• 보건행정학회지
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• 제23권2호
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• pp.145-151
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• 2013

Background: The objective of this study was to explore patient family's evaluation of emergency department (ED) service satisfaction and to compare these with ED staff perception of patient family's evaluation. Methods: Based on two surveys of the National Emergency Medical Center: the 2008 National Survey for Recognition and Satisfaction towards Emergency Medical Services and the 2008 Opinion Survey of Emergency Medical Service Providers, satisfaction gaps among physicians, nurses, and patient family were evaluated by Kruskal-Wallis tests and Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney tests. Furthermore, the factors associated with satisfaction of emergency medical service were identified by ordinal logistic regression models. Results: There were statistically significant gaps among physicians, nurses, and patient family in overall satisfaction with ED visit, length of stay in ED, enough explanation, physicians/nurses kindness, and ED facilities. Age and income in the patient family model, the number of beds in hospital, job satisfaction and year of service in the physicians model, and the number of beds in hospital, job satisfaction and the number of patients per duty hour in the nurses model were statistically significant factors associated with evaluation/ perception of ED service satisfaction. Conclusion: Patient satisfaction is an important indicator of the quality of care and service delivery in the ED. To improve and understand satisfaction in ED service, a dyadic view of the evaluation of service quality and satisfaction-that is, from the perspectives of both the patient and the emergency medical service providers-should be concerned.

• 한국응급구조학회지
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• 제20권1호
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• pp.57-70
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• 2016

Purpose: This study aims to analyze the current state of emergency care for patients with anaphylaxis and to identify problems and areas for improvement in prehospital care. Methods: This study was conducted using 119 emergency running sheets and medical records of 109 patients diagnosed with anaphylaxis. Questionnaires were also given to emergency medical technicians (EMTs) and emergency physicians. The data were analyzed using SPSS 21.0. Results: Prehospital emergency care included oxygen administration in 64.2%, an intravenous line in 15.6%, and medication injection in 11.0%. The most commonly administered medications were antihistamines in 66.7% and epinephrine in 8.3%. Of EMTs surveyed, 47.0% suggested an epinephrine injection and using direct medical control, while 53.8% of the emergency physicians suggested an epinephrine injection and using indirect medical control. Most emergency physicians 88.8% responded that epinephrine could be administered by EMTs. Conclusion: The data support epinephrine injection of patients with anaphylaxis by EMTs, but a larger sample size of EMTs is required. Education about the treatment of anaphylaxis should be improved for EMTs. The scope of paramedic responsibilities should also be redefined.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제51권3호
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• pp.154-162
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• 2018

Objectives: Early retirement occurs when one's job satisfaction suffers due to employment mismatch resulting from factors such as inadequate compensation. Medical doctors report high levels of job stress and burnout relative to other professionals. These levels are highest among emergency physicians (EPs), and despite general improvements in their working conditions, early retirement continues to become more common in this population. The purpose of this study was to identify the factors influencing EPs intention to retire early and to develop a probability equation for its prediction. Methods: A secondary analysis of data from the 2015 Korean Society of Emergency Physicians Survey was performed. The variables potentially influencing early retirement were organized into personal characteristics, extrinsic factors, and intrinsic factors. Logistic regression analysis was performed to identify risk factors and to develop a probability equation; these findings were then arranged in a nomogram. Results: Of the 377 survey respondents included in the analysis, 48.0% intended to retire early. Risk factors for early retirement included level of satisfaction with the specialty and its outlook, slanderous reviews, emergency room safety, health status, workload intensity, age, and hospital type. Intrinsic factors (i.e., slanderous reviews and satisfaction with the specialty and its outlook) had a stronger influence on early retirement than did extrinsic factors. Conclusions: To promote career longevity among EPs, it is vital to improve emergency room safety and workload intensity, to enhance medical professionalism through a stronger vision of emergency medicine, and to strengthen the patient-doctor relationship.

• 대한임상독성학회지
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• 제2권2호
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• pp.123-128
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• 2004

Purpose: In recent review of physician suicides] the relative risk of physicians is higher than the general population. The majority of physician suicide were by poisoning. The purpose of this study was to analyse the medical personnels with suicide by poisoning compared with the general population. Methods: We reviewed medical records of 15 medical related personnels with suicide by poisoning who visited the emergency medical centers of St. Mary's and Kangnam St. Mary's hospitals from March 1998 to Aug 2004. For the comparison with general population in analysis] the collected data was acquired from medical records of 677 intoxicated patients in St. Mary's Hospital during the same period. Results: Fifteen suicides of physicians (n=7), nurses (n=4), medical students (n=2), pharmacist (n=1) and medical assistant technician (n=1) was evaluated with regard to the method of poisoning. Preferred methods were ingestion of medications orally ($54\%$) and by infusion/injection ($46\%$). The results were compared with the general population group (n=677: oral ingestion of medications $98\%$, inhalation $1.6\%$). Intoxications by infusion/injection predominated more clearly in physicians than in the total collective. Conclusion: Comparing with the general population, the tendency to a method of suicidal poisoning being typical of the profession rises among physicians and related occupations with the degree of specialization, caused by increasing knowledge, easier access to appropriate drugs and methods.

• 대한임상독성학회지
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• 제15권1호
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• pp.17-23
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• 2017

Purpose: Activated charcoal (AC) has been widely used as a universal antidote. Currently, emergency medical centers in Korea cannot administer AC due to discontinuation of the supply of commercial ready-mixed AC suspension. This study was conducted to investigate the proportion of emergency medical centers that administer AC to poisoning patients and provide basic information for emergency physicians and toxicologists. Methods: A prospective telephone survey of all of the included emergency medical institutions was conducted. The type of emergency medical institution, average annual number of patients admitted to the emergency department, annual average number of patients who were poisoned and whether the hospital currently utilizes gastric lavage and administration of AC were determined. Results: AC was administered to poisoning patients in 40% of regional emergency medical centers, 59.3% of local emergency medical centers, and 45.9% of local emergency medical rooms. Overall, 37% of total emergency medical institutions did not administer AC due to discontinuation of the commercial ready-mixed AC suspension. Additionally, 77% of emergency physicians in institutions without AC knew AC is necessary for poisoning patients. The rate of vomiting experienced by the medical staff according to types of charcoal showed that the average rate of vomiting was 33% for commercial ready-mixed activated charcoal suspension and 51% for self-prepared charcoal powder (p=0.02). Conclusion: AC should be secured promptly in emergency medical institutions. Before the supply of commercial ready-mixed AC suspension becomes again it is essential to develop a standardized regimen for self-preparation of charcoal powder and to educate emergency physicians and toxicologists to its use.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제53권5호
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• pp.362-370
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• 2020

Objectives: Despite greater access to training positions and the presence of more women in emergency medicine, it has remained a men-dominated field. This study aims to identify the key issues causing the gender gap in Korea and establish measures to overcome them. Methods: Using the annual statistical reports of the National Emergency Medical Center and data published on the Korean Society of Emergency Medicine website, cases that listed the current status and positions of members in its organization and its committees were analyzed. Secondary analysis was conducted using data from the 2015 Korean Society of Emergency Survey that included physicians' demographics, academic ranking, years of experience, clinical work hours, training and board certification, core faculty status, position, and salaries. Results: As of September 2019, women account for only 12.7% of the total number of emergency physicians (EP) in Korea; of 119 chair/vice-chair academic positions, women represented only 9.2%. Women EP were more often assistant professors and fellowship-trained, with fewer in core faculty. However, they worked the same numbers of clinical hours as their men counterparts. The median annual salary of women EP was less than that of men EP after adjusting for academic hospital rank, clinical hours, and core faculty status. Conclusions: A gender gap still exists among Korean EP, and women earn less than men regardless of their rank, clinical hours, or training. Future studies should evaluate more data and develop system-wide practices to eliminate gender disparities.

• Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
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• 제16권4호
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• pp.223-236
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• 2016

As the medical environment and dental services change, the importance of educating dentists in responses to systemic emergencies is increasing. The current student-oriented education paradigm is moving towards training students in the abilities required to address the daily crises they will face, while also providing them with the ability to deliver knowledge. Before addressing a patient's situation, emergency physicians begin by diagnosing symptoms. As they must decide on the tests and treatments that are immediately required and must solve problems through interdisciplinary treatment, emergency physicians require additional skills and communication abilities besides clinical knowledge. Since dentistry colleges provide education that emphasizes the skills dentists require to treat oral diseases, they do not have sufficient time to teach emergency care. Additionally, because their professors lack expertise in pedagogy, dental students also have insufficient motivation to study the pathophysiology of systemic diseases. This review proposes a direction of teaching that can help dental students recognize problems and situations in emergency cases and that can help them develop their capability to immediately make a decision and resolve the problem. To do this, the author surveyed the educational philosophy and knowledge provided in the instructional design of clinical professors who give lectures on emergency care, and also examined the teaching methods of the learner-oriented education paradigm.

• 농촌의학ㆍ지역보건
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• 제36권1호
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• pp.36-46
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• 2011

본 연구는 도서지역에 있는 47개 보건지소에 근무하는 의과 공중보건의사 79명을 대상으로 응급의료 수행 현황 및 지식수준 등을 파악하고자 하였다. 전체 79명의 대상자 중 35명이 설문에 응답하여 44.30%의 응답률을 보였다. 지난 6개월간 도서지역 보건지소에 근무하는 공중보건의사 중 58.68%가 응급의료 질환을 경험하였고, 평균 1.92건의 응급처치를 수행한 것으로 나타났다. 하지만, 실제 응급처치 능력에 대해서는 일부 생명과 직접 연관된 응급처치 능력에 자신이 없음을 호소하였다. 보건지소 근무 의사 중 20.25%만이 전문의 자격을 갖춘 의사였는데, 응급의료 관련 질환을 처치하는 데 있어 전문의가 일반의와 비교하면 지식수준이 유의하게 높은 것을 확인할 수 있었다. 또한, 지식수준이 높다 하더라도 장비 및 의료지원 등 부족으로 실제 처치 능력으로 이어지지 못하는 것을 알 수 있었다. 일부 섬의 경우 1명의 공중보건의사만 배치된 일도 있었으나 일반의 1인, 전문의 1인을 배치하는 것이 타당하다는 의견이 많았고, 공중보건의사 배치 이후 부족한 지식 및 기술을 습득하기 위한 교육 및 지원체계가 필요하다는 의견이 다수 있었다. 도서지역은 지리적으로 고립되어 있고, 이용할 수 있는 보건의료기관에 대한 선택권이 적다는 점에서 보건지소의 역할이 무엇보다 중요하다. 특히 응급질환 발생시 보건지소를 이용하는 주민이 많다는 측면에서도 보건지소 응급의료 기능을 강화하는 방안을 마련하는 것이 필요하겠다. 응급의료 기능을 효율적으로 수행하고 질 높은 서비스 제공을 위하여 적절한 인력, 의료장비를 갖추도록 하고, 응급의료에 대한 매뉴얼 개발 및 현장교육 체계를 정비하여 최신의 지식과 기술을 보급하는 방안을 강구하여야 한다.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• 제36권4호
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• pp.393-398
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• 2023

Patients transported from fire sites may exhibit various injury patterns. Major trauma, skin burn, inhalation burn, and carbon monoxide poisoning are typical injuries. However, most physicians may be unfamiliar that cyanide poisoning can frequently occur due to combustion. Cyanide poisoning is highly significant owing to high mortality and the existence of antidotes. I present a 35-year-old man who was transported from a burning building and suffered severe metabolic acidosis despite no major bleeding as well as mild carbon monoxide poisoning. I suspected cyanide poisoning and administered the antidote; subsequently, the patient showed improvement. The next day, sudden airway obstruction developed, and emergency endotracheal intubation was performed. The inhalation damage was detected only in the lower airway tract and not in the upper airway. Physicians should be aware of cyanide poisoning and inhalation burn to avoid missing treatment opportunities.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• 제35권4호
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• pp.232-239
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• 2022

Purpose: The recent increase in electric scooter (e-scooter) use has been accompanied by an increase in injuries from e-scooter-related accidents. Studies have reported that most such injuries are minor, and physicians may therefore underestimate the severity of such injuries. This study investigated the types and severity of injuries caused by isolated e-scooter accidents (i.e., those that did not involve colliding with other cars or falling from heights). Methods: This prospective observational study was conducted from May to December 2021 at Dankook University Hospital tertiary medical center. The demographic data of patients injured in isolated e-scooter-related accidents were collected. All injuries were categorized by body part. Results: Fifty eligible patients visited our emergency department during the study period. Of these, 76% were categorized as nonemergency, and 62% were discharged after initial evaluation and treatment at the emergency department. Another 10% were admitted to the intensive care unit (ICU) and 18% to the ward, with nine patients receiving at least one operation. The average hospital stays were 2.4 days in the ICU and 9 days in the ward. One death occurred due to traumatic brain injury (overall mortality rate, 2%). Multiple fractures of the left third through ninth ribs combined with lung laceration and fractures of T12 and L4 were noted. Conclusions: Various types and severities of injuries can occur in isolated e-scooter accidents. While most such injuries are minor, some will require ICU admission or surgery, and deaths can occur. Physicians should not underestimate the severity of such injuries.