• Quality Improvement in Health Care
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.46-60
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• 2004

Background : Recently, we have experienced various changes in the healthcare environment. Healthcare organizations are facing a financial crisis due to more competitive relationships among themselves as well with low health insurance fees. The purposes of the current study were: (1) to develop a data warehouse-based system for evaluating and monitoring the case management activities, and (2) to measure and analyze its effects. Methods : In order to collect the data for the study, the database on discharged patients was utilized at a university hospital located in Seoul from June 1, 2002 through December 31, 2002. Initially, a data warehouse was built for the case management system. The case management activities were analyzed using structured methodology to establish the case management system. Results : The findings of this study were as follows: (1) A case management system was developed to make it possible to monitor of healthcare quality and resource utilization. The Case management System included monitoring functions regarding utilization reviews, critical pathways, and clinical indicators. (2) Utilizing the case management system, unplanned readmissions were documented among total discharged patients during two months from November 1, 2002 through December 31, 2002. The unplanned readmission rate was 2.3%(276 patients) in total of 11,960 discharged patients. Among them 81 patients(0.7% of total discharges, 29.3% of unplanned readmission) were readmitted to the same physician in charge under the same diagnosis. No significant differences were found in the demographic variables such as gender and age among the patients. (3) After implementing the case management system, 2.9% of average length of stay reduced. Applying cost-benefit analysis, the 2.9% reduction of length of stay represents net profit of ${\backslash}$ 279,592,000 in the year of 2004. In addition, applying value acceleration analysis, cumulative net benefit of ${\backslash}$ 1,481,000,000 was expected by the year of 2007. Also we were able to expect ${\backslash}$ 247,800,000 of cumulative benefit for the prospective 5 years in value linkage analysis. It represents average ${\backslash}$ 787,700,000 of pure net benefit a year. Conclusion : The value of present study would be not only implementing the knowledge management system into the existing case management activities, but also evaluating its effects and estimating its financial benefits. This study suggested that the case management system would be a supportive tool for monitoring and improving the quality of healthcare, and a cost-effective tool for increment of healthcare organization's financial benefit.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.69-77
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• 2010

This methodological research was designed to develop performance evaluation key indicators (PEKIs) for management by objectives (MBO) and to estimate their weights for hospital nurses. Methods: The PEKIs were developed by selecting preliminary indicators from a literature review, examining content validity and identifying their level of importance. Data were collected from November 14, 2007 to February 18, 2008. Data set for importance of indicators was obtained from 464 nurses and weights of PEKIs domain was from 453 nurses, who worked for at least 2 yr in one of three hospitals. Data were analyzed using $X^2$-test, factor analysis, and the Analytical Hierarchy Process. Results: Based upon Content Validity Index of .8 or above, 61 indicators were selected from the 100 preliminary indicators. Finally, 40 PEKIs were developed from the 61 indicators, and categorized into 10 domains. The highest weight of the 10 domains was customer satisfaction, which was followed by patient education, direct nursing care, profit increase, safety management, improvement of nursing quality, completeness of nursing records, enhancing competence of nurses, indirect nursing care, and cost reduction, in that order. Conclusion: PEKIs and their weights can be utilized for impartial evaluation and MBO for hospital nurses. Further research to verify PEKIs would lead to successful implementation of MBO.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.143-148
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• 2020

Objective: This study aimed to investigate pharmaceutical care for critically ill neonates and suggest targeted strategies compatible with the Korean health-system pharmacy. Methods: Articles that reported pharmacy practices for critically ill neonates were reviewed. Pharmaceutical care practices and roles of neonatal pharmacists were identified, and criteria were developed for neonates in need of specialized care by clinical pharmacists. Results: Neonatal pharmacists play many roles in the overall medication management pathway. For clinical decision support, multidisciplinary ward rounds, clinical pharmacokinetic services, and consultation for pharmacotherapy and nutrition support were conducted. Prevention and resolution of drug-related problems through review of medication charts contributed to medication safety. Pharmaceutical optimization of intravenous medication played an important role in safe and effective therapy. Information on the use of off-label medicine, recommended dosage and dosing schedules, and stability of intravenous medicine was provided to other health professionals. Most clinical practices for neonates in Korea included therapeutic drug monitoring and nutrition support services. Reduction in medication errors and adverse drug reactions, shortening the duration of weaning medicines, decreasing the use and cost of antimicrobials, and improvement in nutrition status were reported as the outcomes of pharmacist-led interventions. The essential criteria of pharmaceutical care, including for patients with potential high-risk factors for drug-related problems, was developed. Conclusion: Pharmaceutical care for critically ill neonates varies widely. Development and provision of standardized pharmaceutical care for Korean neonates and a stepwise strategy for the expansion of clinical pharmacy services are required.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.1-13
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• 2010

This study analyzes the innovation process of the value chain in the fashion industry. It examines the differences between traditional and FF-based methods that include value chain processes such as design, production, and distribution-sales process. In the literature review and case studies, general propositions were drawn from each innovative stage by a comparison analysis. First, design speed is the main factor to explain the impact of IT in the design process. Second, small quantity batch production becomes main stream by the adoption of a computer-integrated manufacturing system in the production process. Third, cost reduction and speedup improvement are results of innovation in the distribution process. Last, a customized interface provides important information that can integrate the value chain and make useful customer relationships in the sales process. Fast fashion is the best product of these procedural innovations in the overall value chain. Consequently, this study confirmed that the general propositions referred above were acceptable and adaptable in the case of ZARA in terms of fast fashion strategy.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.24 no.10
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• pp.1239-1251
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• 2015

Impervious areas have been expanded by urbanization and the natural structure of water circulation has been destroyed. The limits of centralized management for controlling storm water runoff in urban areas have been suggested. Low impact development (LID) technologies have been promoted as a crucial alternative, establishing a connection with city development plans to build green infrastructures in environmentally friendly cities. Thus, the improvement of water circulation and the control of nonpoint source were simulated through XP-SWMM (storm water and wastewater management model for experts) in this study. The application of multiple LID combination practices with permeable pavements, bioretention cells, and gutter filters were observed as reducing the highest runoff volume by up to 70%. The results from four different LID installation scenarios indicated that permeable paving is the most effective method for reducing storm water runoff. The rate of storm water runoff volume reduced as the rainfall duration extended. Based on the simulation results, each LID facility was designed and constructed in the target area. The LID practices in an urban area enable future studies of the analysis of the criteria, suitable capacity, and cost-efficiency, and proper management methods of various LID techniques.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Pressure Vessels and Piping
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.117-124
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• 2020

3D printing is a technology that has significantly grown in recent years, particularly in the aerospace, defense, and medical sectors where it offers significant potential cost savings and reduction of the supply chain by allowing parts to be manufactured on-site rather than at a distance supplier. In nuclear industry, 3D printing technology should be applied according to the manufacturing trend change. For the application of 3D printing technology to the nuclear power plant, several problems, including the absence of code & standards of materials, processes and testing & inspection methods etc, should be solved. Preemptively, the improvement of reliability of 3D printing technology, including mechanical properties, structural performance, service performance and aging degradation of 3D printed parts should be supported. These results can be achieved by collaboration of many organizations such as institute, 3D printer manufacturer, metal powder supplier, nuclear part manufacturer, standard developing organization, and nuclear utility.

• Journal of the Korea Safety Management & Science
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.183-190
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• 2015

For the sustainable development, companies are making a lot of efforts such as activities of sales increase and cost reduction. Among these, efforts to use limited resources efficiently and effectively is still being made steadily. And many methods for management innovation are being introduced and used. However there were partial or temporary effects only. So there are not enough to achieve operations performance to cover the entire system. Therefore, in order to maximize performance or to improve sustainability across the companies, it is necessary to rebuild the existing system with process perspective not with existing functional perspective. This study was performed to achieve the objective that is operation performance improvement of certification body. So literature review was researched and analyed about the process innovation and the process approach. And basic model which is compatible with ISO/IEC 17021 requirement for the certification body was established in this study. Based on this model, one of the certification body was selected and operation system for this organization was established, documented and implemented through the process approach method. In the result, operations performance of certification body on the side of efficiency and effectiveness is analyzed and the effect of reconstruction of system on operations performance was figured out

• Korean Medical Education Review
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.132-140
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• 2014

Higher education is under unprecedented pressure for quality improvement and cost containment/reduction due to global competition and ever-increasing tuition costs. These twin challenges require an unconventional approach, and massive open online courses (MOOCs) and flipped learning have recently emerged as two promising educational alternatives not only to address the current problems but also to direct the future of education. This paper discusses the rapidly changing environment for education, MOOCs, and flipped learning as learning alternatives, the relationship between MOOCs and flipped learning, and course redesign for the implementation of flipped learning. The case of Ulsan National Institute of Science and Technology (UNIST) is also discussed for benchmarking purposes since it has been pioneering an innovative educational methodology for teaching and learning IT-enabled active learning methods from its inception in 2009. It has redesigned almost 70 courses (20% of all the courses to offer) for flipped learning. The objectives of UNIST's educational experiment are three-fold: improving the quality of education for students, improving teaching productivity for the faculty, and containing/reducing education costs for the university.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Railway
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.596-608
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• 2015

Freight transport by railway is gaining more attention at present as a countermeasure against global warming. In keeping with this purpose, the present study examined various methods for promoting railway use through minimization of the transfer resistance of bulk freight at railway stations. First, the transfer-related factors that shippers consider as important when choosing railway as a transport mode were identified. Also, the relative importance and the level of influence of each factor during the transfer stage were evaluated. Policy directions for reducing transfer resistance in railway stations were then proposed based on the analysis of the transfer resistance factors. The policy directions include both hardware and software approaches. The necessary reduction ranges with regard to the transfer cost and time through policy implementation efforts were suggested as well.

• International conference on construction engineering and project management
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• 2015.10a
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• pp.32-36
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• 2015

This study explores the issue of program management consortia involving multinational participants. The aim of this research was to leverage advantages in program management (PM) skills and PM model improvement in product line construction in mega scale construction programs, typically funded by public funds. Such ventures involve multinational parties using dedicated partnering based on a program management consortium (PMC) to reduce confrontation between parties in complex circumstances, allowing an open and non-adversarial approach to project management. This research also seeks to implement an ongoing feedback program of best practices and lessons learned to minimize the repetition of mistakes and to reduce costs in sequenced construction. Recently, the Korean government has planned to undertake three large new projects: the Korean Peninsula major river maintenance, the reclamation of Se-Mangum, and the Science/Business City. This paper starts by providing a framework for the cost-reduction strategy for the United States Forces Korea (USFK) Relocation Program, which will be funded with public funds and a private fund investment (PFI) that combines programs executed by two governments as owners and multinational stakeholders, joined in the PMC. The establishment of project-oriented consortia is an innovative and non-adversarial approach to massive international construction projects. Such projects have used various tools effectively and skillfully. This experience may offer an opportunity to practice new and advanced program management delivery methods, and it is expected that Korea will gain a competitive advantage in the international construction market.