• Quality Improvement in Health Care
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.14-34
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• 2013

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to provide comprehensive information of qualification systems of developed countries needed to establish our national system for QI(Quality improvement) specialists. Methods: All articles related to any applicable domestic or foreign countries' laws, operational status, and detailed programs for professional qualification system of QI were reviewed. Result: In the United States, a non-profit organization, Healthcare Quality Certification Commission (HQCC) has set the policies, procedures and standards in the field of health care quality. And qualification system of CPHQ (certified professional in healthcare quality) has been operated in order to authenticate the qualifications in the field of quality management. IBQH(international Board for quality in healthcare), a qualification system of experts in the United Kingdom, was designed to assist the qualification of professionals to improve the quality of healthcare. In addition, Health Research Center of Feinberg School of Medicine in Northwestern University has been operating Master's and doctoral degree programs in the field of the quality of care and patient safety and IHI (institute for healthcare improvement) open school was operating a professional training course related to the quality of care and patient safety. Conclusion: Quantity and complexity of information of the quality of care and patient safety have been increased. For reform of the health care system, a special training course of the expertise and leadership are needed. So far, there is no national professional certification courses in our nation. Therefore essential job skill should be acquired individually. For systematic and effective quality improvement activities, the educational and certification system with professional development model are needed.

• Korean Medical Education Review
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.35-45
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• 2022

Needs for public healthcare have recently increased. This paper proposes education topics for competency development in public healthcare in line with the needs of the times. In Korea, various lifelong education providers have already provided public health-related education. For example, the Research Institute for Health Policy (RIHP) under the Korean Medical Association provided an "executive course for physicians' public health care competencies" in 2019 and 2020. At the end of the course, the RIHP published a comprehensive report, entitled "Curricular development and evaluation for doctors' public healthcare competencies." This article is based on a summary of that report. To develop a curriculum for public healthcare, the RIHP adopted the following methodologies for a needs analysis; reviewing already-existing education subjects, evaluating end-of-course reports, and conducting in-depth focused group interviews and questionnaire surveys with doctors at public healthcare-related institutions. The results from the needs analysis can be categorized into two domains of education topics for public healthcare. The first domain includes education subjects related to the theory and practice of public healthcare, as follows: a general overview, community or population health, organizational administration, planning and evaluation, budget and finance, responses to disasters such as infectious diseases, health policy, and the legal system. The second domain contained education topics related to general professional competencies: leadership, communication, cooperation, teamwork, and professionalism. In conclusion, the curricular content for public healthcare will be an appropriate combination of competencies specific to public healthcare and core competencies for health professionals.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.63-84
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• 2008

The aim of this study was to analyze the correlation between professional autonomy and ideology among Korean physicians and to investigate how these factors affect job satisfaction like social status satisfaction and economic reward satisfaction. This study utilized a self-administered questionnaire survey and collected data nationwide between July and August, 2003. 211 responses were used for final analysis. SPSS 12.0 was used for a chi-square test, one-way ANOVA, Pearson correlation analysis, independent t-test and hierarchical multiple regression analysis. The results of this study were as follows. First, many variables of ideological factor were related to job satisfaction. Second, physicians expecting the change of political influence has patient-centered attitude. Third, there were many relationships between professional autonomy and ideology variables. Fourth, physicians expecting the change of political influence and customer-centered healthcare system showed more job satisfaction. In conclusion, professional autonomy is related to ideology, and in order to enhance job satisfaction, ideological factor needs more development. In addition, market-oriented healthcare system would contribute to enhance the job satisfaction of physicians expecting the change of political influence and customer-centered healthcare system.

• Journal of Information Technology Services
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.39-66
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• 2016

There is growing evidence that professional work is changing as a result of the application of information technology (IT). However, the impact of information technology on professional work has produced mixed results. Our paper considers the source of these mixed results through a greater analytical attention paid to the nature of professional work. Defined as work involving expertise expressed through abstract and formalized knowledge as well as extensive working knowledge, the professional work logic assumes the greatest autonomy and discretion for workers in collectively controlling work characteristics-division of labor and its permanence, control over education, and control over new entrants and the monitoring and disciplining of existing members. The impact of IT on professional work will be difficult to control and predict without considering the assumptions and tensions within and across the three major types of work logics (Professional, Market and Bureaucratic). Using healthcare as an example, the paper provides various propositions for researching the initiation and effects of ICT design through these three work logics. These propositions illustrate the active role that IS researchers can take in researching an important economic and work-related topic, professional work, and in understanding how ICT affects work-related expertise.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.87-91
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• 2023

Most advanced countries that are members of the World Physiotherapy have established a 4-year education system or specialized graduate school system for physical therapists based on national standards. They have also expanded their laws and systems to provide physical therapists with the autonomy and independence to offer services in their clinics. However, compared with developed countries in North America and Europe, there are issues with the autonomy and independence of physical therapists in Korea related to national regulations. Social status and recognition of the profession are also lagging. Korea is expected to become a super-aged society by 2025. To reduce the financial burden of healthcare and welfare on the government, it is necessary to extend the time spent by older adults on independent activities and minimize their time spent using medical services. To achieve this goal and maximize the active life of older adults, a plan to efficiently use licensed physical therapists in the country should be prepared. Korea should increase the license utilization rate of physical therapists to reduce waste at the national level and increase the professional hope of the younger generations of physical therapists. To create a healthcare policy focusing on the use of physical therapy personnel, similar to that in advanced countries, it is necessary to unify educational systems and produce excellent physical therapists. Providing professional autonomy can help physical therapists develop a sense of job satisfaction. Outstanding talent will choose physical therapy as a profession if they can see hope for their future careers, and if physical therapy services in Korea are similar to those delivered in advanced countries, physical therapy in Korea can develop into a healthcare service that people desire.

• Journal of Information Technology Services
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.23-35
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• 2020

The development of digital technology is changing the paradigm of the healthcare industry to preventive and consumer-oriented. The combination of the ICT industry and the bio-healthcare industry is emerging as a core industry in the era of the Fourth Industrial Revolution. The Korean government has also selected the bio-healthcare industry as one of the three key future development industries. In May, the government announced its bio-health industry innovation strategy and set a goal of 300,000 employees. Therefore, analyzing the effects of employment on the related industries of the digital bio-healthcare industry is very important for the establishment of future industrial and technology development policies. The research method restructures the integrated classification of 32 industries into 34, including the digital bio-healthcare industry, using the classification criteria of the government and professional institutions, and then reorganizes the digital bio-healthcare industry into eight industries classified as one industry group. The analysis data was taken from the Bank of Korea's 2019 data. Various trigger coefficients and ripple effects coefficients were rewritten using the analysis method of the Input-output Statistics. The analysis of the results compares the employment-induced effects of the digital bio-healthcare industry and the ripple effects of related industries in production, investment and value-added. In addition, in terms of investment effect, the effects of in-house and related industries were compared. It is hoped that the results of this study will be used to establish employment and industrial policies.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.38-55
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• 2019

Purpose / Approach : This study aims to analyze the level of public service motivation and its antecedents by using survey data of 1,498 professional employees in public and private hospitals. Findings : Among job-related, organization-related, and socialization-related factors of professional employees, the socialization factors have a strong effect on individual's overall and the four sub-dimensions of public service motivation. While the effect of organizational identification is prominent in the public hospital, professional identification is more powerful in the private hospital. Person-job fit and person-organizational value fit also play a significant role in determining public service motivation. Organizational vision salience in public hospital has negative effect on public service motivation and attraction-to-public-service dimension. The significant determinants and its effect size are different according to hospital type and each sub-dimension of public service motivation. Practical Implications : The empirical findings show that individual's level of public service motivation in hospitals could be enhanced through the interaction between individual and their organization, and various organization-related factors. Further implications of the study are discussed from human resource management perspective in hospitals.

• Journal of Korean Critical Care Nursing
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.1-10
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• 2023

Purpose : This study explores the professional status of Advanced Practice Nurses (APNs) in Korea, who, despite being legally certified, face instability in their professional standing, including their scope of practice and compensation. Method : The study uses Flexner's professional characteristics as a framework to analyze and project the future trajectory of Korean APNs. Results : First, to ensure social accountability, professional bodies need to establish uniform nursing policies related to job roles, and healthcare institutions must adhere to these policies. Second, nursing leaders should spearhead the creation of nursing knowledge essential for the profession's advancement, aiming to establish it as the foundation for nursing practice through a consensus process within the nursing community. Third, the curriculum for APNs should enhance the quantitative and qualitative aspects of practice in response to societal needs. Fourth, professional bodies should formulate consistent nursing policies based on a thorough analysis of the healthcare environment and legal considerations, and guide their implementation in clinical practice through a consensus process within the nursing community. Lastly, guidelines should be established for professional standards suitable for the Korean context. Conclusion : Based on this review, it is recommended that all APNs adhere to the professional standards set by their respective organizations, actively participate in personal quality improvement initiatives, and fulfill their duties and roles as members of these professional bodies. Furthermore, these organizations should devise practical strategies to solidify the APN system and should spearhead a systematic consensus process that garners the agreement of all members within the nursing community.

• 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.

• 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.