• Journal of Information Technology Applications and Management
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• 제21권2호
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• pp.81-98
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• 2014

Recently, due to external environment like the changes in health policy and various healthcare accreditations, along with hospital's internal efforts to improve the quality of medical services, demands for the development of medical information systems are increasing. Some examples are clinical information like DUR (Drug Utilization Review), CVR (Critical Value Report), and automatic benefit processing by treatment purposes, or hospital DSS (Decision Support System) on overall medical practice. Such systems act as a guide in making clinic judgments during practice or in other medical practice, and their effects on the medical treatment improvements are being proven by previous studies. In the reality of increasing attention in the effects of medical treatment improvement, studies related to hospital DDS were mostly focused on clinical, technical, and engineering points of view, and studies focusing on the user viewpoint are very limited. In order to verify the effects of DSS on practice improvements and hospital's management performance, this study used a research model constructed to verify how SERVQUAL of hospital DSS affects hospital management performance in BSC (Balanced Score Card) point of view. To empirically verify the research model, a questionnaire was conducted on the basis of "K-University Hospital's DSS" on clinicians and hospital employees related to system development, and the relationships between the factors were analyzed through path analysis. As a result of path analysis, excluding reactivity, tangibility, confidence, reliability, empathy among service qualities, had partially significant effects on management performance factors (learning and growth, internal process, financial affairs). This study is to prepare the theoretical ground on the management performance analysis of hospital DSS, and suggest the service quality of the system that should be considered in the planning and development stages for improved system.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제31권3호
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• pp.460-470
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• 1998

By expanding health insurance, customers will carry a smaller burden of medical costs. As a result, the number of visits to a physician increase and this result in the improvement of medical accessibility. But medical care utilization may be changed not only by insurance status but also by socio-demographic factor, economic status and other factors. The question thus remains, at which level of accessibility and what price of medical care service in health insurance will the customer and the medical care service be satisfied. The price of medical care service ls comprised of the customer's out-of-pocket money and the costs not covered by health insurance. If the price of medical care services in health insurance are appropriate, medical care utilization should not differ because of the difference in income status or the acuteness of illness. But If the price is not adequate, low income groups will receive relatively low medical care utilization, particularly in the case of chronic disease. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the differences in medical care utilization among the various income groups and those with varying acuteness of illness. The major hypotheses to test in this study are : (i) whether there are differences in medical care utilization among different income groups exist, (ii) whether differences in medical care utilization among different income groups exist with the hospital type. (iii) whether differences in medical care utilization among different income groups exist with the acuteness of illness and with age. The data was collected from the JongRo District Health Insurance Society in Seoul. A total of 118,336 persons were selected as the final sample for this study. The major findings of this study were as follows; 1. The volume of ambulatory utilization among users was statistically significant by income level. 2. Among different income groups, the volume of ambulatory utilization was statistically significant by the acuteness of illness. 3. Higher income groups with chronic diseases had a greater volume of ambulatory utilization than other groups.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• 제70권4호
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• pp.307-314
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• 2011

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major cause of death and disability worldwide and one of the most prevalent diseases in Korea. We examined trends and risk factors of health care utilization for COPD in Korea. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed the database of Patient Surveys from 1990 through 2008, which were nationwide surveys of health services utilization through outpatient department (OPD) visits and hospitalization. Physician-diagnosed COPD patients whose ages were 45 years and older were included. Results: OPD visits and hospitalization of COPD patients between 1990 and 2008 were estimated to be 68,552 and 17,774 persons, respectively. Trends in OPD visits and hospitalization for COPD significantly increased from 1990 through 2008 (p=0.019, p=0.001, respectively). The increment rate for OPD visits was 2.0 fold over those years; for hospitalization it was 3.3 fold. Risk factors for OPD visits for COPD were male gender (odd ration [OR], 1.41; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.39~1.43), those aged 65 years and older (OR, 1.50; 95% CI, 1.47~1.53), residential area other than a metropolis (OR, 1.08; 95% CI, 1.07~1.010) and access to a physician's office (OR, 1.17; 95% CI, 1.14~1.21). Risk factors for hospitalization were male gender (OR, 2.15; 95% CI, 2.07~2.23), those aged 65 year and older (OR, 2.86; 95% CI, 2.72~3.00), residential area other than a metropolis (OR, 1.98; 95% CI, 1.90~2.07) and access to a hospital (OR, 2.88; 95% CI, 2.59~3.22) (p<0.001, both). Conclusion: Health care utilization for COPD subjects increased from 1990 to 2008. Risk factors for the utilization were male gender, older age, and residential area other than a metropolis.

• 한국병원경영학회지
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• 제9권2호
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• pp.102-127
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• 2004

The objective of this study is to analyze a current trend of and relating factors on profitability of the Korean Public Corporation Medical Centers(KPCMCs, hereinafter, hospitals) in Korea. There are 34 hospitals in Korea as of 2004. Among these hospitals some are red ink hospitals, others are black inks in terms of profitability. Data were collected by Korea Health Industry Development Institute(KHIDI) Statistics for Hospital Management 2000-2002 and Ministry of Health and Welfare(MOHW) financial data of public hospitals which was planned to coordinate public health care services roadmap in the long run. The samples are 32 hospitals. Profitability was measured in the aspect of profit rate with normal profit to total assets, and normal profit to gross revenues as dependent variables in respective. Independent variables were classified by general factors, i.e., location, intern/resident training, period of opening, number of beds, and managerial factors(current ratio, fixed ratio, liability to total assets, total assets turnover, personnel costs, materials cost, administrative cost), and finally factors related to patient treatment(average length of stay, bed occupancy rate, admission ratio of outpatients). The methods of analysis are correlation and multiple regression analysis. This study shows firstly, a lot of hospitals are optimal current ratio. Hospitals in upper 100% current ratio are 81.2%. And the personnel cost in total costs are high. Secondly, the trend of normal profit to gross revenues of hospitals are deteriorating gradually. And lastly, as a result of multiple regression analysis, the factors had on significant effect on normal profit to total assets are fixed ratio(+), liability to total assets(-), bed occupancy rate(+), admissions of outpatients(+), etc. And the factors had on significant effect on normal profit to gross revenues are current ration(+), fixed ratio(+), personnel cost(-), administrative expenses(-), admissions of outpatients(+), etc. In conclusion, to improve the profitability of hospitals, the efforts to reduce personnel cost and average length of stay might be needed. And also beds utilization rate need to be increased.

• 한국병원경영학회지
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• 제28권3호
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• pp.27-38
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• 2023

Objectives: This study explores the impact of age groups on social presence and trust among users of medical artificial intelligence chatbots. Furthermore, we investigate the existence of gender differences within these relationships. Method: We collected data through a survey from people who had interacted with general hospital chatbot services, either by making reservations or seeking consultations. Multiple linear regression analysis was conducted to examine the relationship between general characteristics of study population and social presence and trust of artificial intelligence chatbots. Additionally, we conducted stratified analysis to confirm the presence of gender differences within these relationship. Results: Among 300 participants, those aged 50 and older had higher social presence of artificial intelligence chatbots and greater trust of artificial intelligence chatbots (social presence, 𝛽=0.543, p=0.003; trust, 𝛽=0.787, p=0.000). In stratified by sex, women aged 50 and older had higher social presence and trust of artificial intelligence chatbots compared to those in their 30s age group (social presence, 𝛽 = 0.925, p=0.002; trust, 𝛽=0.645, p=:0.007). However, there was no statistically significant relationship between age and chatbot social presence and trust in men. Conclusion: This study demonstrates that advanced age plays a significant roles in users' social presence and trust in medical artificial intelligence chatbots. Futhermore, our findings reveal gender differences with women aged 50 and older showing the most substantial levels of social presence and trust. Therefore, it is expected that this finding can serve as valuable evidence to enhance the satisfaction of medical institution service users, offering crucial insights into the effective utilization of chatbot services.

• 보건행정학회지
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• 제30권3호
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• pp.326-334
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• 2020

Background: Korea has gradually expanded the coverage of medical care services in its national health insurance system. On April 1, 2018, it implemented a policy that expanded the coverage for an ultrasonography in the upper abdomen. In this study, we aimed to investigate the effect of the policy on the utilization of the ultrasonography in the upper abdomen in tertiary care hospitals. Methods: Using the dataset of the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, we explored changes in the utilization of the ultrasonography in the upper abdomen in tertiary care hospitals from July 1, 2017 to November 30, 2018 through the difference-in-difference (DID) mixed-effects-model method. Facility factor, equipment factor and personnel factors, type of hospital, the total amount of medical care expenses, and geographic region were considered as control variables. Results: On average, the utilization of the ultrasonography in the upper abdomen increased by 228% after the coverage expansion policy. However, the results of DID mixed-effects-model method analysis showed that the utilization increased by 73%. As for the number of beds, the utilization was higher with a group of 844-930, 931-1,217, and 1,218 or greater compared with a group of 843 or fewer, while the utilization of the number of ultrasonic devices was lower with a group of 45-49 compared with a group of 44 or fewer. The utilization decreased with the number of interns and the number of nurse assistants. Besides, relative to Seoul, the utilization was lower in the other metro-cities and provinces. Conclusion: The coverage expansion policy in the national health insurance system increased service utilization among people. Future research needs to investigate the degree to which such coverage expansion policy reduces the unmet medical care needs among the deprived in Korea.

• 한국학교보건학회지
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• 제21권2호
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• pp.107-117
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• 2008

Purpose: To investigate the utilization of medical care benefits of school personnel on duty in Seoul. Method: The subjects were 551 workers under Seoul Metropolitan Office of Education(male 301, female 250) who got medical care benefits from March 2000 to February 2005. To analyze the data, frequency, chi-square test, and t-test by SAS package 9.12 were used. Result: The results show that elementary school personnel got the highest ranking, 314(57.0%). Among subjects, 57.2% personnel got accident when they were working on their own duty, 21% during school events and 13.5% were during commutes. They got medical care from orthopedics 75.9%, neurosurgery 7.6%, dental 4%, and 8 male and 2 female died during these days. The most frequent diseases of males and female were fracture and joints related disease. The reason of most health problem was due to injury(92.3%). Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that the continuous health care services like regular health check for school personnel, or social safety network to prevent injury are needed.

• KSII Transactions on Internet and Information Systems (TIIS)
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• 제15권12호
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• pp.4400-4419
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• 2021

In the 4th Industrial Revolution, the healthcare industry is undergoing a paradigm shift from post-care and management systems based on diagnosis and treatment to disease prevention and management based on personal precision medicine. To optimize medical services for individual patients, an open ecosystem for the healthcare industry that allows the exchange and utilization of personal health records (PHRs) is required. However, under the current system of hospital-centered data management, it is difficult to implement the linking and sharing of PHRs in practice. To address this problem, in this study, we present the design and implementation of a patient-centered PHR platform using blockchain technology. This platform achieved transparency and reliability in information management by eliminating the risk of leakage and tampering/altering personal information, which could occur when using a PHR. In addition, the patient-consent system was applied to a PHR; thus, the patient acted as the user with ownership. The proposed blockchain-based PHR platform enables the integration of personal medical information with scattered distribution across multiple hospitals, and allows patients to freely use their health records in their daily lives and emergencies. The proposed platform is expected to serve as a stepping stone for patient-centered healthcare data management and utilization.

• 가정∙방문간호학회지
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• 제7권1호
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• pp.58-72
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• 2000

This study was an attempt to encourage the development of a rehabilitation delivery system and programs as a substitute service for hospitalization on the case of car accident patients, such as hospital based home health care nursing services. Various substitute services for hospitalization are required to curtail the length of stay for inpatients who were hospitalized with car accident compensation insurance. It focused on developing an estimation an early discharge day for car accident inpatients based on detailed statements of treatment for 111 inpatients who were hospitalized at the General Hospital in 1997. This study had four specific purposes as follows. First. to find out the utilization of medical services. Second, to estimate the time of early discharge and income increasing effect based on early discharge for those patients. Third, to identify the factors affecting total medical expenditure and the length of stay for those inpatients. Forth, to figure out the need of utilizing home health care nursing service for accident patients. In order to analyze the length of stay and medical expenditure for inpatients who were hospitalized due to car accidents, the authors conducted micro- and macro-analysis of medical and medical expenditure records. Micro-analysis was done by nominal group discussion of 4 expertise with the critical criteria, such as a decrease in the amount of treatment after surgery, treatments, tests, drugs and changes in the test consistency, drug methods, vital signs, start of ROM exercise, doctor's order, patient's outside visiting ability, and stable conditions. In addition to identifying variables affecting medical expenditure, and the length of stay and income effect due to early discharge day, the data was analyzed with a multiple regression analysis and linear regression analysis model by SPSS-PC for windows and Excell program. Results of this study were as follows. First. the mean length of stay was 50.3 days. whereas the mean length of stay due to early discharge was 34.3 days at the hospital. The estimation of time of early discharge depended on the length of stay. The longer the length of stay, the longer the length of time of early discharge : for instance a length of stay under 10 days was estimated as correlating to a mean length of stay of 6.6 days and early discharge of 6.5. The mean length of stay was 217.4 days and the time of early discharge was 110.1 respectively. The mean medical expenditure per day was found to be 169.085 Won and the mean medical expenditure per day showed negative linear trends according to the length of stay at the hospital. The estimation results of the income effect due to being discharged 16 days early was around 2,244,000 won per bed. However. this sum does not represent the real benefits resulting from early discharge, but rather the income increasing amount without considering medical prime cost in the general hospital. Therefore, further analysis is required on the cost containments and benefits as turn over rate per bed as the medical prime costs. The length of stay was most significant and was positive to the total medical expenditure, as expected. Surgery and patient's residential area was also an important variable in explaining medical expenditure. The level of complications was the most significant variable in explaining the length of stay. There was a high level for need a home health care nursing service which further supports early discharge for accident patients. In addition, when the patient was discharged. they needed follow up care for complications suffered during the car accident. $86.8\%$ of discharged patients responded that they needed home health services after early discharge. From these research findings, the following suggestions have been drawn. Strategies on a health care delivery system must be developed in order to focus on the consumer's needs and being planned for 21 century health policy in Korea. Community based intermediate facilities or home health care should be developed for rehabilitation services as a substitute for hospitalization in order to shorten the length of stay would be. A hospital based home health care nursing service. it would be available immediately to utilize by patients who want rehabilitation services as a substitute for hospitalization with the cooperation of car insurance companies.

• 가정∙방문간호학회지
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• 제10권2호
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• pp.132-140
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• 2003

This study was to identify the utilization of home care service and home care nursing satisfaction for clients with cancer who had completed secondary and tertiary chemotherapy session. Raw data was collected by reviewing charts and questionnaire of 23 clients with cancer between September, 2002 and November 2002 at an university hospital located in Seoul. Korea. The result are as follows: 1. Characteristics in the use of home care: After applying for home care service, patients were visiting an average of 1.88 days later. The major purpose of using home care service was to help recovery after hospitalization or to maintain present health. The average period for home care service was 14.6 days, with 4 visits over this period, for 35.78 minutes per visit. 2. Content of home care service: A total of 47 items of service were provided - basic nursing care, education and counseling, and therapeutic nursing care. On every visit, an average of 19 items of home care service were provided, and the majority (7 items) were therapeutic nursing care. 3. Satisfaction with home care services: Satisfaction was very high, an average of 3.88 on a scale of 4 points. Both patients and families expressed high satisfaction with all sub-domains of nursing care: guidance by the home care nurses, knowledge, skill, attitude, interpersonal relationships, emotional support, and accessibility. In conclusion, home care served basic nursing care, teaching and counseling, and therapeutic nursing to clients with cancer going through secondary or tertiary chemotherapy. Therefore they changed knowledge and attitude to disease and treatment which were difficult to change.