• Health Policy and Management
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.457-492
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• 2011

The primary goal of our study was to investigate the vast transformations of the healthcare sector in Korea during the past half century. Official data reported in the Korean statistical yearbooks and secondary data suggested by previous studies were used for institutional analysis of healthcare environment. Information on hospital released by the Korean Hospital Association was also used for ecological analysis. Institutional analysis: We identified three distinctive eras based primarily on changes in institutional logics, institutional actors, and governance structures : 'professional dominance (1952-1976)', 'government involvement (1977-1999)', and 'coexistence of competing institutional logics (2000-present)'. During the first era, physician association supported by Korean government comprised the primary governance regime. During the second era, the government became a major actor as a regulator and purchaser in health care sector, introducing of the 'mandatory national health insurance'. During the third era, making healthcare system sustainable and providing health care efficiently was overarching goals although it was hard to find a single central logic dominating this period. Ecological analysis: Evidence from the analysis of hospital population suggested that the expansion of the bed capacity was made from different processes, shifting from the ecological process in 1980s to the adaptive process in 1990s. And Korean hospitals had changed following both 'directional process' and 'stabilizing process' over time. Based on our results, we concluded that more studies to compare more organizational populations other than hospitals and to empirically test the effects of institutional changes on organizational changes and vice-versa, need to be conducted.

• Journal of Contemporary Eastern Asia
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.69-81
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• 2014

While much in the field of public management has emphasized the importance of nonprofit advocacy activities in policy and decision-making procedures, few have considered the relevance and impact of leading actors on structuring diverse patterns of information sharing and communication through social media. Building nonprofit advocacy is a complicated process for a single organization to undertake, but social media applications such as Facebook and Twitter have facilitated nonprofit organizations and stakeholders to effectively share information and communicate with each other for identifying their mission as it relates to environmental issues. By analyzing the Australian Marine Conservation Society's (AMCS) Twitter network data from the period 1 April to 20 April, 2013, this research discovered diverse patterns in nonprofit advocacy by leading actors in building advocacy. Based on the webometrics approach, analysis results show that nonprofit advocacy through social media is structured by dynamic information flows and intercommunications among participants and followers of the AMCS. Also, the findings indicate that the news media and international and domestic nonprofit organizations have a leading role in building nonprofit advocacy by clustering with their followers.

• New & Renewable Energy
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.40-50
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• 2013

Government spending on research and development increased continuously is much more important to decision-making methodology for rational investment. Rely on a group of minority experts in the application of a general methodology, a tipping effect occur in specific technology field or difficult balanced procedure and objective control to maintain. This paper presents a qualitative-quantitative methodology to avoid such risks by utilizing Technology-Tree pertaining to energy R&D planning of the government Energy Technology Development program. Especially Energy Technology Development program "energy storage system" is applied to the analysis of Technology-Tree, mapping and analysis of existing government-supported projects during the recent 5 years, is derived essential missing elements of the technology value chain. This study suggests that significant evidence is utilized for improving efficiency of government R&D budget considering the importance of technology, domestic research-based and so forth, could be used to implement the R&D project planning.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.51 no.2
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• pp.626-630
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• 2019

After several significant nuclear accidents, public attitudes toward nuclear energy technologies and facilities are considered to be one of the essential factors in the national energy and electricity policy-making process of several nations that employ nuclear energy as their key energy resource. However, it is difficult to explore and capture such an attitude, because the majority of prior studies analyzed public attitudes with a limited number of respondents and fragmentary opinion polls. In order to supplement this point, this study suggests a big data analyzing method with K-LIWC (Korean-Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count), sentiment and query analysis methods, and investigates public attitudes, positive and negative emotional statements about nuclear energy with the collected data sets of well-known social media and network services in Korea over time. Results show that several events and accidents related to nuclear energy have consistent or temporary effects on the attitude and ratios of the statements, depending on the kind of events and accidents. The presented methodology and the use of big data in relation to the energy industry is suggested as it can be helpful in addressing and exploring public attitudes. Based on the results, implications, limitations, and future research areas are presented.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.85-96
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• 2021

Purpose: The aim of this study was to investigatecomplementary therapiesprovided at hospice palliative care facilities in South Koreaas designated by the Ministry of Health and Welfare. Methods: The survey was conducted via e-mail from September 2 to September 23, 2020, with responsesfrom 109 therapists and 59 managers from 55 different hospice care facilities. Results: Hospices provided an average of 3.67 different types of therapies, ranging from 1 to 7 different types. The most common types of therapies were horticultural therapy (81.4%), music therapy (79.7%), art therapy (76.3%), and aromatherapy (57.6%). The average frequency of sessions was once a week, the median duration was 60 minutes. Most therapists (96.3%) had qualifications, but the certification-issuing organizations and training intensiveness varied greatly. None of the therapists were employed on a full-time basis, and their average monthly income was KRW 270,000. Therapists and managers gave average scores of 8.90 and 8.38 out of 10, respectively, regarding the positive impact of complementary therapies on patients. Conclusion: In order for patients and their families to benefit from complementary therapiesat hospice care facilities, in addition tobetter terms of employment for therapists, evidence-based guidelines for different types of therapies are needed so that therapy sessions can be conducted according to the theoretical underpinnings and characteristics of the type of therapy. It is expected that the results of this study will be used for policy-making in support of therapy as an essential hospice service.

• The Korean Society of Law and Medicine
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.265-291
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• 2011

Changes in a drug's availability from prescription only to over-the-counter (OTC) status is of concern to physicians from both public health and individual patient perspectives. Government has generally been supportive of changes in medications from prescription(Rx) to over-the-counter (OTC) status in Korea, however, recognizing that there are both benefits and risks to any health care intervention, health care professionals are conservative in implementing changes to either the process or structure of health care. Changes in status of a drug from Rx to OTC can represent a change in both structure and process. Cost and convenience seem to be major factors in determining whether, given the choice, patients purchase a medicine over the counter or obtain it on prescription. With current arrangements, exemption from prescription charges provides an incentive to continue to obtain products on NHS prescription even when they are available over the counter. There is therefore no simple relation between the availability of over the counter medicines and the level of prescribing of deregulated products. The appropriate use of over the counter medicines-particularly those that have only recently been deregulated-places a burden of care on community pharmacists and calls for closer working relationships with general practitioners. In particular, systems for referral and for recording details of both prescribed and over the counter medicines need to be developed, and a direct route needs to be established for community pharmacists to report adverse drug reactions to over the counter products. Reclassification of prescription medicines-by making them available through pharmacies without a prescription-provides the opportunity for consumers to purchase a wider range of medicinal products without making a demand on NHS resources. There is, however, no simple relation between availability of over the counter medicines and demand for NHS prescriptions. In the late 1980s the UK government fuelled the over the counter market by making it easier to reclassify certain medicines from prescription only status to allow over the counter sale in pharmacies. To explore the influence of deregulation of medicines on NHS prescribing, this article presents analyses of consumer behaviour in using medicines and prescribers' attitudes to over the counter medication and collates findings from research. Policy makers should be aware that patients' expectations in relation to OTC medicines may be in conflict with evidence-based practice.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.1-16
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• 2010

Background : Clinical practice guidelines are an increasingly familiar part of clinical practice. Moreover, rigorously developed evidence based guidelines has been widely used. However, in Korea, some of published documents as clinical practice guidelines have shown considerable disparity in structure, contents and quality. This is mainly because there is no consensus on the definition and quality standard of clinical practice guidelines. The purpose of this study was to draw consensus on the definition and the quality standard about clinical practice guidelines. Method : We developed a questionnaire about the definition of clinical practice guidelines with inclusion criteria(23 items) and the quality standard(30 items). We selected 9 experts who had prior experience in developing and implementing guidelines. Rating methods for appropriateness of items were adopted from the RAND method. Consensus was drawn in three rounds. Results : Of the 47 items agreed, 40 items were determined to be appropriate. Clinical practice guidelines were defined as "scientifically and systematically developed statements to assist practitioners and patients on making decisions about appropriate health care for specific clinical circumstances." Narrative reviews, systematic reviews or health technology assessment without recommendations, translation of foreign guidelines, guidelines for patients only and training manuals were not considered as clinical practice guidelines. For the quality standard of clinical practice guidelines, 27 items were deemed necessary. Conclusions : The consensus on the definition with inclusion criteria and the quality standard of clinical practice guidelines carries an important meaning as the first attempt to draw a general agreement in our society. The unique achievement of the consensus reflects the current status of clinical practice guidelines that there has been a high tendency to adapt foreign guidelines. We hope efforts of this kind will continue to bring improvement in clinical practice guidelines.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.16-24
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• 2020

Background: Dental treatment has shifted to the center of the community, and the public policy of the country has expanded to support the vulnerable classes such as the disabled. The dental profession needs education regarding oral health services for persons with disabilities, and it is necessary to derive the competencies for this. Therefore, we conducted this study to derive the normative ability to understand the role of a dental hygienist in the oral health service for persons with disabilities and improvement plans for education. Methods: We conducted a qualitative analysis for deriving competencies by analyzing the data collected through in-depth interviews with experts in order to obtain abilities through practical experience. Based on the competency criterion, relevant competency in the interview response was derived using the priori method, and it was confirmed whether the derived ability matched the ability determined by the respondent. Results: The professional conduct competencies of dental hygienists, devised by the Korean Association of Dental Hygiene, consists of professional behavior, ethical decision-making, self-assessment skills, lifelong learning, and accumulated evidence. Also, core competencies of the American Dental Education Association competencies for dental hygienist classification such as ethics, responsibility for professional actions, and critical thinking skills were used as the criterion. The dental hygienist's abilities needed for oral health care for people with disabilities, especially in the detailed abilities to fulfill these social needs, were clarified. Conclusion: To activate oral health care for people with disabilities, it is necessary for dental hygienists to fulfill their appropriate roles, and for this purpose, competency-based curriculum restructuring is indispensable. A social safety net for improving the oral health of people with disabilities can be secured by improving the required skills-based education system of dental hygienists and strengthening the related infrastructure.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.38-52
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• 2021

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to analyze the use of insured herbal extracts and Korean medicinal treatments, which are mainly used to treat allergic rhinitis in Korean medicine. Methods : Among all HIRA(Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service) claims data in 2016, we included all statements that included J30(vasomotor and allergic rhinitis) or a subcategory of J30(J30.0, J30.1, J30.2, J30.3, or J30.4) as the main disease, using the Korean Standard Classification of Diseases(KCD-7). This study analyzed the most frequently used insured herbal extracts and Korean medicinal treatments for allergic rhinitis in Korean medicine. We performed a frequency analysis on subgroups based on treatment type(inpatient or outpatient), sex, age, insurance type, and medical institution type. Results : The result shows the 10 most frequently used insured herbal extracts and Korean medicinal treatments for allergic rhinitis. The total number of insured herbal extracts prescriptions was 82,533, and the most commonly prescribed insured herbal extracts was socheongryong-tang(35,131 prescriptions), followed by hyeonggaeyeongyo-tang(18,157 prescriptions), samsoeum(6,257 prescriptions), and galgeun-tang(4,465 prescriptions). The total number of Korean medicinal treatments prescriptions was 1,878,541, of which the most common Korean medicinal treatments was acupuncture(922,977 prescriptions), followed by moxibustion(372,120 prescriptions), cupping(242,094 prescriptions), and segmental acupuncture(161,553 prescriptions). Conclusions : It is expected that the results of this study can be used as a basis for establishing the priorities of evidence-based clinical research topics in the field of Korean medicine and making health care policy decisions to strengthen coverage in the future.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.29 no.2 s.53
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• pp.331-346
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• 1996

Exploring the epidemiological trend of HIV/AIDS is required for making the national AIDS policy. In this study, the trend of HIV/AIDS incidence, rout of transmission and some characteristics of AIDS for the past 11 years in Korea using the reported cases from the national STD screening scheme were reviewed. Based on the results, the trend of main route of transmission according to the year was established by stage and the HIV/AIDS cases in this year was estimated and that to the year 2000 was projected by 'Epimodel' programme. The results were as follows : 1. Of the total infected persons, 76% were in their twenties and thirties, socioeconomically and sexually active age groups. While the transmission by sexual contact overseas was decreasing, the infection through domestic heterosexual and homosexual contact was increasing. 2. In the middle of the 1980's, the infected persons were mainly prostitutes infected through heterosexual contact with the HIV positive foreigner in this county(stage 1). And in the late of the 1980's the main source of infection was the sexual contact overseas and the domestic heterosexual contact(stage 2). Since the early of the 1990's, the infection through the heterosexual contact with non-regular sexual partner in this country has increased rapidly(stage 3), which was the evidence of the possibility of HIV epidemics. After that, it was expected that the infection through the homosexual contacts, the heterosexual contacts with commercial sex workers outside and the non-regular sexual contact inside of this country would increase continuously. In the result, the occurrence of neonatal infection by vertical transmission was expected(stage4). 3. The number of HIV/AIDS was estimated at 572 to 2,313 and the projected number of HIV/AIDS to the you 2000 was around 5,800 including 627 AIDS patients. For the further study on the estimation and projection of HIV/AIDS, it was suggested that the sampling survey on the HIV infection rate in the high risk groups and the sentinel hospital surveillance system should be conducted.