• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.247-254
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• 2013

Purpose: In Korea, the entire population must enroll in the national health insurance system, and those who are classified as having a lower socioeconomic status are supported by the medical aid system. The aim of this study was to evaluate the association of the medical insurance status of gastric cancer patients with their survival after gastrectomy. Materials and Methods: A total of 247 patients who underwent surgical treatment for gastric cancer between January 1999 and December 2010 at the Seoul Medical Center were evaluated. Based on their medical insurance status, the patients were classified into two groups: the national health insurance registered group (n=183), and the medical aid covered group (n=64). The survival rates were calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method. Results: The median postoperative duration of hospitalization was longer in the medical aid covered group and postoperative morbidity and mortality were higher in the medical aid group than in the national health insurance registered group (P<0.05). The overall 5-year survival rate was 43.9% in the medical aid covered group and 64.3% in the national health insurance registered group (P=0.001). Conclusions: The medical insurance status reflects the socioeconomic status of a patient and can influence the overall survival of gastric cancer patients. A more sophisticated analysis of the difference in the survival time between gastric cancer patients based on their socioeconomic status is necessary.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.52-60
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• 2005

This study explored the process of the professionalization of Korean Oriental medicine in Je-Han Medical Center. Je-Han Medical Center has fulfilled the requisites of the professionalization. The process of professionalization of Je-Han Medical Center is different from the process of professionalization of Western medical profession. Firstly, the Korean Oriental medical doctors of Je-Han Medical Center had been educated the standardized Korean Oriental medical knowledges. But the medical practices of them were not fully standardized. Secondly, the Korean Oriental medical doctors of Je-Han Medical Center have occupied the exclusive rights in the areas of Korean Oriental medicine. But there still exists the restriction of the range of license. Thirdly, the Korean Oriental medical doctors of Je-Han Medical Center had pride as a Korean Oriental medical doctor. They had the ideology as the national medical doctors. But the patients' use of Korean Oriental medicine were based on the practical reasons, not based on the ideological reasons. Fourthly, the inner hierarchy of Je-Han Medical Center was very strict. But the hierarchical and authoritarian relations between medical doctors and patients were very weak. Like this, we can find the unique process of professionalization of Korean Oriental medicine in Je-Han Medical Center. These findings can contribute to the extend the horizon of the sociology of profession.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Oriental Medical Informatics
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2010

Objective: Various controlled vocabulary such as thesaurus and classification make us to reuse and share effectively by defining different concept and linking terms each other. The UMLS(Unified Medical Language System) is one of the most universal medical terminology systems. It is needed various methods to share and reuse information of traditional Korean medicine. We will research on method that adopt SUI of the UMLS(that is de facto standard in medical terminology system) in traditional Korean medical terminology. Method: We described major problems and applying process when we tried to add traditional Korean medicine in the part of meridian into the UMLS metathesaurus. Comparing western medical terms and traditional Korean medical terms for applying UMLS metathesaurus, there is not only many consistency, but also differences. Result: We confirmed what is the differences and consistency between western medical terms and traditional Korean medical terms. And then reviewed methods that apply the CUI, LUI, SUI in traditional Korean medical terms. Traditional Korean medical terms are not discriminated by singular or plural string. In addition, traditional Korean medical terms have vary string by initial law: the law of initial sound of a syllable. Character is described with Korean, traditional Chinese, modern Chinese, etc. According to meaning, language, initial law, SUI has a distinct value respectively. Conclusion: There are many differences to apply the UMLS between western medical terms and traditional Korean medical terms. For the better implementation to traditional Korean medicine into the UMLS, further research is needed in standardization and classification of traditional Korean medical terms, medical information system, etc. We hope this study helps the implementation UMLS, EHR, knowledge based system in Oriental medicine in the future.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.28 no.3 s.71
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• pp.23-36
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• 2007

Objective : To poll oriental medical doctors on their opinions about the necessity of standard medical charts and of detailed items in their development. Currently, oriental medical institutions use their own medical charts, but a standard medical chart is necessary for medical information sharing. Methods : Report by 912 of the 10,490 oriental medical doctors surveyed on their general aspects, actual conditions, and requirements. Results : The oriental medical doctors surveyed who worked in oriental medicine clinics, oriental medicine hospitals, and public health centers said medical examination programs should consist of chief complaints (said by 814 respondents or 89.25%), history (792 or 86.84%), ordinal symptoms (753 or 82.57%), diet (727 or 79.71%), emotions and overstrain (654 or 71.71%), side effects and allergies (622 or 68.20%), improvement of symptoms (605 or 66.34%), a questionnaire on particular diseases (558 or 61.18%), social aspects (523 or 57.35%), a physical examination (520 or 57.02%), a questionnaire on syndrome differentiation (514 or 56.36%), diagnosis using medical devices and laboratory tests (471 or 51.64%), and Sasang constitution (357 or 39.14%). Ninety-one percent of the respondents said they intended to use a standard chart, and 82.19% agreed to share patient information with medical institutions. Conclusions : Over 90 percent of the oriental medical doctors surveyed said they need a standard medical examination program. Oriental medical examination items that correspond with the opinions of the oriental medical doctors surveyed and of experts will thus be developed, and the draft chart will be distributed to oriental medical institutions with the developed medical forms and electronic medical chart.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.23-33
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• 2008

Objectives : The study was accomplished to find out how korean medical doctor take oriental medical service for hypertension patients in clinical practice Methods : Survey questions were developed based on consensus of 2 clinician, 2 oriental internal medicine specialist and 1 acupuncture specialist. The list of the Korean oriental medical doctors is provided by the Association of the Korean Oriental Medicine. The questionnaire were distributed via E-mail to 9,465 members of Korean oriental medical doctors from 19th August 2008 to 11th September 2008. One thousand sixty three(11.24% of 9,465) members completed answer and the computerized data were analyzed by SAS statistical program Results : Fifty-one percent of Korean oriental medical doctors has experienced hypertension treatment. The most common medical diagnosis method was pattern diagnosis(64.2%). Saam and five element acupuncture were as frequent as 32.3% of acupuncture prescription principle. The most common acupuncture points were region of shoulder and back acupoints inclued $GB_{21}$, $GV_{14}$(25%). The most common herbs prescription principle were 'constitution prescription'(35.4%), 'pattern prescription'(12.6%). The most common opinion for the revitalization of oriental medical service were 'medical insurance system of herbal medicine'(28.8%) and 'research of oriental medical treatments in hypertensive patients'(26.8%). Conclusions : This survey provides unique insight into the perception, treatment method of the Korea medical doctor at oriental medical service for hypertension patient. This study provides a wealth of information and a fresh raft of questions which will inform future research and policy-making.

• Journal of Sasang Constitutional Medicine
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.137-143
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• 2009

1. Objective : This study aims to evaluate the medical tourism structures in countries with prosperous medical tourism industry such as Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and India in order ro propose optimal strategies that can promote the medical tourism in Korea. 2. Methods : All pertinent literature concerning medical tourism directly and indirectly were assessed, and reviews of medical tourism strategies found in various countries were evaluated. 3. Results : Evaluation of related literature reveals that medical tourism is a recent burgeoning industry that has grown In market size considerably in the last five to ten years. Also, it shows that oriental medicine is a highly likely candidate amidst the various medical fields for attraction foreign patients. 4. Conclusion : The Korean government should support and install appropriate legal and administrative bodies in order to attract medical tourists; Korea-specific medical tourism programs (ie. traditional Korean medicine package tours) should be developed in order to attract medical tourists from the western world and the middle-east. In addition, low-price policy of medical tourism is not a proper strategies for the competition against advanced medical tourism destinations such as Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore and India. Differentiated medical tourism package such as oriental medical tourism program rather than provision of low-price policy seems to be more effective strategy for the medical tourism in Korea. Future studies on strategies for promoting medical tourism should focus on how foreigners recognize traditional Korean medicine, what diagnostic approach might be appealing to them and how the legal system concerning the medical procedures may be altered and modified.

• Journal of Convergence for Information Technology
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.154-159
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• 2020

The purpose of this study is program development for efficient medical institution management and finding comprehensive measures to increase the credibility of medical institutions. For this purpose, a survey on medical service satisfaction was conducted for elderly people aged 65 or older living in four other areas. The results of the analysis were as follows: First, the survey participants had higher confidence in private medical institutions. Second, there was no relationship between the reliability of public and private medical institutions and the selection of medical institutions. Third, the environment of the survey subjects was related to the selection of medical institutions. The credibility of the surveyed public and private medical institutions affects the selection of medical institutions, and the economic power and understanding of the medical institutions also influence the selection of medical institutions.. Therefore, it is suggested that public medical institutions need to improve the satisfaction of medical services in the future, and management efficiency of public medical institutions in addition to private medical institutions is urgently needed.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.71-87
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• 2011

Objective : The present study is aimed at providing basic data to help oriental medical hospitals devise efficient operational plans by analyzing the medical expenses of in-patients in an oriental medical hospital and the factors affecting such expenses. Methods : PASW 18.0 was used to analyze the medical insurance program data of 929 patients who were discharged from a university oriental medical hospital(with 105 sick-beds) during the period from January 1 to December 31, 2010 after treatment under the coverage of health insurance and medical aid. Results : 1) Of all the patients hospitalized, 63.3% were females, their mean age was 52.73 years old, and 87.7% was covered by the health insurance program. The biggest number or 31.2% of the patients were treated by the department of acupuncture, 31.5% suffered mainly from the diseases of musculoskeletal system and connective tissues, and the average length of stay at the hospital was 19.49 days. 2) There were statistically significant differences in total medical expenses by age, clinical department in charge, principal diagnosis, and number of days hospitalized while daily average medical expenses differed depending on age, type of medical security, clinical department, principal diagnosis, and number of days staying at the hospital. 3) Total medical expenses were found significantly influenced by age, type of medical security, clinical department, principal diagnosis, and number of days hospitalized(explanatory power : 95.9%), whereas type of medical security, clinical department and principal diagnosis turned out to exercise significant influence on the daily average medical expenses(explanatory power : 26.9%). Conclusion : Oriental medical hospitals are suggested to make efforts to ensure geographical and economical accessibility for their main clients, the elderly and middle-aged, as well as to improve satisfaction of the clients with the medical service provided. They are also encouraged to work out systems to specialize in treatment with a focus on chronic degenerative and adult diseases. In addition, they are expected to try to enhance people's awareness of oriental medicine in an attempt to diversify the brackets of clients and increase frequency of their utilization.

• The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology
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• v.8 no.5
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• pp.1-7
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• 2022

Korean medical device industry has laid the foundation for full-fledged growth and development with the G7 medical engineering technology development project that started in 1995, and the medical device production in 2020 increased by 8.52 times and the export by 13.94 times, compared to those in 2001. In early years, electronic medical devices such as ultrasound imaging device contributed greatly to Korean medical industry, but top ranks in medical device production and export in Korea has shifted recently to in vitro diagnostic medical devices and dental implants. However, the share of imported medical devices in the Korean medical device market have not changed much; it still ranges in 60 to 70%, as the Korean medical device industry produces and exports mid- to low-priced medical devices, and technology-intensive and capital-intensive high-priced medical devices are mainly imported. In this paper, we compare the leading medical devices produced by major Korean companies and those by global top medical device companies to suggest strategies for the Korean medical device companies to enter the global market.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.31-42
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• 2024

Objective : In order to understand the changes in domestic approval regulations applicable to traditional Korean medical device companies, this article will explain the major amendments 「Regulation on Medical Device Approval Report Review, etc.」 from 2005 to the present on a year-by-year basis, and provide a counter plan to the recent changes in approval regulations. Methods : We analysed the changes in approval regulatory amendments related to the traditional Korean medical devices from 2005 to the present. Results : The Ministry of Food and Drug Safety is continuously improving medical device approval regulations to ensure the global competitiveness of domestic medical devices and contribute to the improvement of public health. Recent major approval regulatory amendments include the establishment of a review system for software medical devices and digital therapeutics, the recognition of real world evidence materials, the introduction of a biological evaluation of medical devices within a risk management process and a medical device approval licence renewal system. Conclusions : It is expected that the range of medical devices available to Korean medicine doctors will continue to expand in the future through the provision of non-face-to-face medical services and the development of advanced and new medical devices, as well as wearable medical devices and digital therapeutics. In order to increase the market entry potential of traditional Korean medical devices that incorporate advanced technologies such as digital technology and AI-based diagnosis and prediction technology, it is urgent that the government provide significant support to traditional Korean medical device companies to improve approval regulatory compliance.