• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.519-530
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• 2007

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to develop outcome indicators in clinical trials of herbal drugs effective for asthma. cough and sputum. To accomplish the objective, this study collected outcome indicators developed and used according to conventional medical concepts. Methods : Our research group reviewed SCI papers concerned with developing outcome indicators to evaluate amelioration of asthma, cough and sputum. We also reviewed clinical trials of herbal drugs effective for them. Results : To evaluate asthma, objective as well as subjective methods were chosen according to the purpose of each trial. Objective methods were PEF, FEVl, serum IgE, peripheral eosinophil counts, and so on. Subjective methods were symptom scores, symptom diaries, quality of life measures, etc. To evaluate cough and sputum, objective and subjective methods were also chosen. Objective methods were tussigenic challenges, sputum induction and computerized methodology, and subjective methods were similar to the methodology evaluating asthmatic symptoms. Conclusions : It is desirable for a clinical trial evaluating herbal drugs for asthma, cough and sputum to use objective and subjective outcome indicators together. However, biological outcome indicators, a kind of objective methods, can not be chosen as the purpose of trial. Valid and reliable subjective outcome indicators are needed to develop good clinical trials of herbal drugs effective for asthma, cough and sputum.

• Korean Journal of Psychosomatic Medicine
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.147-154
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• 1998

Objective : This study was designed to find the characteristics of MMPI that could influence the outcome of cognitive behavioral therapy(CBT) for panic disorder. Methods : 34 patients who met DSM-IV criteria for panic disorder with or without agoraphobia had completed 11 weekly sessions of cognitive behavioral therapy. All the patients were assessed with MMPI before the initiation of treatment. Five self-report measures including Beck Depression Inventory(BDI), Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory(STAI), Agoraphobic Cognition Questionnarie(ACQ), Body Sensation Questionnaire(BSQ), and Daily Anxiety Selfrating (0 - 8 scales) were also assessed as a pre- and post-treatment assessment. After the completion of treatment, patients were classified by the High End-State(HES) functioning group and the Low End-State(LES) functioning group for the data analysis. Results : 1) The LES group showed significantly higher scores in Hypochondriasis Scale(HS), Depression Scale(D), Hysterical Scale(Hy), Obsessive Scale(Pt), Schizophrenia Scale(Sc) and Validity Scale(F) of MMPI than the HES group. However, these differences gave impressions that the LES group had more severe symptoms rather than that they could be the factors influencing the outcome of CBT. 2) Though, the severity of symptoms of the LES group in the 5 measures of pre-assessment was basically higher than that of the HES group. The fact that both group showed the similar improvement between pre- and post-assessment supported the above interpretation. Conclusion : In regarding the above results, MMPI was not a proper tool that could provide the factors influencing the outcome of CBT. In the future study, the authors need to use a different tool that can find the personality characteristics more directly.

• Quality Improvement in Health Care
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.324-334
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• 1998

Background : Strategic planning is an organizationwide or systemwide, ongoing look into the future usually of 2~3 years, based on objective analysis of the current environment and trends, but it can incorporate both short-term and long-term goals. The strategic planning process includes external analysis, internal analysis, issue analysis, development of mission, vision and values, and lastly development of organizational goals and objectives. As a part of the strategic quality planning process, certain service lines, important organizationwide functions, or key processes supporting these functions can be prioritized to expedite and roll out certain strategic goals. This is called strategic quality initiatives. Methods : We organized a quality improvement team, a subgroup of 21st century vision planning corps of our medical center, and pursued QI activities for improvement of healthcare environment, particularly in the admission setting. We developed a strategic quality initiative based on the results of patient satisfaction surveys, and carried out functions of self-directed work team. Results : The strategic goal was to be the benchmark for peer group hospitals in Korea for providing cost-effective best-practice. The QI team included 3 medical doctors, 1 nurse, 1 social worker, and 1 QI consultant as well as many operational members to support services and quality initiatives met every Tuesday for 18 weeks. Outcome objectives were to improve patient satisfaction score. The issues included in the objectives were comfort, temperature, noise, cleanliness of the admission wards, quality and education of patient meals, matters regarding the admission process, and an appurtenant facility such as restaurant or convenience store. Every issue was discussed and recommendations, conclusions and opportunities were implemented. Conclusions : By developing a strategic quality initiative as a part of the strategic quality planning process, and pursuing a self-directed work team, certain sen/ice lines, important organizationwide functions, or key processes supporting these functions can be improved effectively within a short period. Strategic quality initiatives serve to support, or roll out, certain strategic goals that are relevant to performance improvement and development of specific measurable outcome objectives, and associated performance measure for each initiative. Each strategic quality initiative should include a statement of intent outcome objectives, and performance measures. We will come back with follow up of the strategic quality initiative, for improvement of healthcare environment, and results of patient satisfaction re-survey.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.565-573
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• 2014

Purpose: Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service (HIRA) launched an Acute Myocardial Infarction(AMI) assessment for the Payment For Performance(Quality Incentives) Pilot Project from July 2007. Assessment measures of AMI were composed of five process measures and one outcome measure, and each measure was incorporated into one composite quality score to Pay for Performance. Method: For calculation of composite quality score, we considered weighting for the measures using the Delphi method. The questionnaire was composed of three measure groups, 'Reperfusion rate'(Fibrolytic therapy received within 60 minutes of hospital arrival, Primary Percutaneous Coronary Intervention within 120 minutes of hospital arrival), 'Medication prescription rate'(Aspirin at arrival, Aspirin prescribed at discharge, Beta-blocker prescribed at discharge) and 'Survival Index'(30-day mortality rate). Result: A panel composed of 18 and completed a questionnaire by allocation of 10 scores to the three above mentioned measure groups. The Delphi was carried out until three rounds of surveys. In conclusion, each measure group was weighted differently and the 10 scores were allocated as 4.5 to 'Reperfusion rate', 2.5 to 'Medication prescription rate', and 3.0 to 'Survival Index'. Conclusion: The results of this study proposed the calculation method for weighting of Acute Myocardial Infarction quality indicators.

• International Commerce and Information Review
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.185-207
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• 2012

Vietnam is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. Many Korean companies have recently invested their factories to Vietnam from China. This Study measures the entry determinants and outcomes of Vietnam foreign direct investment of the Korea company. This study developed a research model to determinant factor in the Vietnam market entry and collected 98 survey responses from the Korean company to Vietnam investment. In the article analysis, Multiple regression results show that Vietnam investment outcome review are positively affected by "Scale of Investment company", "International Experience of Investment company", "Marketing Skill of Investment company" and "Vietnam's Market Scale", "Vietnam's Market Environment" factors in all a hypothesis. However, the result of this analysis showed that the "Financial management of investment company", and "Organization management of investment company" as independence is not statistically significant. This article suggests that the investment outcome of Vietnam foreign direct investment should take earned of the Korea company in Vietnam market.

• Journal of Digital Convergence
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• v.13 no.9
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• pp.323-332
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• 2015

This paper examines the level of the primary care continuity for patients with high blood pressure and the effects of the primary care continuity on their convergence health outcomes. We conducted a retrospective cohort study. A total of 315,791 patients who had received new diagnoses of hypertension. We determined standard indices of continuity of care-MFPC, MMCI, and COC and evaluated their association with study outcomes over three years of follow-up. Outcome measures included hospitalization and emergency room visits. The result of the primary care continuity levels and hazard ratios of health outcome showed that, comparing continuity group, non-continuity group had higher rates of hospitalization by 1.655(95% CI: 1.547-1.771) and emergency room visits by 1.669(95% CI: 1.465-1.903). This paper argues that medical costs of chronic diseases will reduce if low continuity of care turns into high continuity of care.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.56 no.3
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• pp.224-229
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• 2014

Objective : To report long-term clinical and radiological outcomes of minimally invasive posterior cervical foraminotomy (MI-PCF) performed in patients with unilateral single-level cervical radiculopathy. Methods : Of forty-six patients who underwent MI-PCF for unilateral single-level radiculopathy between 2005 and 2013, 33 patients were included in the study, with a mean follow-up of 32.7 months. Patients were regularly followed for clinical and radiological assessment. Clinical outcome was measured by visual analogue scale (VAS) for the neck/shoulder and arm, and the neck disability index (NDI). Radiological outcome was measured by focal/global angulation and disc height index (DHI). Outcomes after MI-PCF were evaluated as changes of clinical and radiological parameters from the baseline. Mixed effect model with random patients' effect was used to test for differences in the clinical and radiological parameters repeat measures. Results : There were no complications and all patients had an uneventful recovery during the early postoperative period. VAS scores for neck/shoulder and arm improved significantly in the early postoperative period (3 months) and were maintained with time (p<0.001). NDI improved significantly post-operatively and tended to decrease gradually during the follow-up period (p<0.001). There were no statistically significant changes in focal and global angulation at follow-up. Percent DHIs of the upper adjacent or operated disc were maintained without significant changes with time. During the follow-up, same site recurrence was not noted and adjacent segment disease requiring additional surgery occurred in two patients (6%) on the contra-lateral side. Conclusion : MI-PCF provides long-term pain relief and functional restoration, accompanied by good long-term radiological outcome.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.269-273
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• 2022

Background: Neuromuscular electrical stimulation (NMES) is used for muscle strengthening. While voluntary muscle contraction follows Henneman et al.'s size principle, the NMES-induced muscle training disrespects the neurophysiology, which may lead to unwanted changes (i.e., declined balance ability). Objects: We examined how the balance was affected by abdominal muscle training with the NMES. Methods: Fifteen young adults (10 males and 5 females) aged between 21 and 30 received abdominal muscle strengthening with NMES for 23 minutes. Before and after the training, participants' balance was measured through one leg standing on a force plate with eyes open or closed. Outcome variables included mean distance (MDIST), root mean square distance (RDIST), total excursion (TOTEX), mean velocity (MVELO), and 95% confidence circle area (AREA) of center of pressure data. Two-way repeated measures analysis of variance was used to test if these outcome variables were associated with time (pre and post) and vision. Results: All outcome variables were not associated with time (p > 0.05). However, all outcome variables were associated with vision (p = 0.0001), and MVELO and TOTEX were 52.4% (45.5 mm/s versus 95.6 mm/s) and 52.4% (364.1 mm versus 764.5 mm) smaller, respectively, in eyes open than eyes closed (F = 55.8, p = 0.0005; F = 55.8, p = 0.0005). Furthermore, there was no interaction between time and vision (F = 0.024, p = 0.877). Conclusion: Despite the different neurophysiology of muscle contraction, abdominal muscle strengthening with NMES did not affect balance.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.151-160
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• 2020

Background: Blood stasis (BS) is commonly used for pattern identification in traumatic injuries, including traffic accidents (TAs). Various studies have identified the efficacy of Korean medicine treatments for TA patients, but studies focusing on the BS-based herbal medicine (BSHM), including Tongdo-san (TDS), are rare. Methods: This was a single-center, prospective observational study, conducted from August 24^th, 2018 to December 27^th, 2018, which included 40 TA patients. Participants underwent routine Korean medicine treatments including acupuncture, electronic moxibustion, cupping, physical therapy, and herbal medicine. In the herbal medicine treatment, participants took BSHM with more than 3 days including taking TDS. The primary outcome measures were the scores from a 100 mm visual analogue scale (VAS) and numerical rating scale (NRS). Secondary outcome measures included scores from EuroQol-5 dimension (EQ-5D) and EQ-VAS questionnaires, the BS and cold/heat indices, and safety assessments. Results: There were significant improvements in the VAS, NRS, EQ-5D, EQ-VAS scores, and BS index after treatment. In the sub-analysis, VAS, NRS, EQ-5D, and EQ-VAS scores were higher in groups with a higher BS index. The moderate and severe BS index groups showed more improvement than the minor BS index group, and there was a significant difference in the EQ-5D scores. There was no significant differences observed in cold/heat index groups scores. Conclusion: BS is associated with TA-related symptoms. BSHM, including TDS, may significantly reduce BS, pain, and discomfort.

• The Journal of Korean Medicine
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.225-232
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• 2006

Objective : To test the hypotheses that individualized traditional Korean acupuncture improves pain and disability in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee and that benefits remain after stopping treatment more so than is the case for standardized minimal acupuncture. Design : Randomized single blind controlled trial with two intervention arms (individualized traditional Korean acupuncture, standardized minimal acupuncture) of six weeks' duration and three months follow-up. Setting : Acupuncture interventions were applied by two training doctors in the Department of Acupuncture and Moxibustion in a 1000-bed hospital. Assessment of the result was performed in a university-based laboratory. Participants : 50 patients with symptoms of knee osteoarthritis as diagnosed by an orthopedist. Intervention : Individualized traditional Korean acupuncture or standardized minimal acupuncture for six weeks. Main outcome measures: Primary outcome measure was pain as measured by the visual analogue scale. Secondary measures of pain and disability included the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities (WOMAC) index, Short Form-36 (SF-36), Lequesne Functional Index (LFI) score and Korean version of Health Assessment Questionnaire (KHAQ). Discussion : This paper presents detail on the rationale, design, methods and operational aspects of the trial.