Hospital Staff and Patient Recognition Toward Opening of Medical Services Market, and Factors in Selecting a Foreign Hospital

PURPOSE: The objectives of this study are to compare the hospital employees' and patients' recognition and attitudes toward the opening of the medical services market, to analyze the differences between hospital employees and patients on the factors in selecting a foreign hospital. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study collected and analyzed data using systematic questionnaires that were self-administered by employees and outpatients to compare their recognition of the opening of the medical services market and the factors involved in selecting a foreign hospital. RESUTLS: Employees exhibited a higher level of recognition than the patients. Reasons for agreement were to ensure the right of selection for both the employees and patients. Reasons for disagreement, however, were split between the two groups: degraded public characteristics of medical services, for employees; and expensive medical fees, for patients. The most urgent task to prepare for the opening of the medical services market is the improvement of the diagnosis and treatment technologies for employees, and improvement of the services provided by hospital staff for patients. CONCLUSION: Korean hospitals shall need to improve their diagnosis and treatment technologies and provide medical services of high quality in order to compete with foreign hospitals.

Experience of Development of Cataract Clinical Practice Guideline in Korea; Focus on Meta-analysis and Questionnaire Survey

Background: By reviewing experiences and lessons from results of main studies such as systematic review of articles and meta- analysis, and the current situation and trend in the field of cataract and refractive surgery, we proposed practical cases about objective and scientifically evident approaches in process of developing cataract clinical practice guideline in Korea. Methods: Development of cataract clinical practice guideline composed of constructing development team, reviewing guideline- associated articles, conducting meta-analysis and survey about practice behaviors, and having workshop and council. Meta-analysis composed of search and collection of article published within current five years, selection of review principles, development of article assessment form, and investigation of practical variation by qualitative and quantitative meta-analysis. Based on Medline, Meta-analysis was conducted about three topics of IOP (Intra-ocular pressure) changes after inserting each healon, and comparison results after cataract surgery by incision point and occurrence patterns of acquired cataract by types of intraocular lens. Questionnaire survey was conducted about practice behaviors focused on main procedures and surgeries related to cataract. For developing and using clinical practice guideline, we developed a draft which was reviewed by each sub-ophthalmology society, opened symposiums and workshop, and developed final draft. Results: There was no significant difference between IOP (Intra-ocular pressure) changes after inserting each healon. After reviewing article about results after cataract surgery by incision point, we found that we couldn't conduct quantitative meta-analysis because surgeries method, incision lengths, measuring methods, and points at measuring showed different pattern. Occurrences of cataract in 24 months after cataract surgery between 'PMMA', 'Silicone', and 'Acrylic' group showed significant difference. Result of questionnaire survey showed that there was many variations on cataract clinical practice behaviors. Conclusions: Although we were lacking in articles, we could propose partial objective evidences for development of cataract clinical practice guideline. And we found that systematic researches and surveys should be conducted for more objective evidences.

Ultrasonography in the Diagnosis of Appendicitis: Evaluation by Meta-analysis

OBJECTIVE: We wanted to review the usefulness of ultrasonography (US) for the diagnosis of appendicitis and to evaluate the diagnostic accuracy of US according to patients' and researchers' characteristics. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The relevant Korean articles published between 1985 and 2003 were included in this study if the patients had clinical symptoms of acute appendicitis. The histopathologic findings were the reference standard and the data were presented for 2x2 tables. Articles were excluded if patients had no sonographic signs of appendicitis according to graded-compression US. Two reviewers independently extracted the data on study characteristics. The Hasselblad method was used to obtain the combined estimates of sensitivity and specificity for the performance of US. RESULTS: Twenty-two articles (2, 643 patients) fulfilled all inclusion criteria. The estimate of d calculated by combining the sensitivity and specificity was 2.0054 (95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.8553, 2.1554) by a random effects model. The overall sensitivity and specificity (95% CI) were 86.7% (85.4 to 88.0), and 90.0% (88.9 to 91.2), respectively. According to the subgroup meta-analysis by patients' characteristics, the d estimate (95% CI) of dominantly younger age, male, and highly clinical suggestive group for US was 2.2388 (1.8758 to 2.6019), 2.7131 (2.2493 to 3.1770), and 2.4582 (1.7387 to 3.1777), respectively. Also, according to subgroup meta-analysis by researchers' characteristics, the d value (95% CI) for US done by diagnostic radiologists and gray-scale was 2.0195 (1.7942 to 2.2447) and 2.2630 (1.8444 to 2.6815). CONCLUSION: This evidence suggests that US may be useful for the diagnosis of acute appendicitis, especially when patients are younger age, male, and highly clinical suggestive.

Is Laparoscopic Appendectomy Useful for the Treatment of Acute Appendicitis in Korea?: A Meta-Analysis

We performed a meta-analysis using results in the Korean literatures to determine whether laparoscopic appendectomy (LA) or open appendectomy (OA) provide the better outcome in possible acute appendicitis patients. To perform the meta-analysis, an extensive literature search was conducted, giving priority to the Journal of the Korean Surgical Society, and domestic literature in its search database, published since January 1993, to ascertain the usefulness of LA in the treatment of acute appendicitis. The criteria used for the quality evaluation were as follows: 1) study subjects must have been evaluated clinically for suspected acute appendicitis, and 2) articles were included only if sufficient data (e.g. patient number, mean and standard deviation of patient outcome variables) were available regarding patient outcomes for LA or OA treated appendicitis. Of the 136 articles retrieved, 8 studies (1, 258 patients) were selected for quantitative meta-analysis. Because insufficient data was available in some studies, operating time and hospitalization days were assessed for all 8 studies, but the time required to return to full functioning was assessed for only 3 studies. Overall effect size estimates were calculated using a random effect model for four patient outcomes (operating time, Q=38.6699, p < 0.001; length of stay, Q=19.3876, p < 0.001; postoperative hospital stay, Q=20.9164, p < 0.001; and return time to full functioning, Q=41.5061, p < 0.001). Because the overall effect size for operating time was -0.3218 (95% confidence interval [CI] -0.6108 to -0.0328), LA operating time was significantly greater than that of OA. In addition, a significant difference was found between the two modalities in terms of the length of hospital stay. Overall effect size in terms of the time required to return to full functioning was 1.9757 (95% CI 1.0066 to 2.9448), and LA reduced the time required by about 2 days versus OA. Considering the overall odds ratio (0.33) and 95% CI (0.20 to 0.55) the incidence of wound infection was significantly lower in LA than in OA. This review of the published evidence suggests that LA is more useful for treating acute appendicitis, especially when perforated appendicitis is suspected.

Medical Service Utilization and Trends among Korean Elderly in the Last One Year of Life / 예방의학회지

OBJECTIVES: To analyze medical service utilization and trends among the elderly in the last year of life. METHOD: The subjects of this study were people that had died at the age sixty-five and above between January 1st and June 30th 2000 The names of the deceased and their dates of death were collected from the data of the funeral-expenses-receivers of the National Health Insurance Corporation (NHIC). This data was merged with that of the individual medical expenses of the NHIC. RESULTS: In the first half of 2000, 84.2% of the funeral-expenses-receivers (53, 063) utilized medical services during the year prior to their death; 51.0% (27, 042) were female and 49.0% (26, 021) male. In the last twelve months of life, the medical fees, the number of days receiving medical services and the number of days receiving medicine were 3, 107, 935 Won, 47.88 and 153.21, respectively, for each person. As the age of the groups increased, the level of medical service utilization decreased; the change was more obvious in female group. The level of medical service utilization during the twelve months prior to death drastically increased around the time of death. CONCLUSIONS: This study, from an analysis of the level of medical service utilization prior to death, shows a concentrated volume of medical services during a certain time period prior to death.

Comparing Difference of Volume of Psychiatric Treatments between the Patient with Health Insurance and Those with Medical Assistance: For Inpatients of Korean Psychiatric Hospitals / 예방의학회지

OBJECTIVES: To assess the difference in the volume of psychiatric treatments provided to health insurance inpatients, compared with those on medical assistance (the medical aid program) Korean psychiatric hospitals, and to determine factors which affect the volume of the services. METHODS: 21 psychiatrists, from 3 Korean psychiatric hospitals recorded the frequencies psychiatric treatments provided to inpatients in one week (February18-24, 2002). The records of 329 patients were analyzed through t-tests, and random effectmixed model analyses to define the difference between the two groups, and to find other factors affecting the volume of service. RESULTS: A significant difference in the volume of psychiatric treatments provided was observed between the health insurance and medical assistance groups. The variation in the volume of service between hospitals was prominent, and other factors (gender, agegroup, length of stay and mental disorder) were also found to be significant. The patients on medical assistance received only 70% of the psychiatric treatments of those on health insurance. CONCLUSIONS: More effort is required to improve the methods of payment to increase the level of fee scheduling for medical assistance. Further studies on the mechanisms causing these differences in the volume of service are required.

The Adequacy on DRG Classification System in Obstetric Group / 대한산부인과학회잡지

OBJECTIVE: This study was performed to be evaluated the adequacy on DRG classification in Obstetric group and analyzed the difference for medical benefit payment from the insurance and total medical reimbursement according to complication and age in vaginal delivery group and Cesarean section group. METHODS: This study has been analyzed for medical benefit payment from the insurance and total medical reimbursement of patients from University of hospital since Feburary 1999 to December 2000 and the data from Health Insurance Review Agency since Feburary 2001 to July 2001. RESULTS: Since these cases were not reported even 1 case in Korea, there were 113 cases needed to be deleted in DRG classification disease group. In the evaluation of disease severity for DRG classification disease group, there were 11 cases should be added to severe complicating diagnosis, 5 cases should be removed from severe complicating diagnosis, and 6 cases should be added to moderate complicating diagnosis in vaginal delivery and Cesarean section group. Medical benefit payment from the insurance and total medical reimbursement in the group with having severe complication were significantly higher than in the group without complication in Cesarean section group. Medical benefit payment from the insurance and total medical reimbursement in the group with having severe complication in primigravida vaginal delivery group and the group with having severe complication in multigravida vaginal delivery group were significantly higher in the group without complication in primigravida vaginal delivery group and the group without complication in multigravida vaginal delivery group, separately. CONCLUSION: Severity classification system-severe complication, multiple complication, moderate complication, non-complication-should be included in obstetric DRG classification system.

The Future of Health Insurance System in Korea

No abstract available.

Joint Management in Clinics

No abstract available.

Regulative Action in Needed to Curb the Excessive Splitting of Academic Societies

No abstract available.

Dimensions of Consumer Ratings of a Hospital Outpatient Service Quality / 예방의학회지

OBJECTIVES: To examine various dimensions of consumer ratings of health care service with factor analysis and to find which factors influence the overall quality of health care service. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted on outpatients of a general hospital located in Sungnam City. A self-administered questionnaire was used to assess the consumer? ratings of health care service received. The response rate was 92.8% with a total of 537 persons completing the questionnaire. Factor analysis was performed on 34 items evaluating the quality of health care service. Items were grouped into 5 dimensions as a result of factor analysis and the reliability and validity of influence on patient service assessment were evaluated for each dimension. RESULTS: The 5 dimensions were as follows ; 1) physician services, 2) non-physician services, 3) process 4) facilities, and 5) cleanliness. A positive correlation with the quality of health care service was found for the dimensions of non-physician services and process, while no significant correlation was found for the dimensions of physician services, facilities, and cleanliness. CONCLUSIONS: The result of this study may provide basic information for the development of future self-administered questionnaires of consumer ratings and for the evaluation of quality improvement activities in hospital outpatient settings.

A Study on the Development of M.D.-Ph.D. Program / 한국의학교육

This study is to develop M.D.-Ph.D. program of medical school in Korea. The authors examined the related literature focusing on the current status and problems of training biomedical scientists. Next step was to make a collection of data related to American M.D.-Ph.D. program. The search for the materials was made through February 2000. The developed M.D.-Ph.D. program was modified and revised by the experts in the area and through public speech. The results of the study are as follows; first, the validity of M.D.-Ph.D. program was convicted by the need of interdisciplinary study, social needs, current problems of medical education and financial problems. Second, the development M.D.-Ph.D. program consists of educational period, admission procedure, entree examination, curriculum and its administration, degrees, school registration management, medical license examination, grants and problems related to military service. The expectations of the results are; first, M.D.-Ph.D. program will make Korea one of the leading countries in biomedical scientists and medical knowledge, and will activate the interdisciplinary research. Second, M.D.-Ph.D. program will facilitate to revise the educational problems of graduate school of medicine and medical schools.

Annual Registration of Physicians

No abstract available.

Management of Brain Death and Organ Transplantation

No abstract available.

A Case-control Study of Unexpected Readmission in a University Hospital / 예방의학회지

OBJECTIVES: This study describes the risk factors affecting the unexpected readmission of 261 patients who were discharged from a university hospital in Seoul. METHODS: This case-control study reviewed medical records of inpatients who had been discharged from a hospital between 1 August 1995 and 31 October 1995 after the treatment for general diseases. The cases were 68 patients who were readmitted unexpectedly within 28 days of discharge from an index stay, and the controls were 193 patients who were discharged without readmission during the study period. RESULTS: Logistic regression analysis results were as follows; Patients who had no operation during their hospital stay were more likely to be readmitted unexpectedly than patients who had operation. Patients who had 1 or 2 parts of their body being involved in treatment were more likely to be readmitted unexpectedly than patients who hand more than 3 parts of their body being involved in treatment. Patients who had complications after surgery were more likely to be readmitted unexpectedly than patients who had no complications. Insufficient discharge planning caused unexpected readmissions. CONCLUSIONS: Discharge planning education should be extended to health care providers. And the assessment of discharge planning should be evaluated. Readmission is often necessary for the treatment of related problems originating from initial hospitalization, which causes cost problems. Unexpected readmission is preventable and the models for readmission can serve as a valuable clinical tool for high risk patients.

Academia is Flooded with Number of Academic Societies

No abstract available.

Meta-analysis of the Korean Literatures for Developing Clinical Practice Guidelines of Benign Prostatic hyperplasia / 예방의학회지

This study is to provide evidence-based recommendations for the most-effective treatments of benign prostatic hyperplasia based on patient preference or clinical need, and to meta-analyze the Korean literatures for the development of BPH treatment guidelines. For these analyses, extensive literature searches (208 articles), with priority given to the Korean Journal of Urology, were conducted from 1960 to August, 1996. Meta-analysis, like all statistical analysis, has two main functions: data summarization (qualitative meta-analysis) and smoothing or pattern recognition (quantitative meta-analysis). As well, critical reviews and syntheses with the mean and 90-percent confidence intervals for the likelihood were used to evaluate empirical evidence and significant outcomes of the BPH treatment literatures (106 articles). For this task, the Methodologic Panel for BPH Guidelines was composed of multidisciplinary experts in the field. The results of the study were summarized as follows: For all that watchful waiting is an appropriate treatment strategy for the majority of patients with prostatism, we couldn't find the Korean literatures which carried this article. The literatures on alpha-1-adrenergic receptor blockers provide no evidence to suggest that any one alpha blocker is more effective than another. The finasteride reduces the size of the prostate, on average, and leads to a small yet perceptible reduction in sysptoms. Of all treatment options, prostate surgery with transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP), transurethral incision of the prostate (TUIP), and so on, offers the best chance for symptom improvement. However, surgery also has the highest rates of significant complications. Therefore, surgery need not always be a treatment of last resort. Balloon dilation of the prostatic urethra is clearly less effective than surgery in relieving symptoms, but it is associated with fewer complications. Emerging technologies for treating BPH include lasers, coils, stents, thermal therapy and hyperthermia. Established technologies will also be reanalyzed as results of new trials are reported. Although this study has some limitations due to lacking for good quality literatures, it provides a cornerstone for our medical research. It represents the most current scientific knowledge regarding the clinical epidemiology including treatment of BPH. It will be revised and updated as needed.

The Last Fifty Years of Western Medicine in Korea: Korean Society for Preventive Medicine

No abstract available.

The Development of Classification System of Medical Procedures in Korea / 예방의학회지

In recent years, the Korean Medical Association has undertaken the feat of establishing the Korean Standard Terminology of Medical Procedures with the dedicated help of 32 medical academic societies. However, because the project is being conducted by several different circles, it has yet to see a clear system of classification. This thesis, therefore, proposes the three principles of scientific properties, usefulness and ideology as the basis for classification system and has developed the Classification System of Medical Procedures in Korea upon their foundation. The methodology and organization of this thesis as follows. First, by adopting scientific classification system of Feinstein(1988), an analysis of the classification systems of the medical procedures in the United States, Japan, Taiwan, Who Was carried out to reveal the framework and the basic principles in each system. Second, the direction of classification system has been constructed by applying the normative principle of medical field in order to show the future direction of the medical field and realize its ideology. Third, a finalized framework for the classification system will be presented as based on the direction of classification system. Of the three basis principles mentioned above, the analysis on the principles of usefulness was left out of this thesis due to the difficulty of establishing specific standards of analysis. The results of the study are as follows. The overall structure of the thesis is aimed at showing the 'Prevention-Therapy-Rehabilitation' quality of comprehensive health care and consists of six chapters; I. Prevention and Health Promotion. II. Evaluation and Management . III. Diagnostic Procedures. IV. Endoscopy. V. Therapeutic Procedures. VI. Rehabilitation. Chapter three Diagnostic Procedures is divided into four parts; Functional Diagnosis, Visual Diagnosis, Pathological Diagnosis, Biopsy and Sampling. Chapter five Therapeutic Procedures is divided into Psychiatry, Non-Invasive Therapy, Invasive Therapy, Anaesthesia and Radiation Oncology. Of these sub-divisions, Functional Diagnosis, Biopsy and Sampling, Endoscopy and Invasive Therapy employs the anatomical system of classification. On the other hand, Visual Diagnosis, Pathological Diagnosis, Anesthesia and Diagnostic Radiology, namely those divisions in which there is little or no overlapping in services with other divisions, used the classification system of its own division. The classification system introduced in this thesis can be further supplemented through the use of the cluster analysis by incorporating the advice and assistance of other specialists.

Distribution af active physicians and their working areas after 10 years of graduation / 예방의학회지

The geographical distribution of active physicians who graduated from medical schools before 1985 were studied. Those who had emigrated, hold non-medical jobs, are in the military service, or work as public health physicians and resident staff were excluded from the study. A total of 27,728 physicians were analyzed. Our studies have shown a relationship between the location of the medical schools from the which the physicians have graduated and the geographical regions in which they practice. A statistically significant number of physicians are working near the medical colleges from which they have graduated. That is, those who had graduated from medical schools located in the southern area of the country are presently working in the same region. This relationship was shown to be especially significant for older physicians and female doctors, who work around the area of the medical colleges from which they graduated.