• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.1-16
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• 2012

Objective : To investigate the current status of prescription drugs in Oriental medical institutes and to draw up a future plan for the revitalization of Oriental medical health insurance, this survey has been performed. Method : The survey has been made with 321 doctors working at Oriental medical institutes in Daegu and Kyungbuk areas for a period of 3 month from June 1, 2010 until September 1, 2010. Result : 1. When it comes to the current status of the use of herbal drugs in Oriental Health insurance, most of doctors surveyed prescribe insurance drugs, and they prescribe insurance drugs to patients, who are less than 20% of total patients visiting their clinics. 2. The awareness of Herbal Health Care Drugs is investigated. When it comes to the understanding of the difference between insurance drugs(powder type drugs) and granular type drugs, doctors admit that they differ only in one aspect, whether or not their being covered by health insurance. Based on the survey results on the understanding of insurance coverage of granular type drugs, doctors, even though they long for granular type drugs to be accepted as insurance drugs, are worrying whether the number of outpatients might dwindle due to increased insurance co-payments. They also point out that the biggest obstacles in the expansion of the granular type drugs as insurance drugs are the lack of understanding of the government and the objection of the Health Insurance Review and Assesment service (HIRA) for fear of increased insurance claims. 3. Upon investigation on Oriental medicine doctors' understandings of herbal pharmaceutical industry, it is found that doctors' responses on pharmaceutical industry are not all positive ones('new product development and neglect of R&D infrastructure' and 'smallness of industry'). When it is investigated what area needs the greatest improvement in herbal pharmaceutical industry, 'securing sufficient capital, good manufacturing, and strengthening quality control', is the highest. 4. When it is asked what are the most needed in order to improve herbal health insurance medicine, responses such as 'the increase in the accessibility to and the utilization of Oriental medical clinics through the diversification of the means of prescriptions', 'the improvement of insurance benefits(cap adjustments)', 'increase the proportion of high quality medicinal plants', 'the ceiling of co-payments(deductible) at 20,000 won or more', 'expansion of the choices of formulations', 'formulational expansions of tablets and pills', and finally 'admittance and expansion of granular type drug as insurance drug' are the highest. 5. Upon investigating the general characteristics of the current status of the usage of Oriental health care herbal drugs, the followings are observed. First, the frequency of use of health insurance drugs by the doctors who use health insurance with general characteristics shows similar differences in case of total monthly sales amount (p<0.001), average number of daily patients (p<0.05). Secondly, as to the willingness of the expanded usage of insurance drugs, similar differences are observed in case of total monthly sales amount (p<0.05). 6. Upon investigating the general characteristics of the perception of Herbal health care drugs, the followings are observed. First, inspecting general characteristics and insurance claims due to increased co-payments(deductible amount) reveals similar differences in case of working period (p<0.01) and in case of total monthly sales amount (p <0.01). Secondly, inspecting general characteristics and the obstacles that hinder granular type drugs from being accepted as health care insurance drugs shows similar differences in case of working period (p<0.05). 7. Upon investigating the general characteristics of the understanding of Oriental Herbal pharmaceutical companies, the followings are observed. First, opinions on the general characteristics of pharmaceutical companies, when examined with variance analysis, shows similar differences in case of total monthly sales amount (p<0.05). Secondly, when opinions are examined on general characteristics and the problems of herbal pharmaceutical companies, similar differences are found in case of working period (p<0.01) and in case of total monthly sales amount (p<0.001). Lastly, opinions on the general characteristics and reforms of pharmaceutical companies, similar differences are observed in case of working period (p<0.001). 8. Upon investigating the general characteristics of the improvement of insurance Herbal drugs, the followings are observed. First, regarding general characteristics and insurance benefits, similar differences are observed in case of working period (p<0.05), in case of total monthly sales amount (p<0.05), and in case of average number of daily patients (p<0.01). Secondly, opinions on the general characteristics and the needs for the improvement of Herbal insurance drugs are examined in 5 different aspects, which are the approval of granular type drugs as insurance drugs, the expanded practices of the number of prescription insurance drugs, the needs of a variety of formulations, the needs of TFT of which numbers of Oriental medical doctors are members for the revision of the existing system, and the needs of adjusting the current ceiling of the fixed amount and the fixed rate. When processed by the analysis of variance, the results show similar differences in case of average number of daily patients (p<0.01). Conclusion : From the results of this study the first measures to take are, to reform overall insurance benefit system, including insurance co-payment system(fixed rate cap adjustment), to expand the number of the herbal drugs to be prescribed matching with insurance benefit accordingly, and to revitalize herbal medicine insurance system through the change of various formulations. In addition, it is recommended to improve the effectiveness of herbal medicine by making plans to enhance the efficacy of herbal medicine and by enabling small pharmaceutical companies to outgrow themselves.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine Ophthalmology and Otolaryngology and Dermatology
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.215-223
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• 2010

Objective : The aim of this study is to assess the impact of chronic atopic dermatitis (AD) on quality of life (QoL) as well as the economic burden associated with oriental medical treatment on adult patients with chronic AD in Korea. Methods : The EQ-5D health states, existence and duration of AD in the 2007 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) were used to obtain the study subjects. A questionnaire including the questions on direct medical and direct non-medical costs associated with oriental medical treatment for adult patients with AD was specifically designed. Twenty-nine, members of the Korean Oriental Medical Ophthalmology, Otolaryngology and Dermatology Society (KOMOODS), completed the questionnaires. Results : The incidence of AD was around 3.09% in 2007 NHANES (sample survey, n=2981). Three months and above in duration of disease was 1.35%. The QoL data revealed as follows: 0.932 in non-chronic AD, 0.916 in chronic AD, and 0.908 in non-AD. We also stratified our analysis by age. The QoL data in 40's was statistically significant (P<0.023). But, no significant differences were reported in 20's, 30's, and 50's. The total direct medical costs of oriental medical treatment for AD was about 2,560,717 Won, and total direct non-medical costs was about 605,125 Won in a year. Conclusions : This study might be applied to find the evidence of economic evaluation in oriental medicine for AD. More rigorous studies are warranted.

• Korean Parent-Child Health Journal
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.149-159
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• 2008

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship of stress, depression and Yangsaeng in Korea. Yangsaeng is a traditional health care regimen for the promotion of health and prevention of illness by means of specific principles and methods, whose purpose was to improve longevity and healthy life. Method: The subjects of this study were 523 college women in Korea. Data were collected by using a self-reported questionnaire and analyzed through descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation coefficient, t-test, ANOVA and Cronbach's ${\alpha}$. Results: There was statistically significant difference in stress and depression according to drinking and positive thinking. There was statistically significant difference in Yangsaeng according to grade, drinking, exercise and positive thinking. Stress was positively related depression. Stress and depression was negatively related Yangsaeng. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that Yangsaeng as oriental health care regimen could lower level of stress and depression. Therefore, Yangsaeng could be recommended a way of mental health promotion in Korean culture.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.459-471
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• 2016

This study presents a comparative study for differences in efficacy and ingredient of white ginseng(WG), red ginseng(RG), and black ginseng(BG) using anti-oxidative activity test and anti-inflammatory activity test. In the results of cytotoxicity test for WG, RG, and BG, the survival rate of all cells was more than 95%. In the total polyphenol analysis, DPPH, ABTS radical scavenging test, and ROS production test, BG showed higher anti-oxidant activity than WG and RG. RG and WG showed higher inhibition activity of NO production and $PGE_2$ production, respectively. As results of the test for the effect on reduction of inflammatory cytokine production, WG and RG were effective on reduction of IL-$1{\beta}$ production, and BG was effective on reduction of IL-6. In the case of TNF-${\alpha}$ production, there was no difference among samples. This study could be useful basic data for the development of functional food and the fabrication of safe cosmetic.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.9-15
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• 2014

Recently, interest in traditional medicine has increased steadily. Nations having traditional medicine system have been attempting to change it institutionally for the purpose of public application boost in use of traditional medicine. But there are not too many countries which have established the modern system of education and licensing system for traditional medicine with it maintained as a part of a national health care system. The best known examples of nations utilizing traditional medicine are the People's Republic of China, Republic of Korea, Japan, and Taiwan. These countries follow different patterns in the relationship with western medicine according to different social and historical backgrounds. Taiwan has dual medical system as Korean. In this study, we looked through history and the current state of affairs of national health care system in Taiwan, and also found out the licensing system, the educational system, and the curriculum in several universities. thoroughly. Furthermore, we looked into the direction of the policy of Taiwanese health care system which has been becoming an integrated medical system between traditional Chinese medicine and western medicine. With findings based on this study, we deduced implications of a future policy line about the integrated medical system in Korea to minimize conflicts between the concerned parties.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.19 no.12
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• pp.513-521
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• 2021

The purpose of this study is to suggest an anti-aging health care plan through a literature analysis of the life activity system of Oriental Medicine. The source of normal maintenace, development, and change of the natural world and the human body's life activity process is the dynamical cooperative equilibrium of the internal Shen-Ji's discipline that creates, grows, changes, makes differences and stores(生长化收藏) and external Qi-Li's process of change from birth to growth, maturity to old age and ending of life(生長壯老已). Therefore, it was analyzed that the natural and human life activity processes are normally maintained, developed, and transformed. As a result, when the natural healing power of Genuine-Qi, the source of the human vitality, rises with the 'breathing massage' that combines a static breathing method which is anti-aging health care method applying the lifting entering movement of Qi and a dynamic abdominal massage, and it harmonizes the Shen-Ji which is the life process system and Qi-Li so that it is believed to be helpful in prolonging a healthy lifespan.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.71-82
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• 2015

Objective : The purpose of this study is to present the desirable model for the promotion of care coordination between Korean Medicine and Western Medicine and develope the instrument to measure the level of coordination. Moreover, we verified the validity and reliability of the developed Instrument. Method : In this study, We developed the 16 items regarding care coordination in Korean Medicine and Western Medicine by literature review and expert interviews. In addition, we verified the validity and reliability of the instrument as a methodological research. Results : We developed two factors such as 'Inter-professional activities' and 'Organizational support' as the instrument to measure the level of care coordination, and each of seven, eight total of 15 measurement items are listed. Conclusion : Since the legal permission, the level and type of care coordination and the effects of them are needed to be checked. So, the measurement instrument driven by this study has a political signification in healthcare system specially in these times. In addition, by utilizing this instrument, we propose to perform a variety of future studies on the levels of healthcare coordination and related outcomes.

• 대한치주과학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2003.11a
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• pp.102-103
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• 2003

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.1-22
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• 2003

Since 1990s, the use of Complementary and Alternative Medicine(CAM) has been rising rapidly all of the world. In 1983, WHO recommended that the traditional medicine actively be utilized. At the end of 20th century, as chronic and intractable diseases increased in western countries, traditional medicine has attracted considerable attention. COWM shows possibilities of new approaches for these intractable diseases. Thus, we try to show our proper approach of COWM through the international comparative study. In order to fulfill the objectives, we applied the following methodology: 1) Literature review on previous study, 2) Local survey using self-administered questionnaire, and 3) FGI(Focus Group Interview) with local experts. The results were as follows : Three Asian countries, China, Korea and Taiwan, are very active in implementing COWM policy. Japan, however, has independent system of unified medicine. In regards to the combined care policy and system, China has the most advanced COWM system among four countries. In respect to combined care education, it is needed to increase the COWM education contents and the amount of cross educational curriculum. Based on the current COWM system, Chinese, Japanese and Taiwanese doctors can prescribe both oriental and western drugs. But, Korean medical law prohibits western doctors and oriental doctors from prescribing the counterpart´s medicine. So, the revision of current medical law is urgent for COWM in Korea. And when it comes to patient satisfaction, more than fifty percent responded positively in China, Korea and Taiwan. To achieve the goal of COWM ; 1) mutual understanding and recognition of COWM is essential. 2) institutional and legal support system for COWM is desperately urgent. 3) possible international collaboration and cooperation should be sought to untangle these complex cultural dilemmas.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.386-393
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• 2015

Bian-zheng(辨證) of Korean Medicine(KM) is based on four examinations(四診) of Korean medical doctor. The interrogation or questioning(問診) provides the most information of four examinations. The symptom obtained from the interrogation or questioning is the main basis of the Bian-zheng. KM is understood in the whole state of the body of a specified time without seeing the disease exist. So the observable symptom is disease itself. Symptom in KM is used as an important basis for the diagnosis. But if the interview when memories are not sure of the correct answer does not get much easier to find exactly the symptoms. So when recording original symptom(素證) and daily subjective symptom can be helpful for care. In this paper, we propose daily living symptom record system as a method that can be applied to the health care according to the importance of collecting the symptom in the KM. Daily living symptom record system can record the symptom in the individual to awaken daily. The system stores the symptom in structure and provides an open shared services. So it can be used as a symptom of other systems, such as PHR, EMR, CDSS. In addition, Doctor may be able to help in the treatment determined by reference to shared symptom.