The Remote Health System utilizing Wireless Communication of Personal Health Information / 대한의료정보학회지

OBJECTIVE: The current personal health devices are used as stand.alone machines or transmit the personal health information only to local PCs. The objective of this research is to build a system which can transmit personal health information from personal health devices to the healthcare server systems. METHODS: In this research, we used infrared (IrDA) and Bluetooth for wireless communication from the personal health devices to a PDA. And, we utilized SMS (Simple Message Service) and world wide web systems to deliver the data from the PDA to other mobile phones or to the board in the web server. RESULTS: We developed the system that wirelessly communicates personal health information from the personal health devices to a PDA. The system also delivers both glucose and blood pressure data from the PDA to other mobile phones by SMS (Simple Message Service) or automatically register to the board in the web server. CONCLUSION: We showed convenient and easy way of collecting personal health information. Our system will contribute improving personal healthcare environment and personal health device business.

Three Kinds of Problem-Based Learning Formulas Experienced in Konkuk University College of Medicine / 한국의학교육

We performed three kinds of problem-based learning (PBL) formulas in all of forty-one 3rd grade students after the final examination of the first semester from June 28, 1999 to July 9, 1999 at Konkuk University College of Medicine to investigate which formula is the most efficient and helpful in medical education and polyclinic course. The PBL formulas applied were the typical face-to-face PBL accompanied by mini-lecture (Type I) or by distribution of the guidelines without lecture (Type II) and cyber PBL using web-based module and discussion over cyber space (Type III). Response of students was surveyed using some questionnaires and the evaluation results of each PBL were analyzed with Pearson's correlation test. All participating students were satisfied with the face-to-face PBL especially in applying time of PBL, using discussion to solve the problem, and studying with tutors. In cyber PBL, in spite of excellency of the contents, limitations in discussion over cyber space and computer skills, misunderstanding of computer system, and additional cost for private PC rent seemed to decrease the satisfaction with this PBL. Experience in Type II PBL was turned out to be the most helpful and discussion among fellow students in PBL to be the most useful experience for incoming polyclinic course. There were no significant correlations between the evaluation results of face-to-face PBL and cyber PBL or between the evaluation results of each type of PBL and the average credit of that semester, suggesting that evaluation of the newly acquired knowledge through PBL using tools such as Triple Jump, OSCE (objective structured clinical examination), and MEQ (modified essay question) should be included in assesment of academic achievement in addition to the evaluation of activities during PBL.

Clinical Feature and Factors of Operative Result on Infantile Esotropia

We present the retrospective study to identify the clinical characteristics and the results of surgical correction for 50 patients with diagnosis of infantile esotropia at Soonchunhyang Chunan University Hospital from January 1990 to August 1994. The following results were obtained. Of 50 patients, 29(58%) patients were male and 21(42%)patients were female. Initial visit was most common between age of 2 and 3 years. 14% of patients were seen at age of 2 years or less. Average initial visit was 5.16 years. Esotropia was noted most commonly 2 to 4 month after birth in 23 patients(46%). Preoperative deviation angle was over 30PD in 88% of patients, and preoperative cycloplegic refraction showed +2.0D-O in 62%. The prevalence of associated findings such as amblyopia, dissociated vertical deviation(DVD), inferior oblique muscle overaction, and nystagmus were 32%, 14%, 38%, 4% by sequence. Surgical correction was performed before age of 2 year if noted at initial visit. The average age of surgical correction was 5.42 years. Bilateral medial rectus muscle recessions were performed in 30%, Unilateral resection and recession were performed in 35 patients(70%), Orthophoria(within +10 prism diopters) was achieved in 58% of the patients postoperatively. In 16% of patients residual esotropia of more than 20PD remained, which required further operation. These patients had average preoparative esotropia of 51PD and amblopia and inferior oblique overaction were seen in 87.5% preoperatively. We found that the two variables of amblyopia and inferior oblique muscle overaction lead to less satisfactory outcomes(P<0.01). Since amblyopia and inferior oblique muscle overaciton were seen more commonly in those patients that required reoperation. The average follow up time was 9.4 months.