• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.1-16
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• 2021

This study aims to examine the effect of integrated health and welfare(IHW) services on medical use and medical expenses in Korean Veteran Hospitals. Data on the volume of medical use and medical expenses were collected from two patient groups of 5 Veterans' Hospitals: the beneficiary group who has received IHW services and the non-beneficiary group who has not. Each group was composed of 265 patients respectively. The results of the study revealed that the volume of home nursing services, home rehabilitation services, ambulatory services have increased significantly, whereas the average length of stay, number of using emergency services, and average medical expenses have decreased after receiving integrated health services in the beneficiary group. In contrast, the non-beneficiary group showed much more increase both in the volume of inpatient and outpatient services, as well as the average medical expenses, compared to those of the beneficiary group. This results imply that the provision of IHW services have positive impacts on the enhancing the effectiveness of the medical resources utilization for the veteran patients.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.21-35
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• 2019

Purposes: This study examines academic research trends and the change of patterns by analyzing researches related to healthcare service marketing from 1988 to 2016. Methodology: As research subjects, a total of 486 published articles were selected. It's to analyze them by dividing into research topics, methods and data by classifying the period into 1988-1999, 2000-2009, 2010-2016. Findings: From 1988 to 2016, 486 research articles on healthcare service marketing were published in academic journals. Research on healthcare service marketing has steadily increased. Most of the articles were about service quality, satisfaction, revisitation, and reuse. 452 research articles were quantitative research. Generally questionnaire surveys were used. Practical Implications: We suggest future research directions on the basis of the status of research on healthcare service marketing for the last 30 years.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.27 no.3
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• pp.39-49
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• 2022

Purposes: This study purposed to analyze the relationship between patient safety and patient-centerendess. Methodology: The comprehensive scores from patient safety assessment program and patient experience survey conducted by Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service were used as independent variables and dependent variables. This study analyzed the relationship between 4 patient safety-related areas(i.e. risk standardized readmission ratio, intensive care unit, preventive antibiotic, the drug evaluation) and 6 patient experience areas(i.e. nurse services, doctor services, medication & treatment, hospital environment, patient's right, overall experience) by using robust regression analysis. Findings: According to results, the score in 'patient's right' and 'risk standardized readmission ratio' areas were found to have a significant relationship, and 'overall experience' and the 'preventive antibiotic' areas. The ratio of senior beds and specialists was a general characteristics of hospitals that had a significant relationship on patient experience assessment. Practical Implication: The relationships between patient safety and patient experience assessment were varied depending on areas. Further study is needed to make clear the supposed relationship.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.63-79
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• 2009

While previous epidemiological studies on temporomandibular disorders (TMD) have been based on a given health center or population sample, no study has been performed on general population of Korea, especially concerning about treatment pattern such as clinician’s specialty involved in TMD treatment, types and amount of prescription medication and cost. This study aimed to investigate magnitude of health visits and treatment patterns for Korean patients with TMD through the computerized database of Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRAS). Inclusion criteria were all patients registered on the HIRAS database over 3 years' period from 2003 to 2005 and the medical records of patients with TMD as a main diagnosis were extracted. Information collected was as follows; distribution related to gender, age and region and type of hospital the patients visited, treatment duration, clinicians' specialty involved in treatment, cost, types of prescription medication and surgical treatment. The results of this study indicated that 0.15% of the population yearly sought TMD treatment, presenting with increase of incidence over the three years. Most of TMD patients were women (99.8%) and the biggest age group was second and third decades and decreased with age. Seoul and Kyeonggi province presented with higher incidence of TMD compared to the other regions of Korea, which seems to be related with magnitude of population. 56% of TMD patients visited primary care sector and the numbers of treatment visits was the highest in dental clinic (38.4%), followed by orthopedics (28%) and ENT (13.6%) clinics in order. Duration of prescription medication was the longest for anti-inflammatory analgesics, followed by antipsychotic drugs and muscle relaxants. Inpatient care related to TMD was primarily performed in dental hospital compared to medical hospital. Medical database of HIRAS provided comprehensive and vast information on epidemiologic characteristics and treatment patterns for patients seeking TMD treatment, which can be more reliable data to expect medical demand for TMD in condition that accurate diagnosis and standardized treatment is delivered in clinical settings.

• The Korean Society of Law and Medicine
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.3-35
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• 2021

Inmitten der Flut der privaten und öffentlichen Information gilt die riesige Informationsmenge als Schlüsselressource im Zeitalter der 4. industriellen Revolution, repräsentiert durch Big-Data. Das Interesse an diesen wächst weltweit. Es gibt eine aktive Diskussion darüber, wie man Daten sichert und akkumuliert und wie man die gesammelten Daten sicher und effektiv nutzt. Gesundheitsdaten werden vor allem als die wertvollste Ressource bewertet, für die Big-DataTechnologie eingesetzt wird. Um Gesundheitsdaten sinnvoll zu nutzen, müssen verteilte Gesundheitsdaten integriert und den Benutzern in einer Form zur Verfügung gestellt werden, die für Forschung oder Inspektion verwendet werden kann. In einer Situation, in der große Länder um den Aufbau bzw. die Führung der Datenwirtschaft konkurrieren, wurden im August 2020 auch in Südkorea die sog. „3-Daten-Gesetze" geändert, die das Datenschutzgesetz(DSG) enthälten. Das DSG führte das Konzept der pseudonymen Informationen ein und baute eine Rechtsgrundlage für deren Verwendung auf. Als Folgemaßnahme kündigte die, Kommission für den Schutz personenbezogener Daten(Personal Information Protection Commission: PIPC)' die „Richtlinien für die Bahandlung mit pseudonymen Informationen" und, Ministerium für Gesundheit und Wohlfahrt' die „Richtlinien für die Verwendung von Gesundheitsdaten" an. Gesundheitsdaten stehen direkt in Zusammenhang mit Leben und Körper des Menschen und damit enthalten viele sensible Daten. Es handelt sich also um ein System, das aus einer vorsichtigeren und konservativeren Sicht unter der Voraussetzung verwendet werden kann, personenbezogene Daten sicherer zu schützen. Um die Hauptinhalte der „Richtlinien für Verwendung von Gesundheitsdaten" zu analysieren, überprüften wir zunächst die Hauptinhalte des überarbeiteten DSG. Danach durch die Analyse der wesentlichen Inhalte der „Richtlinien für Verwendung von Gesundheitsdaten" wurden Probleme wie Konflikte mit anderen Gesetzen und Verbesserungsmaßnahmen überprüft.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.13-20
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• 2012

서론: 주사제 사용을 줄이기 위한 정책의 일환으로 건강보험심사평가원은 의료기관별 주사제 처방률을 통보하고 있으나, 여전히 주사제 처방은 높은 실정이다. 따라서 본 연구에서는 주사제에 대한 환자의 인식수준을 살펴보고, 환자의 주사제 요청에 영향을 미치는 요인을 파악하고자 하였다. 연구방법: 본 연구는 최근 6개월 이내에 병의원을 방문한 전국의 20세 이상의 남녀를 대상으로 전화조사한 단면설계 연구다. 환자의 일반적 특성과 주사제에 대한 태도, 인식을 조사하였고, 환자가 주사제를 요청하는데 영향을 미치는 특성을 규명하기 위해 일반적 특성(성, 연령, 결혼여부, 보험형태, 지역규모, 질환, 교육, 소득 등), 주사제에 대한 인식, 태도를 독립변수로 하고, 주사제 처방 요청여부를 종속변수로 하며, 16개 행정지역을 무작위 효과로 층화한 다수 준 분석을 실시하였다.결과: 연구대상에 포함된 응답자는 997명이었고(응답률 82.2%), 응답자 중 24%가 병의원 방문 당시 주사제를 요구했다고 응답했고, 58%가 한번 이상 주사제를 맞은 경험이 있다고 보고했다. 92%가 주사제에 대해 잘못된 인식을 갖고 있었고, 15%는 의사가 부적절하게 주사제를 처방한다고 응답했다. 다수준 로지스틱 회귀분석 결과, 남성의 경우(Odds ratio(OR) 0.71, 95% confidence interval(CI) 0.52-0.99), 고졸이상자(OR 0.63, 95% CI 0.41-0.96), 기혼자(OR 1.72, 95% CI 1.01-2.92)가 주사제를 더 요구하는 것으로 나타났고, 대도시에 비해 농촌지역 환자가(OR 2.12, 95% CI 1.24-3.63), 호흡기계 질환으로 방문한 경우(OR 1.48, 95% CI 1.03-2.12), 주사제를 처방하면 경구제에 비해 신뢰감이 생긴다는 응답자의 경우(OR 1.91, 95% CI 1.33-2.73) 주사제를 더 요구하는 것으로 나타났다. 결론: 본 연구결과 여성, 기혼자, 농촌 거주자, 호흡기계 질환으로 방문한 환자의 경우와 주사를 맞으면 신뢰감이 생긴다는 잘못된 태도를 가진 환자가 주사제를 요구하는 것으로 나타났고, 이러한 환자특성을 고려하여 주사제 사용을 감소시키기 위한 정책을 실시하는 것이 필요하겠다.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.22 no.9
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• pp.561-569
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• 2022

A study was conducted to determine whether there is a difference in the incidence of kidney cancer according to income level and the difference in delayed diagnosis. To this end, the incidence of kidney cancer in Korea was analyzed by income level and by stage. From 2015 to 2017, a national kidney cancer cohort was established by linking the KCCR(Korea Central Cancer Registry), NHISS(National health insurance sharing service), and the HIRA(Health insirance review and assessment service) database to calculate the kidney cancer incidence by stage and income level. During the study period, the incidence of kidney cancer in Korea increased in all income deciles, but decreased only in the medical aid population. The incidence of kidney cancer in Korea was 7.35 per 100,000 people, and 83.54% of them were locoregional kidney cancer. In the top 20% of the income decile, there was a high incidence of 21.46 cases per 100,000 people, among which 18.37 cases were locoregional kidney cancer. On the other hand, even after adjusting for risk factors related to kidney cancer, it was confirmed that the lower the income level, the higher the risk of being diagnosed with kidney cancer with distant metastasis (lowest income 20% adj.OR 1.807, 95% CI 1.411-2.222). In the insured population, the risk ratio of being diagnosed with unknown stage was 1.926 (95% CI 1.317, 2.816). The higher the income level, the higher the frequency of early cancer diagnosis, but the lower the income level, the higher the risk of being diagnosed with metastatic kidney cancer or an unknown stage, so health inequality according to income level was observed.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.163-177
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• 2024

Background: This study aims to examine changes in fraudulent claim counts and total reimbursements before and after enhancements in counterfeit claim controls and monitoring of provider claim patterns under the "Proactive self-audit pilot program of fraudulent claims." Methods: This study used the claims data and hospital information (July 2021-February 2022) of the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service. The data was collected from 1,129 hospitals assigned to the pilot program, selected from the providers who filed a claim for reimbursement for intravenous injections. Paired and independent t-tests, along with regression analysis, were utilized to analyze changing patterns and factors influencing claim behaviors. Results: This program led to a reduction in the number of fraudulent claims and the total amount of reimbursements across all levels of hospitals in the experimental groups (except for physicians below 40 years old). In the control group, general hospitals and hospitals demonstrated some significant decreases based on the duration since opening, while clinics showed significant reductions in specified subjects. Additionally, a notable increase was observed among male physicians over the age of 50 years. Overall, claims and reimbursements significantly declined after the intervention. Furthermore, a positive correlation was found between hospital opening duration and claim numbers, suggesting longer-established hospitals were more likely to file claims. Conclusion: The results indicate that the pilot program successfully encouraged providers to autonomously minimize fraudulent claims. Therefore, it is advised to extend further support, including promotional activities, training, seminars, and continuous monitoring, to nonparticipating hospitals to facilitate independent improvements in their claim practices.

• The Korean Society of Law and Medicine
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.175-209
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• 2019

The bundled discounting which the dominant undertakings engage in is problematic in terms of competition restraint. Bundled discounts generally benefit not only buyers but also sellers. Specifically, bundled discounts usually costs a firm less to sell multiple products. In addition, Bundled discounts always provide some immediate consumer benefit in the form of lower prices. Therefore, competition authorities and courts should not be too quick to condemn bundled discounts and apply the neutral and objective standard in bundled discounting cases. Cascade Health v. Peacehealth decision starts ruling from this prerequisite. This decision pointed out that the dominant undertaking can exclude rivals through bundled discounting without pricing its products below its cost when rivals do not sell as great a number of product lines. So bundled discounting may have the anticompetitive impact by excluding less diversified but more efficient producers. This decision did not adopt Lepage case's standard which does not require the court to consider whether the competitor was at least as efficient of a producer as the bundled discounter. Instead of that, based on cost based approach, this decision said that the exclusionary element can not be satisfied unless the discounts result in prices that are below an appropriate measures of the defendant's costs. By adopting a discount attribution standard, this decision said that the full amount of the discounts should be allocated to the competitive products. As the seller can easily ascertain its own prices and costs of production and calculate whether its discounting practices exclude competitors, not the competitor's costs but the dominant undertaking's costs should be considered in applying discount attribution standard. This case deals with bundled discounting practice of multiple healthcare services by the dominant undertaking in healthcare market. Under the Korean healthcare system and public health insurance system, the price competition primarily exists in non-medical care benefits because public healthcare insurance in Korea is in combination with the compulsory medical care institution system. The cases that Monopoly Regulation and Fair Trade Law deals with, such as cartel and the abuse of monopoly power, also mainly exist in non-medical care benefits. The dominant undertaking's exclusionary bundled discounting in Korean healthcare markets may be practiced in the contracts between the dominant undertaking and private insurance companies with regards to non-medical care benefits.

• Journal of the Korean BIBLIA Society for library and Information Science
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.283-304
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• 2015

The purpose of this study was to identify Web accessibility issues of healthcare websites of the Korean government and public agencies by evaluating these websites' accessibility in accordance with the Korean Web Contents Accessibility Guideline. This study conducted both automated and expert testing to assess the accessibility of a total of 27 health-related websites. The results of the assessment which was conducted in two stages indicated that institutions such as the National Hospital and National Rehabilitation Center demonstrated almost no Web accessibility error. In addition, the Korea Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the Health Services Agency, the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety, and the Korea Medical Dispute Mediation and Arbitration Agency attained very high web accessibility. However, the results of an expert evaluation highlighted that there were considerable errors in providing appropriate alternative text, which was not found in the automated test, and the color contrast of the text content did not comply with Web accessibility standard. Therefore, these websites did not support web accessibility for the sight-impaired. Furthermore, the present study found that it was difficult to deliver accurate information to users due to errors in the default language display and markup, and also, issues of skipping repeated content, content linearization, and compliance with keyboard use were considered as challenges that might arise for people with sight, cognitive and mobility impairments with respect to Web accessibility. It is the first study that evaluated accessibility of healthcare websites of the Korean government and public agencies based on the Korean Web Contents Accessibility Guideline. The present study made a contribution to research on Web accessibility by conducting expert testing, which provided a more complete assessment that identified the degree and specific issues of accessibility errors when compared to automated testing.