• The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.227-237
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• 2021

The aim of this study is to identify the influence of care services on the quality of life of elderly residents in long-term care facilities, and to determine the mediating effect of family support. The subjects of the study were 192 older adults living in long-term care facilities in the Daegu and Gyeongsangbuk-do region. The collected data were analyzed using the SPSS 22.0 program, and the methods used include descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Pearson correlation analysis, and regression analysis. The results of the study found that the subjects' quality of life differed depending on their age, education, income level of their children, reasons for admission, and length of stay. The factors that influenced their quality life included age, education, the income level of their children, reasons for admission, length of stay, and care services. The study also revealed that family support was the mediating effect in the relationship between care services and quality of life. The results of the study will provide insight in establishing a nursing intervention plan to improve the quality of life of elderly residents in care facilities.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.173-180
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• 2022

Purpose: The use of surgical stabilization of rib fractures (SSRF) has steadily increased over the past decade. Recent literature suggests that a larger population may benefit from SSRF, and that the geriatric population-as the highest-risk population-may receive the greatest improvement from these interventions. We sought to determine the overall utilization of SSRF in the United States. Methods: The National Trauma Database was analyzed between 2016 and 2017. The inclusion criteria were all patients ≥65 years old with rib fractures. We further stratified these patients according to age (65-79 vs. ≥80 years old), the presence of coding for flail chest, three or more rib fractures, and intervention (surgical vs. nonoperative management). The main outcomes were surgical interventions, mortality, pneumonia, length of stay, intensive care unit length of stay, ventilator use, and tracheostomy. Results: Overall, 93,638 patients were identified. SSRF was performed in 992 patients. Patients who underwent SSRF had improved mortality in the 65 to 79 age group, regardless of the number of ribs fractured. We identified 92,637 patients in the age group of 65 to 79 years old who did not undergo SSRF. This represents an additional 20,000 patients annually who may benefit from SSRF. Conclusions: By conservative standards and the well-established Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma clinical practice guidelines, SSRF is underutilized. Our data suggest that SSRF may be very beneficial for the geriatric population, specifically those aged 65 to 79 years with any rib fractures. We hypothesize that roughly 20,000 additional cases will meet the inclusion criteria for SSRF each year. It is therefore imperative that we train acute care surgeons in this skill set.

• Journal of Home Health Care Nursing
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.123-131
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• 2003

This study was to compare the functional status. complication and readmission rates. and client satisfaction with nursing care of home-based care and hospital-based care for clients with Coronary Artery Bypass Graft. Raw data were collected by interviewing and reviewing charts of 41 clients with Coronary Artery Bypass Graft between June 2001 and July 2002 at an university hospital located in Seoul. Korea. Out of 41 clients. 15 were in home care group and 26 were in hospitalization group. The baseline characteristics of the groups were almost identical. Mean age was 61.7 and 75.6% of clients being male. For home care group. the data collection was made at discharge and at termination of home care. and for hospitalization group. at discharge and at the first visit of outpatient department. Complication and readmission rates were investigated at one month after operation. Collected data were then analysed by conducting Chi-square test. Wilcoxon rank sum test. and Wilcoxon signed ranks test with SPSS program. The level of significance was .05. The results of the study are summarized as follows: 1. Postoperative length of stay of the home care group was shorter than that of hospitalization group by 1. 14 days(8.45 days vs. 9.59 days). On average. 1.8 home visits per client were observed. 2. The functional status (Barthel Index) at the termination of home care was significantly increased from that at discharge. For hospitalization group. a significant increase was observed between the functional status at the discharge and that at the first visit of outpatient department. The differencies in incremental of the scores. between the groups. were however not significant. 3. Complication and readmission rates; no statistically significant difference between the groups was observed. 4. The client satisfaction with nursing care (CSS) at termination of home care was significantly higher than that at hospital discharge. In conclusion. the outcomes of the analysis suggest that the home care benefits clients with Coronary Artery Bypass Graft. Client satisfaction with nursing care rises at termination of home care as compare to that measured at hospital discharge. Meanwhile. there was no significant differences in functional status. and complication and readmission rates. Further. home care reduced the length of stay in hospital.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing Administration
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.123-134
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• 2000

This study intended to analyze the effectiveness to obtain by developing the critical pathway presented as the method to improve the quality-betterment and cost effectiveness the through the continuous and consistent patient management for the hysterectomy patient and applying it to the real practice. This study was designed to develop and effect the critical pathway for hysterectomy patients in the way to be possible the intergrated in patient management. It was adopted the process of seven phase to develop a critical pathway. To analyze the application effect of the developed critical pathway, this author offered health care service applying the critical pathway to the hysterectomy patient from July. 20 to Oct. 19. 1999. The study method had been done by investigating the experimental group and control group through the questionnaire on 40 patients who had been inpatient hysterectomy. Dependent variables were measured by modified from satisfaction, and cost and length of hospital stay. The data anlyzed by frequency, x2-test, t-test. The results of this study was as follows; 1. It was decided that the vertical line of the critical pathway was made up of eight items such as monitoring/assessment, treatment, activity, medication, consult. Lab test, diet, patient teaching and horizontal line was 7days from admission to discharge. 2. After the verifying the validity of the expert group about the critical pathway, the horizontal line was amended from hospitalization to five postoperative days and taking their consensus, some contents of the horizontal line was amended and deleted. 3. There was no significant differences in the experimental group and control group in the satisfaction, and significant differences in the cost, the length of hospital stay.

• Journal of Korean Foot and Ankle Society
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.78-83
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• 2022

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the surgical outcome of split-thickness skin graft (STSG) for chronic diabetic wounds of the foot and ankle. Materials and Methods: The medical records of 20 patients who underwent surgery for chronic diabetic wounds of the foot and ankle between October 2013 and May 2018 were reviewed. Surgical management consisted of consecutive debridement, followed by negative-pressure wound therapy and STSG. We used an acellular dermal matrix between the wound and the overlying STSG in some patients with wide or uneven wounds. Patient satisfaction, comorbidities, wound size and location, length of hospital stay, wound healing time, and complications were investigated. Results: Of 20 patients, 17 (85.0%) were satisfied with the surgical outcome. Eight patients had diabetic wounds associated with peripheral vascular disease (PVD), 7 patients had diabetic wounds without PVD, and 5 patients had acute infection superimposed with necrotizing abscesses. The mean size of the wound was 49.6 cm². The mean length of hospital stay was 33.3 days. The mean time to wound healing was 7.9 weeks. The mean follow-up period was 25.9 months. Complications included delayed wound healing (4 cases) and recurrence of the diabetic wounds (2 cases), which were resolved by meticulous wound dressing. Conclusion: STSG remains a good treatment strategy for chronic diabetic wounds of the foot and ankle.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.67-84
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• 2005

To compare differences of LOS between the group of inpatients via referral centers(the referral group) and the group of inpatients via different routes (the general group) and analyze factors which determine the difference. The 9,484 cases of newly inpatients of Mar., Jun., Sep., Dec. of year 2003 were used for the data. We calculate the Case-mix index of length of stay($CMI_{LOS}$) to compare LOS adjusted with the disease as the ratio of a patient' LOS to all patients' average LOS by 21 classification diagnosis group. We conducted t-test to compare differences of $CMI_{LOS}$ between two groups and multiple regression to analyze factors determining the difference. $CMI_{LOS}$ was 0.94 in the referral group, which was smaller than 1.01 in the general group. LOS was 7.5days in the referral group, which was 0.6day shorter than that in the general group. Multiple regression also showed that $CMI_{LOS}$ was smaller in the referral group than in the general group after controlling patients' general characteristics, diagnostic information variables. The referral centers can be said to playa role in decreasing LOS. We suggest that variety of depth studies on referral centers should be continued at the strategic level of hospital management using additional medical informations.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.160-171
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• 2019

Background: This study purposed to compare the difference on medical utilization and health expenditure of baby boomer generation by depression between gender. Methods: Korea Welfare Panel Survey 2016, provided by the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs, was used for the analysis. For the research, we used the two-part model, yes or no of use (part 1), and frequency of use (part 2) for medical utilization. The dependent variables are the whether or not to use of hospitalization services, outpatient services, length of stay, outpatient service visits, and health expenditure. And the independent variables are used as the predisposing (education, spouse presence), enabling (insurance type, private insurance, economic activity, income), and need (chronic disease, self-rated health, disability) factors in the Andersen behavior model. Depression was used as intervening variables. Structural equation model and multiple group analysis by gender were used. Results: There were differences in the medical care usage and cost between men and women in baby boomer. For men, mediating effects of depression were present at the hospitalization (yes/no), length of stay, and health expenditure. On the other hand, for women, the mediating effect of depression was found only at the outpatient visits. Specially, depression was working at the medical services by the different way between gender. The size of effect (multiple group analysis) was affected by significant differences between men and women. Conclusion: This study found that the mediating effect of depression is increased medical usage and health expenditure and the effect factors are different by gender. Therefore, it is necessary to establish a medical care policy considering the socio-economic characteristics of baby boomers.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.108-116
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• 2023

Purpose: This study investigated the differences between patients with acute carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning who visited the emergency department (ED) before and during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Methods: This was a single-center retrospective observational study. Patients with CO poisoning who visited the ED during the period from February 2020 to January 2023 were classified as the COVID-19 pandemic group, and those from February 2019 to January 2020 were classified as the non-pandemic group. Patients' medical records were reviewed, their demographic and clinical characteristics were compared, and the length of stay in ED was checked. The time from admission to the ED to the start of hyperbaric oxygenation (HBO) was defined as the door-to-HBO time, and this parameter was compared between both groups. Results: In total, 672 patients were included in this study. The proportion of intentional poisoning was significantly higher in the COVID-19 pandemic group than in the non-pandemic group (p=0.028). The proportion of intentional poisoning significantly increased in the 20- to 29-year-old age group during the COVID-19 pandemic (p<0.001). In addition, it took longer to initiate HBO in the COVID-19 pandemic group than in the non-pandemic group (p=0.001). Conclusion: These findings suggest that pandemics of infectious diseases, such as COVID-19, increase the proportion of intentional CO poisoning, and it may take longer to initiate HBO after visiting the ED. Efforts will be needed to decrease intentional CO poisoning and length of stay in ED.

• Quality Improvement in Health Care
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.184-195
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• 1997

Background : The purpose of this research was to evaluate the appropriateness of preoperative hospital days in a tertiary care hospital and to examine the reasons of the inappropriateness, so as to provide basic information and policy for enhancing appropriateness of preoperative hospitalization and benefit of patients and hospital. Methods : The subjects of the research were the 344 patients who received operation among discharged patients during January, 1996 in surgical departments including general surgery, neurosurgery, orthopedic surgery, plastic surgery and ophthalmology. Their medical records were reviewed and appropriateness of hospital days was evaluated by the Appropriateness Evaluation Protocol. Result : The results of evaluating the appropriateness of preoperative hospitalization showed that inappropriate hospital days were 80.8%. The reasons of inappropriate hospital stays were the tests or preparation which could be done in outpatient basis' followed by 'possible tests or preparation on the operation day' and 'cancelation of operation'. Conclusion : In order to shorten the inappropriate preoperative length of stay, it is recommended that lengthening of laboratory running time and doing most of tests necessary for operations on the outpatient basis prior to admission should be considered. In addition, the operation at the same day of hospitalization and usage of day surgery should be encouraged. Finally there should be changes in the inpatient management system and attitudes and behaviors of surgeons to shorten unnecessary preoperative and maximize the benefit for patients and hospital.

• Quality Improvement in Health Care
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.56-71
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• 1996

Background : Review of readmissions in health care facilities is necessary from the viewpoint of both economic concerns and quality considerations. To identify the characteristics, factors, and causes of multiple admissions in comparison with single admissions is essential for both providers and payers in order to assure quality care and efficient use of medical resources. Methods: All discharges from an university hospital in 1993 were analyzed, and the characteristics of multiple admissions were identified and were compared with those of single admissions by using the data bases of the discharge abstract and billing for reimbursement. Medical records of patients readmitted within 6 days after the previous discharge were reviewed to identify the reasons for such prompt readmission. Statistical analysis between groups of patients were performed by using SPSS. Result : The mean age was higher in multiple admissions than those of single admissions, and the average length of stay was longer in multiple admissions than in single admissions. The hospital cost per day is higher in single admissions while the cost per case is higher in multiple admissions. More than half of readmissions occurred within one month after the preceding discharges. Above 15% of the readmission within 6 days after the preceding discharges seemed to have close relationship with quality of care provided during the preceding hospitalization. The death rate of the patients readmitted within 6 days was the highest in comparison with multiple admissions and single admissions. Conclusion : Potential preventable readmissions should be reduced by identifying characteristics of multiple admissions, especially unplanned readmission, and by applying some interventions such as standard predischarge assessment or careful follow-up care after discharge for high risk readmission groups. As the results of these efforts, health care facilities could achieve quality improvement in medical care, and effective use of hospital resources.