• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.14-30
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• 2024

Objectives: Research on the general prescription patterns of insured herbal preparations in Korea has been limited. This study aimed to analyze prescription patterns of insured herbal preparations, utilizing the National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) sample cohort 2.0 data from 2010 to 2019. Methods: NHIS sample cohort 2.0 database, which represents a sample of 2.2% of the Korean population, was analyzed. We analyzed data related to prescriptions recognized as insured herbal preparations. Variables included patient demographics, diagnosis codes, prescription details, and healthcare institution characteristics. We examined trends over the decade, focusing on herbal formulae and single herb extracts. Results: During the study period, 275,358 patients visited Korean traditional medicine clinics and received at least one prescription of herbal preparations, representing 27.5% of the total sample. The number of prescriptions increased by 209%, from 34,621 in 2010 to 72,553 in 2019. Females accounted for 67% of these prescriptions, and 77% were for patients aged 70 and older. The top ten herbal formulae (TTHF), including Ojeok-san and Gungha-tang, constituted 76% of all prescriptions. Herbal formulae were used more frequently than single herb extracts, with certain prescriptions being commonly utilized. There was a notable focus on musculoskeletal disorders, with low back pain being the most common diagnosis. Conclusion: The study demonstrates a significant increase in the use of insured herbal preparations, primarily in small clinics and among the elderly. Prescription patterns showed a preference for specific single herb extracts and herbal formulae, with consistent trends over time. These findings provide valuable insights for future clinical research and policy development, particularly as herbal medicine's role in the national healthcare system continues to expand.

• Journal of Sasang Constitutional Medicine
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2011

Reforming the insurance scheme for herbal drugs in the National Health Insurance is a long-cherished desire for Korean Medicine doctors. Because most Korean Medicine doctors distrust the quality of existing insured herbal drugs, which are powdered mixes of each herbal extract, the use and the expenditure of insured herbal drugs have been decreased in the last ten years. To address this, it has been demanded to insure the composite type of herbal preparation, which is the extracted powder of the whole prescription, to the benefit coverage for herbal drugs. Many stake holders, however, have so far been unable to reach an agreement on this. In this situation, Sasang Constitutional prescriptions are expected to make a breach of insuring the composite herbal preparations, because some of them were approved as prescription drugs in 1999. In this review, I discussed the problems of insured herbal drugs, the necessity of insuring the composite herbal preparations and Sasang Constitutional prescriptions, and the tasks of Sasang Constitutional Society to insure them.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.31-44
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• 2018

Objectives : The aim of this study was to investigate the Korean medicine doctor's perception of the extension and activation of herbal medicine preparations insurance benefits. Methods : The sample of Korean medicine doctors' panel pool which is extracted by examining the square root quota of city location of Korean medicine clinics was used. In case of a vacancy in some participants, the number of Korean medicine doctors were supplemented and placed for investigation. Results : It has 54.0% awareness of the separation of prescribing and dispensing herbal preparations, 87.0% agreed on the need to be insured, but the separation as a necessary condition for being insured was only 60.3% agreed. When a large number of herbal preparations are being insured, it was expected that 30% to 50% of patients(30.3%) will be prescribed herbal preparations and the number of new patients will increase by 5 to 15 for the purpose of prescriptions only(49.3%). Increase amount of medical expense(?3,000) as a result of the separation of prescribing and dispensing herbal preparations are insufficient(54.3%). Conclusions : From the results of this study, extension of national health insurance to cover herbal preparations must be needed to activate herbal medicine preparations and improve Korean medical services.