• The Korean Society of Law and Medicine
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.131-155
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• 2023

Medical act divides unlicensed medical practice into medical practice by non-medical practitioners and unlicensed practice by medical practitioners. In the past, it was a common approach to strictly distinguish between western and Korean medicine, but the Supreme Court's Decision of December 22, 2016, Do. 21314, provided a new direction regarding the criteria for determining whether a Korean medicine practitioner is acting outside license. This paper analyzes the new criteria in detail, examines the significance of the new criteria, and explores its impact on the dualistic medical system. The difference between the new criteria and the previous criteria in the precedents is that the judgment is not based on the connection between Korean medicine principles and Western medicine principles. It is an advanced standard that actively accepts the overlap and variability of medical practice, moving away from dichotomous thinking that exclusively distinguishes between Korean medicine and Western medicine.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.73-83
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• 2008

The rapid change of the health and medical environment and the globalization of medicine has driven doctors to converge and analyse of new and up-to-date medical information and decide to what to make decision for diagnosis and treatments in clinical practice. Medical environment goes with the changes with social environment such as rapid increase of aging population, changes of disease pattern, formation of new area of experts except doctors, government intervention for the medical system, medical insurance of the charges of medical treatment, a increased desire for human rights. These trends should be adopted rapidly to the education system for the students of medical school. The learning objectives of the preventive medicine was developed in 1995 and underwent necessary revision of the contents to create the first revision in 2006. However, the required educational contents of health promotion and disease prevention have been changed by the new trends of medical education such as PBL and integrated curriculum and the 2006 revision does not satisfy these needs. We formed a task force which surveyed all the Western and Traditional Korean medical colleges to describe the state of preventive medicine education in Korea, analyzed the changing education demand according to the change of health environment and quantitatively measured the validity and usefulness of each learning objective in the previous curriculum. With these results, for the good education for preventive medicine, each Traditional Korean medicine schools need more preventive medicine faculties and teaching assistants and opening of some required subjects such as Yangsaeng and Qigong. And future studies of the learning process and ongoing development of teaching materials according to the new learning objectives should be undertaken with persistence in order to ensure the progress of preventive medicine education.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.45 no.1
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• pp.100-113
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• 2024

Objectives: Following the global COVID-19 pandemic, with the escalation of remote medical care formalization in Korea, there is a pressing need for objective data in the Korean medicine field to respond to remote treatment medical care policies. This study aims to investigate the perceptions and acceptance of remote treatments among Korean Medicine Doctors (KMDs). Methods: After expert reviews and pilot testing, the 31-question survey covered participant characteristics, experiences, forms, intentions, and perceptions related to Remote Treatments. The survey was electronically distributed to members of the Association of Korean Medicine, and 662 clinical KMDs provided valid responses. Results: Among respondents, 76.1% engaged in remote treatments, utilizing various platforms. Those with experience in Remote Treatments showed a significantly higher willingness to continue participating during the institutionalization process (p<0.001). 49.7% of respondents stated that traditional Korean medicine is competitive in remote treatments, with the main reasons being the ability for regular management after herbal medication(26.1%) and increased patient satisfaction due to sufficient counseling compared to Western medicine(25.2%). Respondents preferred Remote Treatment conditions with a treatment time of less than 10 minutes(47.6%) and equivalent fees to in-person visits(45.6%). Regarding suitable intervention tools during Remote Treatment, respondents favored non-covered herbal prescriptions(39.0%), covered herbal granules(24.6%), and non-covered herbal granules(23.0%). Conclusion: This study investigated the perceptions and acceptance of KMDs regarding remote treatments. These findings provide valuable insights for policymakers aiming to establish effective policies for Remote Treatments suitable for the Korean medicine healthcare environment.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.31 no.3 s.62
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• pp.516-539
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• 1998

The objective of this study is to identify the difference in attitude toward medical care between patients who visited a university hospital or an oriental medical hospital of oriental medical college, and physicians who engaged in the same hospitals. The subjects of this study were 397 cases who agreed to respond the prepared questionnaire, including 288 patients(146 university hospital utilizers and 142 utilzers for an oriental medical hospital) and 109 physicians(76 physicians and 33 oriental medical doctors). The attitude toward medical care was measured by the structured questionnaire developed for this study, which had high validity and reliability according to factor analysis, item discriminant validity, and Cronbach's $\alpha$ coefficients. On the criteria of mean value of care and cure score, the attitude toward medical care was classified into 4 groups encompassing a group with dependent attitude on medical care, a group with skeptical attitude toward it, a group with cure-oriented attitude, and a group with care-preferred attitude. The results of chi-square test, discriminant analysis, and logistic regression analysis were as follows; patients who visited a univisity hospital, patients who visited an oriental hospital, physicians, and oriental medical doctors included in the group with dependent attitude, the group with cure-oriented attitude, the group with skeptical attitude, and the group with care-preferred attitude, retrospectively. Among the subdomains of care and cure domains, which classified in reference to the result of factor analysis on pilot study, those that patients ranked more importantly than physicians were 'the importance of medical equipment for diagnosis and treatment', 'authority of physician, 'aggressiveness of treatment', 'information giving', 'personal interest' in the case of western medicine. In the case of oriental medicine, those were 'the importance of equipment for diagnosis and treatment', 'aggressiveness of treatment', 'amenities and accessibility', 'coordination of medical staff'. Both physicans and patients put the subdomain, 'physicians' medical knowledge and skillfulness' on the highest rank. The differences in ranking the important attributes of medical care between patients and physicians were apparent in the area of an 'importance of medical equipment for diagnosis and treatment' and so on. It meant that patient had over-expectation on medical care and suggested that the policy on demanad side such as the developement and dissemination of an evidence-based recommendation protocol for health care consumers might be important in Korea. In addition, regarding the attitude of physicians, during the medical education and training it may be neccessary to emphasize the aspect of 'care' of medical care rather than 'cure'. In planning on heath care delivery system, it should be considered that there is a difference in the attitude toward medical care between western medicine and oriental medicine as well as between health care providers and consumers. We expect that more valid measurement tool be developed in this area, which may be major limitation of this study and that this kind of research be expanded into the non-academic settings.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.215-235
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• 1997

according to study of clinical document in relation to Neuropsychiatric disease in Ancient Chinese(Song, Keum, Won, Myung) clinical document the result were obtained as follows. 1. A main point is Jeul-Jin<切診> in diagnosis, that is Hyun-Maeg<弦脈> is liver disease, Whual Mag<滑脈> is gallbladder disease, Sag Mag<數脈> is fever.2. Doctors in Song<宋>, Keum<金>,Won<元> enumerationed many diseases are cause by emotion.3. Oriental psychotherapy that Diseases caused by surprising must be cure by surprising is like to systematic desensitization in Westem.4. Oriental psychotherapy that pseudopsychosis must be cure by patient rely on doctor is like to suggestive therapy in western.5. It is similar to suggestive therapy in western medicine that Sadness ,anguish and frustration induce disease.6. Headache is caused by fever, energy deficience and angry.7. Imsomnia is not caused by hsart disease, but gallbladder or liver.8. Schizophrenia is caused by shocking and a sort of fever.9. Epilepsy is caused by a sort of fever, shocking and fetal disease.10 Schizophrenia(in case of manic state) is caused by fever and shocking, and imaginary pregnancy is considered as schizophrenia.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.35-46
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• 2015

Objective : This study aims to investigate legal and regulatory status of traditional and complementary medicine (T&CM) focusing on regulation on health practitioners and health practice in 33 countries. Method : 33 countries were selected based on several factors such as interest of Korean medical doctors, strategic importance, and distribution over the world. The questionnaire was distributed to Korean embassies in 33 countries in March 2014 through Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and the answers from those countries were collected from April to September. 24 countries that provided sufficient information were included in the analysis. Results : 18 countries have law or regulation on T&CM. Only five countries regulate T&CM practitioners as medical personnel or health practitioner by law, and 12 countries have regulation on license or certificate. Half of 24 countries recognize license of T&CM practitioners issued abroad. There are nine countries that recognize T&CM practice as medical practice, and four of them regulate acupuncture as medical practice by western medical doctors or a few health practitioners recognized by the government. There are six countries that do not recognize T&CM practice as medical practice by law, but regulate it as practice that affect public health, and these countries have law or regulation on T&CM. Conclusion : As T&CM have great impact on public health, many countries have recently legislated law or regulation on T&CM. Rapid change in regulatory status of T&CM affects globalization of Korean medicine. Thus, development of timely strategies will be essential for it.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.178-184
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• 2023

The objective of this study was to develop a critical pathway of integrative medicine to improve the quality of life of lung cancer patients who received standard western medicine treatments. A total of 10 medical professionals, including western and Korean medicine doctors, and nurses participated in a validation survey and revised clinical pathway. Then we applied the critical pathway to 11 lung cancer patients who admitted at Korean medicine hospital and evaluated quality of life at the beginning and discharge of admission using European Organization for the Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire(EORTC QLQ). More than 80% of the respondents gave a score of 3 (appropriate) or more for all items in the validation survey and we modified the clinical pathway by adding 'bed rest'to the activity item. When applying the revised critical pathway to 11 lung cancer patients, the score of 'Nausea and vomiting', 'Insomnia' in EORTC QLQ-30 and 'chest pain'in EORTC LC-13 showed statistically significant improvements in the before-and-after admission comparision. The application of revised inpatient critical pathway of integrative medicine for lung cancer showed improvement in some symptoms. Development of more critical pathway in various clinical setting and larger scaled application studies of critical pathway are needed.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.101-125
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• 1997

Man pursues health as his basic right. Therefore, the government should try to preserve the right of the people's health and carry out the policy of medical treatment for that. But the system of our medical care is advantageous to the medical institutions, which produce medical goods each people buys and sells freely, more than to the maintenance and improvement of their health. That is to say, the first aim of the institution is not the healthy preservation of the people but their accumulation of riches. The medical conflicts are the social situation which is happening between those who produce medical treatment and the patients who consume it. Its behinning comes from the lack of belief by the inhuman relationship between patients and doctors. According to thelatest investigation, the patients of oriental clinics look more content than those who go to common hospitals. The reasons are as follows; fitness to one's physical constitution, the kind altitude of doctors and the view of oriental medicine toward human body. Though the content degreee is higher than western medicine, such conclusions result from the present condition the number of the patients is less. In short, the first, since the right of patients is higher and the fields make more variors and popular, the conflicts and mistakes go on increasing. The second, in their activity of treatment, the legal importance of atlention and explanatory obligation should be considered seriously so as not to break out medical mistakes. The third, in the center of technical books which are accepted by the academic world, the clinical exertion doing treatment is needful. The fourth, as the direct order of medical justification the self-determination of patients should be respected. The fifth, because the process and record of treatment become important in the time of emergency legally, the conversations and movements as well as the details of treatment must be recorded. The sixth, the academic effort about the settlement institution or the legal system is necessary.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.68-74
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• 2003

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to evaluate whether herbal medication may injure the liver function and kidney function. We clinically studied the changes of biochemistry and complete blood cell count in patients who were hospitalized in Korean hospital. Methods : The subjects were 160 patients admitted in Kangnam Korean hospital, Kyung Hee, whose mean duration of medication was 70 days(min 30, max 252). All patients had been checked biochemistry and complete blood cell count for 30 days since their hospitalization. Results : Aspartate aminotransferase(AST), alanine aminotransferase(ALT), alkaline phosphatase(ALP), blood urea nitrogen(BUN) and Creatinine(Cr) decreased significantly on discharge, compared with the values of admissoin(P<0.05). Total protein significantly elevated on dischrge compared with the values of admisson(P<0.05). Conclusions : This study suggests that even though there are few toxic herbal medicines, in general, herbal medications which are prescribed by oriental medicine doctors should be carefully administered not to hurt liver and kidney function.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.79-94
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• 2010

Objectives : Many researchers in western societies raised questions on methodological limitations of randomized controlled trial (RCT) for studying Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM), and they have tried to find alternatives to RCT. Some of them recently have interest in health service research as one of the alternatives. Discussing the significance of health services research in CAM studies will be helpful to guide the researchers in Korea who are also interested in developing an appropriate research methodology for traditional Korean medicine. Methods : Previous studies on methodological issues of studying CAM and health service researches published in western societies until 2009 were searched mainly from Pubmed. The definition, main research domains, and research methods of health service research and the significance of it for researches on CAM were summarized. Results & Conclusions : Health service researches are important in two aspects. First, health service researches evaluate the actual practice of CAM, including the individualized diagnosis as well as treatment and interaction between practitioners and patients. Second, when evaluating the outcomes, they put an emphasis on subjective evaluation by patients as well as objective evaluation by doctors. Thus, it can reflect the treatment goals of CAM which is improving the overall quality of life and the physical and psychological health. Therefore, health services researches such as descriptive studies, qualitative studies, outcomes studies including economic evaluation, and whole systemic research should be more utilized in order for studying traditional Korean medicine.