• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.187-199
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• 2015

Background: Singapore has the stable healthcare system with utilizing pharmacist manpower in proper positions by demand of populations' health among Asian countries. Objective: This study aims to systematically review (1) the pharmacists' role and (2) the pharmacy education system of Singapore in comparison with Korea. Method: We searched for information about academic, medical and governmental institutions related to professional pharmacists' practice in Singapore by primarily using database such as DBpia, KISS, Google Scholar and ProQuest and the official website of the Singapore Ministry of Health. We contacted and arranged the visit schedules with National University of Singapore, National Health Group's polyclinics, Agency for Integrated Care, National University Hospital, and community chain pharmacies. During onsite visits, we interviewed pharmacists working in each institution and obtained additional documents and materials relevant to this manuscript work. Results: To become a registered pharmacist in Singapore, the pharmacy curriculum requires four full-time academic years and six additional months allotted for pre-registration training. Pharm.D. course is offered for pharmacy graduate students with additional two full-time years of study. Team teaching and inter professional education program seem the most significant method in pharmacy education. Pharmacists working at hospitals, polyclinics, and community pharmacies in Singapore take broader roles and offer more cognitive services such as smoking cessation program and medication reconciliation. Especially, pharmacists in Agency for Integrated Care fill the role of primary care providers for the continuing care of the community through the governmental support toward the patients-centered integrated care. Conclusion: Singaporean pharmacists take significant and active roles in collaboration with other healthcare providers. Efforts such as interprofessional pharmacy education and governmental endorsement of the systematic and interactive care between pharmacists and other medical providers in Singapore are needed to be urgently applied to Korea healthcare system for the promotion of population health.

• Journal of the Institute of Convergence Signal Processing
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.197-202
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• 2010

In this paper, multi-channel vital signal monitoring system was implemented for home healthcare. The system able to measure vital signal for example ECG, PPG and temperature simultaneously at patients’ home. The vital signal is an essential parameter for healthcare application and can be easily extracted from patients. The implemented system consist of sensor parts for signal extraction, signal amplifier and filter for analog circuit, analog signal to digital conversion for controlling devices and lastly the monitoring program. The system able to transmit vital signals using Bluetooth wireless communications to personal computer or home server. And the tele-monitoring system able to display real-time signals using web monitoring program. In medical application, the vital signal parameter able to stored and saved in the web server for further medical analysis. This system opens up the possibilities of ubiquitous healthcare where further implementation can be easily done.

• Journal of Convergence for Information Technology
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• v.9 no.10
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• pp.244-253
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• 2019

This study was a descriptive study to investigate the effects of healthcare workers' consciousness of biomedical ethics, recognition of good death, and self-esteem on attitude toward advance directive. Participants in this study were 292 healthcare workers in the three general hospitals located Y city. The data were collected from April 2 to April 23, 2019 and analyzed descriptive statistics, t-test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson correlation coefficient, and multiple regression using the SPSS Win. 22.0 program. The result of the multiple regression indicates the intention to awareness regarding advance directives, intention to execute advance directives, time to complete advance directives and recognition of good death predict 23.5% (F=12.39, P=.000) of attitudes toward advance directives. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a program to establish attitudes toward advance directives by providing education on recognition of good death of healthcare workers.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.241-250
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• 2019

Purpose: This study was conducted to identify influencing factors on the performance of healthcare-associated infection control and microbiological hand contamination among caregivers at a tertiary hospital. Methods: The participants of this study were 59 caregivers woring at a tertiary hospital. Data were collected from July 1 to 30, 2018. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, t-test, ANOVA, Scheffé test, Pearson's correlation coefficients and stepwise multiple regression by SPSS 23.0 Win program. Results: Multiple regression analysis revealed that factors influencing performance of healthcare-associated infection control were awareness (β=.63, p<.001) and the experience of infection-related education (β=-3.40, p=.042). Regression equations describing the performance of healthcare-related infection control were found to be appropriate (F=27.29, p<.001) and accounted for 68% of variance. Factors affecting the degree of microbiological hand contamination were work experience (β=-0.28, p=.026) and healthcare-related infection performance (β=-0.28, p=.029). A regression equation describing the microbiological hand contamination was appropriate (F=6.10, p=.004) and accounted for 42% of variance. Conclusion: The findings of this study suggest that it is necessary to increase performance of healthcare-associated infection control by caregivers. Also, educations for preventing healthcare-associated infection and guidelines for increasing compliance with healthcare-associated infection control are recommended to improve performance of healthcare-associated infection control.

• Journal of Information Technology Applications and Management
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.49-58
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• 2021

Due to the increasing interest in wellness aroused by the aging population and the pursuing feature of active old age, Korean elderly set importance on long life with their healthy condition. Following the change in the paradigm of the medical delivery system from hospital-oriented, treatment-oriented to personal-centered and self-care, Service design application of Smart Healthcare for the elderly became valuable. Smart Healthcare is a healthcare service provided through the fusion of ICT technologies including mobile/wearable devices, IoT, big data, and information technology, and it is utilized to prevent diseases managing abundant health information and living habits. As a methodology for delivering such Smart Healthcare to the elderly, Service design can be adopted. Therefore, this study would like to present the perquisites of Smart Healthcare design for the elderly through analyzing the results from in-depth interview methods between the elderly and medical staff. As a result of this study, guidelines for Service design application of health vulnerability management for the elderly utilizing smart phones were presented. Therefore, this study presented four prerequisites composed of 'high level of supplementation and ethical decision making', 'improvement of inequality in accessibility and experience', 'resolving problems in policy implementation' and 'user-friendliness' for the Smart Healthcare service design for the elderly. Overall, Service design is expected to play an innovative role in improving the quality of life for the elderly through the process of collecting and delivering information on Smart Healthcare centered on the experience of the elderly.

• Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.921-930
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• 2017

Objectives: The purposes of this study were to analyze the trade newspapers related to 'recognition of the dental hygienist as the healthcare professional' using R program and to identify opinions of groups concerned with dental hygienists. Methods: This study was designed with contents analysis and cross-sectional. The subjects of the study were the articles for the last three years in medical and dental newspapers about the recognition of the dental hygienist as the healthcare professional. The collected articles were categorized and classified for each group's opinions about the issue. The key words were extracted according to the priorities of the opinions of agreement and disagreement. They were visualized after frequency analysis using R, a big data analysis program. Results: A total of 237 newspaper articles were extracted among 270 ones containing opinions. 245 were positive opinions and 25 were negatives. The main key words of the agreement were 'Amendment of Medical Law', 'Medical Practice', and 'Legal Guarantee of the Practice'. Advocates addressed that the issues should be resolved with the amendment of the law, as dental hygienists are not guaranteed to work based on the current law although they are actually doing the medical practices. Main key words of disagreement were 'Legal Guarantee of the Practice', 'Revision of Medical Technician Law', and 'Review of Job Type'. They described that the problem can be resolved by revising medical technicians act, and it needs to consider as job types of all healthcare professional. Conclusions: In the group who showed the positive opinions, it is possible to utilize measures such as promoting the cooperation of dental hygienists and developing public consensus through publicity.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.65-77
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• 2014

Purpose : This research is to understand the academic self-efficacy of trainees receiving the 4 category-union education of HIT(Health Integrated Technic) Methods : A self-administered questionnaire survey was conducted in 450 health-related college students in Daegu city from April to July. A statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 17.0 for window version. Results : First, satisfaction to education of HIT was higher in vocational consciousness program than patient care programme educational deepening program. Second, academic self-efficacy to education of HIT was higher in educational deepening program than patient care programme vocational consciousness program. Conclusion : Systemic education is needed to develop vocational consciousness, patient care and educational deepening that suit the characteristics of college students in order to establish an environment for revitalizing satisfaction and academic self-efficacy to 4 category-union education

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.172-179
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• 2018

Background: Insufficient training in infection control and occupational health among healthcare workers (HCWs) in countries with high human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and tuberculosis (TB) burdens requires attention. We examined the effectiveness of a 1-year Certificate Program in Occupational Health and Infection Control conducted in Free State Province, South Africa in an international partnership to empower HCWs to become change agents to promote workplace-based HIV and TB prevention. Methods: Questionnaires assessing reactions to the program and Knowledge, Attitudes, Skills, and Practices were collected pre-, mid-, and postprogram. Individual interviews, group project evaluations, and participant observation were also conducted. Quantitative data were analyzed using Wilcoxon signed-rank test. Qualitative data were thematically coded and analyzed using the Kirkpatrick framework. Results: Participants recruited (n = 32) were mostly female (81%) and nurses (56%). Pre-to-post-program mean scores improved in knowledge (+12%, p = 0.002) and skills/practices (+14%, p = 0.002). Preprogram attitude scores were high but did not change. Participants felt empowered and demonstrated attitudinal improvements regarding HIV, TB, infection control, and occupational health. Successful projects were indeed implemented. However, participants encountered considerable difficulties in trying to sustain improvement, due largely to lack of pre-existing knowledge and experience, combined with inadequate staffing and insufficient management support. Conclusion: Training is essential to strengthen HCWs' occupational health and infection control knowledge, attitudes, skills, and practices, and workplace-based training programs such as this can yield impressive results. However, the considerable mentorship resources required for such programs and the substantial infrastructural supports needed for implementation and sustainability of improvements in settings without pre-existing experience in such endeavors should not be underestimated.

• Journal of The Korea Institute of Healthcare Architecture
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.49-58
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• 2015

Purpose: Musculoskeletal disorder is one of diseases with high medical demand over-65 populations. Considering complex, chronic property of diseases, it is important for patients to provide specialized medical service. The musculoskeletal center is one of the most essential facility type in order to give adequate care to the patient suffering from musculoskeletal diseases. Methods: Statistical analysis relating to the component ratio of patients for the demand for medical care. Literature analysis for characteristic of the musculoskeletal diseases. The Status Survey of health care facilities operating in the musculoskeletal center. Results: It is necessary for the musculoskeletal center to be composed of four major areas such as consultation, examination, diagnosis, intervention for continuity of care. For continuum of care, it is essential to build medical environment integrated with each level of care such as consultant, examination, diagnosis procedure. Implications: This study is a basic research for design of musculoskeletal center, and need to be followed by further study using various perspectives and methods.

• The Journal of Korea Robotics Society
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.172-178
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• 2021

The COVID-19 pandemic has been reshaping the world by accelerating non-contact services and technologies in various domains. Hospitals as a healthcare system lie at the center of the dramatic change because of their fundamental roles: medical diagnosis and treatments. Leading experts in health, science, and technologies have predicted that robotics and artificial intelligence (AI) can drive such a hospital transformation. Accordingly, several government-led projects have been developed and started toward smarter hospitals, where robots and AI replace or support healthcare personnel, particularly in the diagnosis and non-surgical treatment procedures. This article inspects the remaining element of healthcare services, i.e., surgical treatment, focusing on evaluating whether or not currently available laparoscopic surgical robotic systems are sufficiently preparing for the era of post-COVID-19 when contactless is the new normal. Challenges and future directions towards an effective, fully non-contact surgery are identified and summarized, including remote surgery assistance, domain-expansion of robotic surgery, and seamless integration with smart operating rooms, followed by emphasis on robot tranining for surgical staff.