• Korean Journal of Oriental Medicine
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.149-154
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• 2008

With sophisticated clinical skills and the effectiveness of Traditional Korean Medicine(TKM), many TKM doctors look forward to over seas expansion. About 450 TKM doctors had NCCAOM certificate, but only 40 TKM doctors arc in US now. Because The status of NCCAOM certificate in USA is not adequate enough for TKM doctors to perform medical treatments. In case of US, State medical boards depend to a large extent on the Educational Commission for Foreign Medical Graduates(ECFMG) for certification of international medical graduates (IMGs) seeking licensure in the United States. In addition to receiving certification that includes verification of education credentials, IMGs must pass Steps I and II of the USMLE. In order to obtain a license to practice in the United States, IMGs must successfully complete a residency in a program approved by the American Council of Graduate Medical Education(ACGME) and the complete Step III, the final step in the USMLE. TKM doctors, in the prospective of overseas expansion, applied to ECFMG and their applications have been rejected. This circumstance happened because Korea is unique country in the world with two different medical licensing system, Oriental and Western, both being physician workforce. Rejection by ECFMG occurred because of their minimal understanding of Korea's situation, while the responsibility to inform, propagate and protect TKM doctors own rights depend exclusively to Korean government, TKM doctor oneself and its related organizations, all the members should endeavor on it.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.52-60
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• 2005

This study explored the process of the professionalization of Korean Oriental medicine in Je-Han Medical Center. Je-Han Medical Center has fulfilled the requisites of the professionalization. The process of professionalization of Je-Han Medical Center is different from the process of professionalization of Western medical profession. Firstly, the Korean Oriental medical doctors of Je-Han Medical Center had been educated the standardized Korean Oriental medical knowledges. But the medical practices of them were not fully standardized. Secondly, the Korean Oriental medical doctors of Je-Han Medical Center have occupied the exclusive rights in the areas of Korean Oriental medicine. But there still exists the restriction of the range of license. Thirdly, the Korean Oriental medical doctors of Je-Han Medical Center had pride as a Korean Oriental medical doctor. They had the ideology as the national medical doctors. But the patients' use of Korean Oriental medicine were based on the practical reasons, not based on the ideological reasons. Fourthly, the inner hierarchy of Je-Han Medical Center was very strict. But the hierarchical and authoritarian relations between medical doctors and patients were very weak. Like this, we can find the unique process of professionalization of Korean Oriental medicine in Je-Han Medical Center. These findings can contribute to the extend the horizon of the sociology of profession.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.44 no.1
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• pp.65-75
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• 2023

Objectives: Objectives: In this study, we define a medical service type that combines Western medicine, Korean medicine, and complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) as an integrated medical service. This study, as part of tertiary hospital-based integrated medical service model and clinical field application, aims to collect status and opinions on integrated medical service for medical staff in the field. Methods: This is a survey study, and was conducted on doctors from Kyung Hee University Hospital and Korean medicine doctors from Kyung Hee University Korean Medicine Hospital. Respondents were recruited on a first-come, first-served basis until the number of respondents reached 120. The investigation was conducted for a total of 16 days from October 4, 2021 to October 19, 2021 by e-mail. Results: Recognition of integrated medical services was confirmed to be 45.8%, and 49.2% responded positively to the necessity of it. As a group of diseases that require the establishment of integrated medical services in the future, 'disorders of musculoskeletal systems and connective tissues' was the highest. The most expected advantages of providing integrated medical services were 'increased satisfaction of patients and guardians' and 'increased treatment effects.' Conclusions: In this study, we investigated the perception of doctors and Korean medicine doctors on integrated medical services that combine Western medicine, Korean medicine, and CAM. It has been confirmed that medical staff generally have a positive perception of integrated medical services, and if the scientific basis for the effect of integrated medical services is supported, the rate of positive perception is expected to increase.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.129-139
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• 2004

This paper analysed the RBRVS for a doctor's consultation by measuring the time consumed in outpatient consultation, and compared the time among medical doctors, dentist, and oriental medical doctors. The time used in consultation could be a proxy for measuring RBRVS for medical services because it is the only common factor we observe in three different clinical settings. The results show that the optimal RBRVS for consultation is 183.22 for medical doctor, 99.12 for dentist, and 236.17 for oriental medical doctor. This implies the current fee schedule for consultation should be revised as 10,740 Won for a visit to medical doctor, 5,808 Won for dentist, and 13,832 Won for oriental medical doctor.

• The Journal of Korean Medical History
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.175-185
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• 2013

Purpose : The current Medical Law and the Pharmaceutical Affairs Act, which are incapable of utilizing the research results and the advanced academic, clinical, and pharmaceutical system of the present-day Korean (Oriental) medicine, have limitations and create a paradox by provoking social conflict among the professionals in the field. The aim of this study was to find out the legal and systematic problems that contributed to a complicated conflict amongst Korean (Oriental) medicine doctors, doctors, pharmacists, and Korean (Oriental) pharmacists regarding the classification of their functions. Methods : We reviewed the history and characteristics of the legislation regarding the duties of Korean (Oriental) medicine doctors and Korean (Oriental) pharmacists as well as the relevant and important public health policies since the enactment of the National Medical Services Law in 1951. We focused on the laws and regulations that are made in the process of the separating functions of physicians and pharmacists and the dispute between the Korean (Oriental) medicine doctors and the Korean (Oriental) pharmacists in the 1990s and 2000s. Results : The legislations and amendments of the medical and pharmaceutical laws and regulations that reflect the modern academic, clinical, and pharmaceutical system of the Korean (Oriental) medicine and the research results could be summarized as follows: 1) A partial amendment of the Medical Law in 1987, which added the provision of "Oriental health guidance" as one of the duties of Korean (Oriental) medicine doctors, assured a place for Korean (Oriental) medicine doctors in the field of public health. 2) A partial revision of Pharmaceutical Affairs Act in 1994 established a new system for Korean (Oriental) pharmacists, bringing about the creation of dualistic pharmaceutical system that complements the dualistic medical system. 3) The Promotion of the Research and Development of Wonder Drugs by Using Natural Substances Act was legislated in 2000 in order to stimulate research and development of Korean (Oriental) medicine and its industrialization. 4) Oriental Medicine Promotion Act in 2003 was enacted to lay foundation to specify and promote technology and industry that are related to Korean (Oriental) medicine. Discussions and conclusions : Although the dualistic medical and pharmaceutical system is set up by the Medical Law and Pharmaceutical Affairs Act, it is shown that the relevant regulations have been developed from a perspective of the western medicine.

• The Journal of the Korean life insurance medical association
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.20-27
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• 2011

Lung diseases are common in general population and they are also important in insurance medicine. According to current textbook of insurance medicine, there are references of western research which performed at 1980s and early 2000. It's necessary to update the reference. In this article, several respiratory disorders such as Kartagener's syndrome, bronchial asthma, drug-resistant tuberculosis, etc are reviewed in terms of insurance medicine. Reference articles were used in Korean study, if possible. I hope this article being a role of helping many insurance doctors and underwriters in Korea.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.90-98
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• 2008

Purpose: Menopausal syndrome is caused by urgent changes of sex hormone in women. The hormonal therapy can soothe the problems of menopausal patients, but it can increase the probability of another disease, such as breast cancer, heart attack, etc. So the demand of alternative herb therapy is increasing in Western countries. In Korea, herbal medicine is imported and used by Western doctors. To know and use the alternative herbal medicine, Korean Medical doctors should know their efficacy and safety. Methods: We researched the Medline(Pubmed) with the key word such as 'CAM', 'herb' and 'menopause'. We selected the herbs known as treating the menopausal syndrome and researched the similar or same herbs that are used in Korean medicine by the scientific name and efficient ingredients. To evaluate the efficacy of the herbs, we compared the herbs that were differently defined in alternative and Korean medicine Results: Balm, black cohosh, chaste berry, dong quai. evening primrose oil. ginkgo, St. John's wort, valerian root, and sarsaparilla were chosen as prevalent herbs used in alternative medicine. The pharmacologic effect of Black cohosh, licorice root, St. John's wort were recognized. But these three herbs are not usually prescripted for menopausal patients in Korean medicine. So we could apply these three herbs as one of Korean medical treatments. The efficacy of other herbs cannot be surely prescripted for menopausal patients. Conclusion: The efficacy and safety of alternative medicine is not proved yet. But to diversify the treatmental methods of Korean medicine, we need to prove and use these medicine as one of Korean medical treatment.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.192-203
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• 2013

Objectives : To investigate the incidence of drug-induced liver injury (DILI) by combined-prescription of Korean herbal medicine (KHM; prescribed herbal medicine by doctors of traditional Korean medicine) and Western medicine on liver function. Methods : Sixty-nine in-patients who took KHM and Western medicine for various conditions were enrolled for prospective observational study. All subjects were given liver and renal function tests at the start of hospitalization to establish a baseline. After taking KHM and Western medicine, tests were done at approximately 4-week intervals afterwards. Results : Fifty-three subjects showed normal liver function test (LFT) at baseline, 50 subjects (72.5%) remained within the normal range at the second test, while 3 subjects (4.3%) tests revealed slight increase of LFT. However not a single patient had a high enough raised LFT to indicate liver injury. Sixteen of 69 subjects had abnormal baseline, 11 subjects recovered to normal levels and 5 subjects remained at abnormal level. Among all subjects, there was no statistically significant increase in LFT level between the first and second tests. Conclusions : This study shows that the combined-prescription of KHM and Western medicine did not cause any DILI. In some cases, combined treatment increased LFT levels but those increases were not high enough to have statistical significance. Additional large scale and systematical studies are required for more conclusive proof and results.

• Journal of Oriental Neuropsychiatry
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.181-214
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• 2022

Pediatric epilepsy, a chronic, recurrent brain disorder, is the most common neurological disorder in children. Its prevalence is increasing. Early management is very important since 30~40% of cases persist into adulthood. To provide basic data for future clinical research on pediatric epilepsy using Korean medicine treatment and cooperation between Western medicine doctors and Korean medicine doctors, we reviewed recent clinical research in traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) using herbal medicine for pediatric epilepsy. A total of 23 articles (1 clinical practice guideline, 3 systematic reviews, 15 randomized controlled trials (RCTs), and 4 non-RCTs) were reviewed in this study. The authors summarized characteristics of included studies regarding study subjects, diagnostic tools, pattern identification tools, treatment period, evaluation tools, detail of herbal medicines, treatment effects, and adverse events. Combination therapy using both herbal medicine (HM) and anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) was performed more frequently than herbal medicine alone. Liver-pacifying medicinal, water-draining medicine, and orifice-opening medicine were frequently used. The main single HMs were Cheonma, Boglyeong, Jogudeung, and Seogchangpo. Combined therapy using HM and AEDs had significant benefits in improving total effective rate. It also appeared to be safer than AEDs. However, since the quality of clinical trials was poor and only studies in the last 10 years were included, the clinical evidence was uncertain. Finally, the authors provided limitations of this study and several suggestions for future research based on our analysis results.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.28 no.2
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• pp.243-250
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• 2014

This study examined the knowledge and understanding of integrative medicine in Korea, specifically conflicts between western and oriental medicine within Parallel (Dual) health care systems. Qualitative methodology using grounded theory guided semi-structured, in-depth interviews with Western Medical Doctors (W.M.D., n = 6), Oriental Medical Doctors (O.M.D., n = 5) and Traditional Chinese Medicine Practitioners (T.C.M.P., n = 4). Thematic analysis was used to determine broad themes from the interviews. 15 professionals (W.M.D. (40%), O.M.D. (33%), T.C.M.P. (27%), 10 males (67%) and 5 females (33%), mean age 45) were interviewed, recorded, and transcribed. Thematic analysis revealed three key themes: systematic conflicts, integration and future directions. Subthemes of systematic conflicts included: credibility of Oriental Medicine, commercial imperatives, maintaining social standing of O.M.D., professional qualifications and lack structures supporting collaborative practice. Integration subthemes included lack of academic linkage and clarity for appropriate triage, opposing medical paradigms and limited social imperative. Future directions should include: social justification, guarantee of oriental medicine legitimacy, role of government and understanding of scientific evidence. To successfully integrate dual medical systems there is a need to address differences in social-environmental factors and perceptions of scientific understanding, as well as developing strong academic links in clinical practice.