Health Care Utilization of Outpatients in the Oriental Hospital

모 한방병원 내원 환자의 의료이용실태

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the attitude toward the oriental hospital among 1,234 outpatients. Methods: A questionnaire about the general characteristics of patients, the decision-maker of use and the reason of choice or alteration was implemented. Results: The results of this survey as follows: Among outpatients 56.4 % were female in sex, 25.6 % were below 9 years of age; in educational level, 50.1 % were college graduates. Among outpatients, 33.6% chose the oriental hospital as their first choice and the rest were recommended by other persons. The recommenders were mostly relatives(73.9 %), female(73.4 %), young(30-39 years old, 40.1 %), high educational level (above the college, 54.9 %) people. 37.8 % among outpatients were secondary selection after the western medical clinic for the same symptom and sign. 7.0 % were the concomitant users of both therapies. 62.8 % among the concomitant users did not notify the western doctor about the dual therapies. The reasons they did not notify their Western doctors were 'be afraid of western doctor s bias' (42.6 %), 'no special reason' (29.6 %). Conclusions: The appropriate transfer system between oriental and western clinic must be constructed and the proper recognition about dual therapies will be needed among patients and doctors who practice both kinds of medicine.