• The Korean Journal of Pain
• /
• v.11 no.2
• /
• pp.299-301
• /
• 1998

Stellate ganglion block is frequently effective on the pain of head and upper extremities. However, if the degree and duration of pain relief does not increase with repeated blocks, we may consider the neurolytic procedure on the stellate ganglion. A patient sufferring from the pain in the region of ophthalmic branch of left trigeminal nerve and left eyeball region had been treated with stellate ganglion block. In spite of repeated blocks, the degree and duration of pain relief did not increase. We performed the radiofrequency thermocoagulation of stellate ganglion at the operation room under fluoroscopy. Patient got pain relief immediately after the procedure without any remarkable complication except a mild ptosis, which was shown before the procedure. We may give priority to radiofrequency thermocoagulation for stellate ganglion neurolysis due to its simplicity and safty.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
• /
• v.45 no.3
• /
• pp.127-136
• /
• 2012

The challenge facing the Korean National Health Insurance includes what to spend money on in order to elevate the 'value for money.' This article reviewed the changing issues associated with quality of care in the Korean health insurance system and envisioned a picture of an effective pay-for-performance (P4P) system in Korea taking into consideration quality of care and P4P systems in other countries. A review was made of existing systematic reviews and a recent Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development survey. An effective P4P in Korea was envisioned as containing three features: measures, basis for reward, and reward. The first priority is to develop proper measures for both efficiency and quality. For further improvement of quality indicators, an electronic system for patient history records should be built in the near future. A change in the level or the relative ranking seems more desirable than using absolute level alone for incentives. To stimulate medium- and small-scale hospitals to join the program in the next phase, it is suggested that the scope of application be expanded and the level of incentives adjusted. High-quality indicators of clinical care quality should be mapped out by combining information from medical claims and information from patient registries.

• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
• /
• v.17 no.4
• /
• pp.548-560
• /
• 2005

Purpose: High risk women with congenital heart disease decide to get pregnancy is determined by not individual autonomous intention but complex interaction with their physical status and socio-psychological environments. This study tried to the answer to the question. : "What is experience high risk women who have congenital heart disease during transition to parenthood?". Method: A micro-ethnographic research method and oral historic research approach were done at the Grown-Up Congenital Heart Disease Clinic in one Korean metropolitan city from July 2002 to September 2003. Result: It was discovered that high risk women's experience of transitional parenthood is accounted as the process of lonely and fearful self-accomplishment. Their need for self-accomplishment creates them seek more opportunities to increase enduring abilities for their parenthood. Conclusion: We suggest that from the time of beginning of patient's making decisions about becoming pregnant, collaborative efforts must be considered that priority level of patient's needs be reviewed and find appropriate advices for their situation. Special counseling program should be provided to all the prospective parents with understanding their meaning of parenthood.

• Korean Medical Education Review
• /
• v.22 no.1
• /
• pp.9-15
• /
• 2020

Currently, accreditation within medical education is a priority on the agenda for many countries worldwide. The World Federation for Medical Education's (WFME) launch of its first trilogy of standards in 2003 was a seminal event in promoting accreditation within basic medical education (BME) globally. Parallel to that, WFME also actively spearheaded a project to recognize the accrediting agencies within individual countries. The introduction of competency-based medical education (CBME) with the two key concepts of "entrusted professional activity" and milestones has enabled researchers to identify the relationship between patient outcomes and medical education. Recent data driven by CBME has been used for the continuous quality improvement of trainees and training programmes as well. The goal of accreditation has shifted from the single purpose of quality assurance to balancing quality assurance and quality improvement. Even though there are a plethora of types of postgraduate medical education (PGME), it may be possible to accredit resident programmes on a global scale by adopting the concept of CBME. In addition, the alignment of the accreditation for BME and PGME, which center on competency, will be achievable. This argument may extend the possibility of measuring the outcomes of the accreditation itself against patient outcomes as well. Therefore, evidence of the advantages of costly and labor-consuming accreditation processes will be available in the near future and quality improvement will be the driving force of the accreditation process.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
• /
• v.33 no.1
• /
• pp.71-78
• /
• 2003

Purpose: The study was done to identify the relationship of treatment side effects, family support, and quality of life in patients with cancer, and factors influencing quality of life. Method: A convenience sample of 106 patients who were receiving cancer treatment at W hospital were interviewed using the Side Effects scale by Hur, Family Support scale by Kang, and QOL scale by Ro. Result: Results indicate that women experienced more severe side effects than men. There was a negative relationship between side effects and quality of life, and a positive relationship between family support and quality of life. The most bothersome side effects were changes in taste and appetite, followed by general weakness and fatigue. Side effects such as loss of hair, nausea, dizziness, numbness, pins and needles in fingers and toes, and dry mouth were also experienced. General weakness and family support were analysed as to whether they were factors influencing quality of life. Conclusion: The results revealed that relieving general weakness should be given high priority in nursing interventions for patients undergoing cancer treatment. In addition, nursing programs should be developed that can reinforce family support.

• The Journal of the Korea institute of electronic communication sciences
• /
• v.9 no.5
• /
• pp.595-600
• /
• 2014

Nowadays our society is rapidly transforming into an aging society. A better understanding of dementia is a high priority in the aging society. Therefore our study is basically aimed at understanding characteristics of EEG signals from dementia patients. Firstly, we analyzed spontaneous EEG signals from normal persons and dementia patients to distinguish their characteristics. The EEG signals are recorded with 16 electrodes and we classified the EEG signals form the signals according to frequency band. To obtain the clean EEG signals, we used cross correlation function between two channels. From the analysis results, we can observe that the EEG characteristics from dementia patients are distinctly different from that from normal persons.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
• /
• v.38 no.2
• /
• pp.93-98
• /
• 2020

Purpose: Due to COVID 19 pandemic, the treatment of cancer patients has become a dilemma for every oncologist. Cancer patients are at an increased risk of immunosuppression and have a higher risk to acquire any infection. There are individual experiences from some centers regarding the management of cancer patients during such a crisis. So we have developed our institutional strategy to balance between COVID and cancer management. Materials and Methods: Radiation Oncology departmental meeting was held to prepare a consensus document on Radiotherapy schedules and department functioning during this pandemic. Results: Strategies were taken in form of following areas were steps need to be taken to decrease risk of infection, categorise treatment on the basis of priority, radiotherapy schedules modification, academic meetings and management of COVID positive patient/personnel in Radiation Oncology department. Conclusion: We hope to strike the balance in overcoming both the battles and emerge as winners. Stringent long term follow up will be done for assessing the response or any unforeseen treatment related sequelae.

• Journal of the Korean Orthopaedic Association
• /
• v.56 no.5
• /
• pp.433-439
• /
• 2021

The definitive and effective method for tetanus prevention has contributed to decreased incidence and mortality of tetanus infections in developed countries. On the other hand, there has been a recent increase in incidence due to the lack of awareness of the disease and lack of adherence to preventive measures. Tetanus infections can be fatal. Therefore, prevention must be the utmost priority, followed by aggressive surgical management along with supportive care. The authors present a case of a 59-year-old male patient diagnosed with a generalized tetanus infection from a foot injury. The patient recovered successfully after aggressive surgical debridement and amputation of the infected toe at the metatarsal level, followed by two months of supportive care.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.15 no.9
• /
• pp.3933-3938
• /
• 2014

Background: Assessment of supportive needs is the requirement to plan any supportive care program for cancer patients. There is no evidence about supportive care needs of Iranian breast cancer patients. So, the aims of present study were to investigate this question and s predictive factors. Materials and Methods: A descriptive-correlational study was conducted, followed by logistic regression analyses. The Supportive Care Needs Survey was completed by 136 breast cancer patients residing in Iran following their initial treatment. This assessed needs in five domains: psychological, health system and information, physical and daily living, patient care and support, and sexuality. Results: Patient perceived needs were highest in the health systems and information (71%), and physical and daily living (68%) domains. Logistic regression modeling revealed that younger participants have more un-met needs in all domains and those with more children reported fewer un-met needs in patient care and support domains. In addition, married women had more un-met supportive care needs related to sexuality. Conclusions: The high rate of un-met supportive care needs in all domains suggests that supportive care services are desperately required for breast cancer patients in Iran. Moreover, services that address informational needs and physical and daily living needs ought to be the priority, with particular attention paid to younger women. Further research is clearly needed to fully understand supportive care needs in this cultural context.

• Journal of the Korean Dietetic Association
• /
• v.22 no.1
• /
• pp.53-69
• /
• 2016

The purpose of this study was to analyze the importance-performance of clinical nutrition management in convalescent hospitals. The research was carried out based on questionnaires administered from March to April, 2015 to 73 dietitians at 40 convalescent hospitals in the Gyeongnam area. There was a statistically significant difference between the mean scores for importance (4.01/5.00) and performance (2.95/5.00) of clinical nutrition management. The importance and performance grid analysis showed that participation in a nutritional management committee, administration of patients using a cooperation program among hospital departments, cooperation with a medical team on patient's nutrition status, nutrition initial assessment, nutrition care process for patients showing malnutrition, nutrition care process for tube feeding patients, management of a therapeutic diet, meal management using dietary slip instructions including a therapeutic diet, and explication of a therapeutic diet for patients scored high regarding importance and performance (doing great area). Medical records on patient's nutrition management, and nutrition counseling for requested patient scored low regarding the importance and high regarding performance (overdone area). Participation in medical rounds, personal nutrition education for patients, group nutrition education for patients, nutrition education for medical teams, development of a menu for therapeutic diet and standardized recipes, and provision of information on diet therapy for patients after discharge scored low regarding importance and performance (low priority area). Accreditation of convalescent hospitals and interest of medical professionals in clinical nutrition management were effective variables for the importance-performance gap of clinical nutrition management. In conclusion, the accreditation process and positive awareness of medical professionals with regard to clinical nutrition management had positive effects on reduction of the importance-performance gap in clinical nutrition management at convalescent hospitals. The strength of clinical nutrition management in the accreditation and development of an education program for increasing medical team or administrator interest in clinical nutrition management could lead to improvement of clinical nutrition management for elderly patients in convalescent hospitals.