled trials were selected from the online database. One study demonstrated that manual therapy had positive results compared to routine nursing care with western medication. However, two studies demonstrated that manual therapy had no positive results compared to routine nursing care with western medication or western medication when used alone. Conclusions Our systematic review did not verify the clinical effect of manual therapy on constipation in patients with Parkinson's disease. Thus, more high-quality studies are needed to verify the effectiveness of manual therapy for constipation in patients with Parkinson's disease.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.402-410
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• 2018

Background: Monitoring appropriate medication categories can provide early warning of certain disease outbreaks. This study aimed to present a methodology for selecting and monitoring medications relevant to the surveillance of acute respiratory tract infections, such as influenza. Methods: To estimate correlations between acute febrile respiratory tract infection and some medication categories, the cross-correlation coefficient (CCC) was used and established. Two databases were used: real-time prescription trend of antivirals, anti-inflammatory drugs, antibiotics using Drug Utilization Review Program between 2012 and 2015 and physicians' number of encounters with acute febrile respiratory tract infections such as influenza outbreaks using the national level health insurance claims data. The seasonality was also evaluated using the CCC. Results: After selecting six candidate diseases that require extensive monitoring, influenza with highly specific medical treatment according to the health insurance claims data and its medications were chosen as final candidates based on a data-driven approach. Antiviral medications and influenza were significantly correlated. Conclusion: An annual correlation was observed between influenza and antiviral medications, anti-inflammatory drugs. Suitable models should be established for syndromic surveillance of influenza.

• Journal of Veterinary Science
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.86.1-86.14
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• 2023

Background: Long-term comparisons of phacoemulsification with topical medication are limited in canine diabetic cataracts. Objectives: To compare outcomes of eyes submitted to phacoemulsification with those of topical medication for canine diabetic cataracts and identify risk factors for complications. Methods: Through medical records review, 150 eyes (76 dogs) with diabetic cataracts were included; 58 eyes (31 dogs) underwent phacoemulsification (phaco-group) and 92 eyes (48 dogs) received ophthalmic solution alone (medication-group). The medication-group was divided into owner-led and vet-led groups depending on who elected not to perform surgery. Comparisons involved time-to-complications, vision, and the number and type of ophthalmic solutions administered. The association between complications and pretreatment clinical findings was investigated. Results: No difference was found in complication risk between the phaco and owner-led medication groups. Conversely, the vet-led medication-group had a higher complication risk than the other groups. At the last follow-up, 94.8% of the phaco-group had vision, whereas 7.6% of the medication-group restored some visual axis. Poor glycemic control in the medication-group and younger age in the phaco-group increased complication risk. At 1-year post-treatment, the average number of ophthalmic solutions administered was 1.7 and 2.6 in the phaco and medication groups, respectively. The medication-group used anti-inflammatories the most throughout the follow-up, whereas the phaco-group used anti-inflammatories the most until 1-year post-treatment and lacrimostimulants at 1.5-year post-treatment. Conclusions: For canine diabetic cataracts, phacoemulsification is recommended because it is superior to topical management alone in terms of maintaining vision and reducing the number of ophthalmic solutions required in the long term.

• The Journal of Churna Manual Medicine for Spine and Nerves
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.1-14
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• 2015

Objectives : To evaluate the evidence supporting the effectiveness of Chuna manual therapy for functional dyspepsia. Methods : We conducted search across the 3 electronic databases (Pubmed, CAJ and Oasis) to find all of randomized controlled clinical trials(RCTs) that used Chuna manual therapy as a treatment for functional dyspepsia. The methodological quality of each RCT was assessed using the Cochrane risk of bias tool. Results : Thirteen RCTs met our inclusion criteria. The meta-analysis showed positive results for the use of Chuna manual therapy combined with medication treatments in terms of the efficacy rate when compared to medication treatments alone. Positive results were also obtained, in terms of the efficacy rate, when comparing Chuna manual therapy combined with medication plus specific electromagnetic therapy to medication treatments alone. Conclusions : Our systematic review found encouraging but limited evidence of Chuna manual therapy for functional dyspepsia. However, to obtain stronger evidence without the drawbacks of trial design and the quality of studies, we recommend sham-controlled RCTs or comparative effectiveness research to test the effectiveness of Chuna manual therapy.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.57 no.3
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• pp.212-222
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• 2024

Objectives: Epilepsy is a chronic disease that requires long-term treatment and intervention from health workers. Medication adherence is a factor that influences the success of therapy for patients with epilepsy. Therefore, this study aimed to analyze the role of pharmacists in improving the clinical outcomes of epilepsy patients, focusing on medication adherence. Methods: A scoping literature search was conducted through the ScienceDirect, PubMed, and Google Scholar databases. The literature search included all original articles published in English until August 2023 for which the full text was available. This scoping review was carried out by a team consisting of pharmacists and neurologists following the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) Extension for Scoping Reviews and the Joanna Briggs Institute guidelines, including 5 steps: identifying research questions, finding relevant articles, selecting articles, presenting data, and compiling the results. Results: The literature search yielded 10 studies that discussed pharmacist interventions for patients with epilepsy. Five articles described educational interventions involving drug-related counseling with pharmacists. Two articles focused on similar pharmacist interventions through patient education, both verbal and written. Three articles discussed an epilepsy review service, a multidisciplinary intervention program involving pharmacists and other health workers, and a mixed intervention combining education and training with therapy-based behavioral interventions. Conclusions: Pharmacist interventions have been shown to be effective in improving medication adherence in patients with epilepsy. Furthermore, these interventions play a crucial role in improving other therapeutic outcomes, including patients' knowledge of self-management, perceptions of illness, the efficacy of antiepileptic drugs in controlling seizures, and overall quality of life.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.143-148
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• 2020

Objective: This study aimed to investigate pharmaceutical care for critically ill neonates and suggest targeted strategies compatible with the Korean health-system pharmacy. Methods: Articles that reported pharmacy practices for critically ill neonates were reviewed. Pharmaceutical care practices and roles of neonatal pharmacists were identified, and criteria were developed for neonates in need of specialized care by clinical pharmacists. Results: Neonatal pharmacists play many roles in the overall medication management pathway. For clinical decision support, multidisciplinary ward rounds, clinical pharmacokinetic services, and consultation for pharmacotherapy and nutrition support were conducted. Prevention and resolution of drug-related problems through review of medication charts contributed to medication safety. Pharmaceutical optimization of intravenous medication played an important role in safe and effective therapy. Information on the use of off-label medicine, recommended dosage and dosing schedules, and stability of intravenous medicine was provided to other health professionals. Most clinical practices for neonates in Korea included therapeutic drug monitoring and nutrition support services. Reduction in medication errors and adverse drug reactions, shortening the duration of weaning medicines, decreasing the use and cost of antimicrobials, and improvement in nutrition status were reported as the outcomes of pharmacist-led interventions. The essential criteria of pharmaceutical care, including for patients with potential high-risk factors for drug-related problems, was developed. Conclusion: Pharmaceutical care for critically ill neonates varies widely. Development and provision of standardized pharmaceutical care for Korean neonates and a stepwise strategy for the expansion of clinical pharmacy services are required.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.230-237
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• 2016

Background: Since the use of opioid analgesics is frequent in operation rooms (OR), the risk of medication error is high; however the use of medication in the OR has been operating independently with the hospital pharmacy. Therefore, the assessment on management of medication use in operation and the pharmacist's role is needed. Methods: We conducted the literature review and survey from anesthesiologists, operating nurses at Chung-Ang Hospital on management of medication for operation use, awareness on need for medication management efficiency, need for satellite pharmacy in the operating room and its effect. Results: 56% of medical staffs responded that management of medication in the operating room is efficient; however, 82.6% responded that they felt the inconvenience in medication delivery to the OR when additional prescription was ordered. 51.5% also responded that extra time was required for management of narcotics and inventory/record keeping. 80% agreed that there could be lost costs due to prescription missed. Medical staffs responded improving the drug management system could increase the OR efficiency (87%), and eventually bring the increase in hospital revenue (80.4%). Those who responded that implementation of OR satellite pharmacy was needed include physicians (84.6%), nurses (63.6%), and also responded that it'd bring more profit to the hospital by increasing the efficiency in OR (60.9%). Conclusion: For efficient management of medications, implementation of OR satellite pharmacy would lead to improved drug management and increased efficiency in OR and reduced cost and improved patient care.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.85 no.1
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• pp.11-17
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• 2022

Background: In asthma, consistent control of chronic airway inflammation is crucial, and the use of asthma-controller medication has been emphasized. Our purpose in this study is to compare the incidence of acute exacerbation and healthcare costs related to the use of asthma-controller medication. Methods: By using data collected by the National Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, we compared one-year clinical outcomes and medical costs from July 2014 to June 2015 (follow-up period) between two groups of patients with asthma who received different prescriptions for recommended asthma-controller medication (inhaled corticosteroids or leukotriene receptor antagonists) at least once from July 2013 to June 2014 (assessment period). Results: There were 51,757 patients who satisfied our inclusion criteria. Among them, 13,702 patients (26.5%) were prescribed a recommended asthma-controller medication during the assessment period. In patients using a recommended asthma-controller medication, the frequency of acute exacerbations decreased in the follow-up period, from 2.7% to 1.1%. The total medical costs of the controller group decreased during the follow-up period compared to the assessment period, from $3,772,692 to $1,985,475. Only 50.9% of patients in the controller group used healthcare services in the follow-up period, and the use of asthma-controller medication decreased in the follow-up period. Conclusion: Overall, patients using a recommended asthma-controller medication showed decreased acute exacerbation and reduced total healthcare cost by half.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.28-32
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• 2012

Background: Primary hyperhidrosis is a disorder of excessive sweating, which shares several features with anxiety disorders and has a negative impact on a patient's quality of life. Oral glycopyrrolate is one of the treatments available. There are a few published studies on the use of glycopyrrolate given orally in the treatment of hyperhidrosis. Methods: Thies is study was a review of case notes in a series of 36 patients with primary hyperhidrosis. We made a comparison between the Keller's scale score of a pre-glycopyrrolate medication group and the Keller's scale score f a post-glycopyrrolate medication group. The Milanez de Campos score, Short Form_36 (SF-36) score, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) score, Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) score, and autonomic nervous system (ANS) scale score were also compared between the two groups. Results: In the post-glycopyrrolate medication group, there were declines in Keller's scale, and Milanez de Campos scale score and BAI score (P < 0.001). In addition, there were increases in SF_36 score in the post-glycopyrrolate medication group (P = 0.03) However, no changes were seen in, BDI score and ANS score in the post-glycopyrrolate medication group (P < 0.001). Conclusions: Glycopyrrolate is an effective initial method of treating primary hyperhidrosis that, reduces anxiety and improve patients' quality of life.