• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.24-36
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• 2002

The purpose of this paper is to find the factors affecting the number of patients per physician for a day at hospital and compare them with the results of previous studies. We used data of Korean national patients survey that had been carried out by central government and local health centers from October 27th to November 11th in 1999. Descriptive analyses were performed to overview the general characteristics of our study subject. Also, we tried to find the factors affecting the number of patients per physician for a day at hospital through t test and correlation analysis. Factors affecting the number of outpatients per physician for a day at hospital are location, training type, ownership, No. of physicians, No. of beds per physician, No. of physicists per physician, No. of nursing aids per physician and No. of medical technicians per physician. While factors affecting the number of inpatients per physician for a day at hospital are location, ownership, No. of physicians, No. of beds per physician, No. of pharmacists per physician, No. of nurses per physician, No. of nursing aids per physician and No. of administrative auxiliary personnels per physician. The most correlated variable with outpatients per physician for a day at hospital is No. of medical technicians per physician while the most correlated variable with inpatients per physician for a day at hospital is No. of beds per physician. A more detailed investigation is needed for verifying factors affecting the number of patients per physician for a day at hospital and other medical institutions.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.83-103
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• 2009

The main objective of this study is to investigate the influence of physician's communication styles and quality, and physician-patient relationship on patient satisfaction for improving physician's communication which is one of factors determining service quality in health care services, and providing the suggestion for building the positive physician-patient relationship. Data were collected from 341 inpatients in 13 general hospitals and university hospitals located in Busan Metropolitan City and Kyeongsang-do area using structured self-administered questionnaires. Major results of the empirical analysis are as follows; First, mutual-opened-cooperative physician-patient relationship, patient's communication receptive attitude, patient-oriented physician's communication style, and quality were significantly varied by respondents' characteristics such as age, consensual, job, and income. Second, empathy, patient's communication receptive attitude, physician-patient relationship, and patient satisfaction were significantly varied by respondents' medical-related conditions. Third, there was a significant correlation between active communication receptive attitude of patient and mutual-opened-cooperative physician-patient relationship. Fourth, patient-oriented physician's communication style and physician-patient relationship were found to have positive influence on total communication quality and effectiveness and empathy facet of communication quality both. Finally, patient-oriented physician's communication style, empathy, active communication receptive attitude of patient, and mutual-opened-cooperative physician-patient relationship were found to have positive influence on patient satisfaction. This research findings suggest that putting emphasis on effective physician's communication and enhancing positive physician-patient relationship are crucial for marketing activities and customer satisfaction management in health care settings.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.81-99
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• 1993

The purpose of this research is to assess the geographical distribution of physicians and dentists and the degree of maldistribution of the physician. Data were obtained form the Korean Medical Association's report on physicians registry and census for 1990. To assess the degree of disparity in the rural-urban distribution of physician manpower and to identify changes in the distribution pattern, the Gini index of concentration was used. Major findings are as follows; 1. Urban-rural disparity in the distribution of physician manpower exists in all categories of manpower, i.e. physician, dentist, oriental medical doctor, general practitioner, medical specialist, practitioner, public health physician and public health dentist. Urban area which had 74.4% of nation's population, accounted for over 90% of all physician manpower. 2. In terms of the ration of physician manpower per 10, 000 population, in urban area, they were 8.2 physicians, 2.7 general practitioners, 5.5 specialists, 3.0 practitioners, 1.8 dentists and 1.3 oriental medical doctors. In rural area, the ratios were 1.4 physicians, 0.6 general practitioners, 0.9 specialists, 1.0 practitioners, 0.4 dentists and 0.4 oriental medical doctors. 3. Gini indicies computed to measure inequality of physician manpower distribution were 0. 3675 for physicians, 0.3372 for general practitioners, 0.3338 for specialists, 0.2263 for practitioners, 0.3132 for dentists and 0.3293 for oriental medical doctors. 4. Inspite of increase in the number of physician manpower, urban concentration of physician manpower intensified from 1980 to 1990. However, the Gini index for all physician manpower fell by 18.3~36.7% from 1980 to 1990, indicating more even distribution. 5. In rural area, the public health physicians and dentists had increased the ratios of physicians, general practitioners, practitioners and dentists per 10, 000 population remarkebly, and had decreased the Gini indicies of physicians, general practitioners, practitioners and dentists. Thus, public health physicians and dentists contributed to improve the distribution of physician manpower in rural area. Based on the results of this study, long-term and rational manpower policies should be developed to solve the problem of geographical maldistribution of physician manpower as well as short-term policy for inducing physicians to the rural areas.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.1-20
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• 1999

This study reviews the literature of influencing factor on hospital-employed physician's income, and it describes general distribution of hospital-employed physician's income, and analyzes influencing factor of hospital-employed physician's income. A total of 1.795 persons responded to the mail survey. through stratified sampling by 23 branches of medical society in Korean RBRVS study. The design of the study is cross sectional study. and the unit of analysis is a physician. To examine the change of average income per month. multiple regression was used to test the change according to physician's characteristics. demographic characteristics. scale of hospital. average intensity of ordinary work. and specialty. The major findings of this study are as follows; 1. As for physicians working in first referral hospital. the average income of neurosurgeon per month was the largest. being 1.34 times larger than that of the family physician, and that of the emergency physician was the smallest, being 0.78 times smaller than that of the family physician, but that of the ophthalmic and Orthopaedic physician was significantly larger than that of the family physician under the control of control variables. And average income per month was significantly larger for physicians who worked in Seoul metropolitan area than physicians who worked in rural area. 2. The year of physician's career, number of average out-patients per month significantly positively associated, but the number of hospital beds and average intensity of therapy significantly negatively associated with average income per month. 3. As for physicians working in second referral hospital. the average income of the psychiatric physician per month was the largest, being 1.33 times larger than that of the family physician, and that of the emergency physician was smallest, being 0.74 times smaller than that of the family physician., but no significant difference was seen under the control of control variables, and average income per month was significantly larger for physicians who worked in Seoul metropolitan area than physicians who worked in large municipal area. 4. The year of physician's career and number of hospital beds significantly positively associated, but average working hours per month significantly negatively associated with average income per month. In conclusion, the year of hospital-employed physician's career is the largest influencing factor on hospital-employed physicians. But the difference of average income per month according to working regions and to number of hospital beds existed in employed physicians under the control of control variables. So this study has implementation that we must consider the influence of working regions and the number of hospital beds on the income of hospital-employed physicians in making policy for hospital. Being a cross-sectional study, this study can not suggest causal explanations. In the future, experiment or cohort study is needed for causal explanations.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.26 no.1 s.41
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• pp.1-19
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• 1993

Mail questionnaire was administrated to 370 practising physicians and 388 pharmacists in Taegu city selected by systematic sampling to examine utilization states and opinion of pharmacy under medical care insurance programme and the attitude to the functional division between physicians and pharmacists from April to May 1992. Regarding the opinion on the outcome of drug-store under medical insurance, 71.2 percent of practicing physician answered faliure but 13.4 percent of practicing pharmacists answered failure in contrast. Fifty percent of practicing physician asserted introducing functional division between physician and pharmacist while 66.9 percent of practicing pharmacist answered drug-store under medical insurance itself is sucessful programme. Average daily numbers of preparation of medicine was 32.2 case. Percentage of utilization of drug-store under medical issurance to average daily cases of preparing of medicine was 20 percent, percentage of utilization with physician's prescription was 0.7 percent. And 58.7 percent of practicing physician experienced outside the institute prescription. Regarding the opinion on the pros and cons of enforcing functional division between physician and pharmacist, 59.2 percent of practicing physician prefered pros and 17.7 percent cons, but 38 percent of practicing pharmacist prefered pros and 45.5 percent cons. And pharmacist knew better the content of functional division between physician and pharmacist than physician. As a reason for pros of enforcing functional division between physician and pharmacist, practicing physician emphasized to prevent misuse or abuse of medicine but practicing pharmacist emphasized to display physician and pharmacist's professional ability. And as an opinion on implementation style of functional division between physician and pharmacist in pros respondents, practicing physician favored mandatory enforcement (52.3%), while practicing pharmacist favored partial incomplete functional division (81.7%). As the method of prescription if functional division between physician and pharmacist will be enforced, both practicing physician and pharmacist prefered generic name (44.0%, 89%) mostly, but physician prefered brand name (35.3%) secondly. Regarding the reason for not implementing functional division between physician and pharmacist up to date, both physician and pharmacist answered problem of business right between physician and pharmacist, followed by lack of recognition, and interest of people and lack of the govermental willness. Regarding the opinion on prior decision of condition for enforcing functional division between physician and pharmacist, practicing physician and pharmacist named uneven distribution of medical facilities and drug-store between rural and urban, inequality of physician and pharmacist manpower and the problem of manpower demand and supply mostly, and practicing physician pointed out establishing attitude of acceptance on the part of pharmacist and practicing pharmacist favored establishing attitude of acceptance on the part of physician, which was different attitudes between physician and pharmacist. Following conclusion was reached ; 1. Current drug-store under medical insurance program yield insufficient outcome, so we should consider program conversion from drug-store under medical insurance program to functional division between physician and pharmacist. 2. There were problem of business right and conflicts between physician and pharmacist at enforcing functional division between physician and pharmacist, so the goverment should search for formulating plan to resolve the problem and have neutral willness for the protection of the national health.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.24 no.3 s.35
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• pp.400-413
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• 1991

The purpose of this paper is to identify factors affecting the optimum mix of required inputs and other relevant factors which account for the variation in physician's productivity in general hospitals, and to find out their implications for the efficient health planning and management. An extended version of Cobb-Douglas production function and cross sectional data of one day patient census from all general hospitals in Korea in 1988 were used in the analysis. Main results of the analysis and their implications could be summarized as follows : (1) The production function for physician's inpatient service shows the evidence of economies of scale, but the production function for physician's outpatient and adjusted-patient service, which combines both out- and in-patient service, shows that of dis-economies of scale. (2) The physician's role for production for all service is smaller than auxiliary personnel's, which imply that more intensive utilization of nurses, nursing aides and other auxiliary personnel is desirable for improving general hospital productivity (3) In case of physician's inpatient and adjusted-patient service, nurses' role is greater than nursing aides'. Therefore, more extensive utilization of nurses is recommended for the efficient operation of general hospitals. (4) The factor of hospital beds plays the leading role among required inputs in the production for physician's in- and adjusted-patient service. (5) The physician's productivity of general hospitals in rural area is lower than that in urban area. And the productivity of teaching hospitals is lower than that of the other hospitals. Further analysis was made in physician production function based upon the size of hospitals, namely those hospitals below 250 beds and those above. Explained variances by the factor of hospital beds was significantly increased in the case of those hospitals above 250. A more detailed and thorough investigation is needed for verifying factors influencing physician's productivity in general hospitals in Korea.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.125-154
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• 1997

The hospital, clinical department and the physician factor in explaining variations of hospital resource use in surgically admitted patients was compared. This analysis was based on 6, 361 discharges in 28 hospitals for three surgical conditions - lens procedures anal and stomal procedures, uterine and ovarian procedures using medical insurnce claim data. The results were as follows: 1. Regression analysis indicated that the hospital and clinical department characteristics, such as hospital ownership and size, were more significant predictors of the resource use indicators than the physician and patients' social characteristics. 2. Regarding to the physician factors, the hospital where the physician received the residency training and the medical shool where he/she graduated had less effect compared to the hospitals where he/she currently works. Between the residency trained hospital and medical school, the is more important than the latter. 3. When the hospital charges were divided into type of service provided i. e. room, drug, laboratory & radiologic, procedure & operation, and anesthesic charges, variance due to the hospital factor was larger than that due to the physician factor in each item. In summary, the hospital and clinical departmental factor played an important role than physician factor ; indicating to reduce the variation in hospital resource use, the policy that affects hospital behavior would be more effective than that targets individual physician behavior.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.103-117
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• 1995

Recently the suits for medical malpractice are gradually increasing in this country. The main purpose of this study is to excavate the most suitable theories about civil liabilities on medical malpractice by radiological technologist. To solve the above-mentioned problems in medical malpractice, I have proceeded to make a survey of traditional theories and tried to exvacate the most suitable theories for our medical circumstances among those theories. Both domestic and foreign relevant professional literatures and legal cases were investigated in this study. Several important findings of this study are as follows. First, the nature of legal interrelationship between radiological technologist and physician(or the representative of a hospital) is to define the content of employment. But in the eye of medical law, the interrelationship between radiological technologist and physician is written that radiological technologist should be directed by physician. Second, the nature of legal interrlationship between patient and physician(or the representative of a hospital) is to define the content of legal obligation of physician(or the representative of a hospital), and radiological technoligst execute his obligation as proxy for physician. Therefore, patient can not clame any legal right to radiological technologist. Third, radiological technologist has the obligation of Due Care in medical practice. Fourth, on the medical malpractice by radiological technologist the civil liability can be treated as either tortious liability or contractual liability, and physician(or the representative of hospital) take the responsibility for the damage compensation. In this case, physician has the right of indemnity to radiological technologist. But it should be dinied or extremely limited.

• Korea journal of population studies
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.23-35
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• 1981

Health policy is directed to equity in the provision of primary care for rural people before the year of 2, 000. This study aimed to define and identify the need for physician's care by using empirical data, and suggested an alternative of the primary care delivery system in rural areas to the government. 1. Twenty percent of the study population wanted to obtain any form of medical care services. : 9.3 percent of the population was in need for physician's care; 15 percent of the need was met by physicians, while 85 percent remained unmet at the time of survey in 1979. 2. For meeting all the need for physician's primary care, 2.9 annual physician visits per capita are demanded. An alternative, which was devised in some favourable way at reasonable cost in rural settings, was suggested. It was to deploy the physician extender such as community health practitioner in the infrastructure of the health care delivery system, whose supervision is provided by physician, based on experience of the KHDI health demonstration project. 3. One physician, two community health practitioners and two community health aides should be assigned in distant locations for meeting all the estimated need for physician's primary care for 10, 000 rural underserved residents.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.56-63
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• 2024

Purposes: This study aims to analyze the correlation with the current status of the medical resident application rate, physician's income, and non-benefit rates of majors in each specialty subject and to suggest implications. Methodology: First, it analyzes the correlation between the medical resident application rate by specialty subject and the income of physicians. Second, it analyzes the correlation between the income of specialists and the non-benefit rate for each specialty subject at the clinic level. Findings: First, a significant positive correlation was found between the medical resident application rate and the average physician's income for each specialty subject (r=.718, p<.01). Second, a significant positive correlation was observed between physician income at the practitioner level by medical specialty and the non-benefit rate (r=.726, p<.01). Practical Implications: In this study, the correlation between medical resident application rate by specialty subject and physician's income, non-payment and physician's income was confirmed. Choosing a department that is less risky and can earn higher income is a natural phenomenon, but it is necessary to adjust the physicians crowding phenomenon to a specific specialty subject at the government level to maintain the medical system.