• Health Policy and Management
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.70-87
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• 2001

The purpose of this study was to identify health care providers' perceptions about the goal achievement and benefit/loss caused by the separation policy of drug prescribing and dispensing after the policy implemented on July 1, 2001. Uslng stratified sampling method based on the administration area, Ku, 315 physicians and pharmacists were sampled from the rosters of physician and pharmacist association in the city of Busan on 2001. There were 122 and 115 responses from physician and pharmacist sample, respectively. 78.3% of physicians and 50.4% of pharmacists evaluated that the goal of the policy was not achieved. Moreover, 75.3% of physicians and 40.7% of pharmacists did not support the policy. Most physicians and pharmacists considered preventing the citizens with drug abuse and misuses as the most important benefit derived from the policy. However, physicians and pharmacists concerned over raising health care cost that could be patients' burden. The most important physicians' benefit derived from the policy was free choice of all possible medicine that might result in effectiveness of medication. In physicians' the most important loss, most physicians worried about that breaking traditional patient and physician relationship might cause physicians' authority in treating diseases to be damaged. Pharmacists considered the most important policy benefit as hiked social status resulted from enforcement of profession due to the policy whereas they considered the most significant loss as expected financial problems of small pharmacies compared to that of large pharmacies or pharmacies adjacent to hospitals. In the current problems of the policy, physician and pharmacists blamed the government for inadequate preparations of the policy implementation. Physicians and pharmacists also considered citizens' mature attitudes toward the policy as a crucial success factor.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.41-77
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• 2000

This study aimed at the analysis, from the perspective of rationality, of policy making process in the separation of prescribing and dispensing. This study is to identify the characteristics and problems of the policy process to introduce the new durg-prescription system, and make policy recommendations. In terms of separation of prescribing and dispensing, the development of policy making process can be divided into two periods; periods before and after the inauguration of the govemment of people. In the period before the govermment of poeple, one of the major characteristics of policy decision on the new system was the poweful influence of interset groups. At that time, the ministry lacked the problem-solving ability and commitment on the policy. Consequently, during the former period, the policy making process had been driven by interest groups. Therefore, the original purpose of the policy to secure the pulic health was lost. During the latter period, there was also the strong influence of interst groups, complexity of interest, the ministry's inability of problem solving. However, in this period, it is notable that this has drawn nation-wide attention, severl civic grouos have participated in the policy making process, and that the number and voice of these groups have remarkably increased. With regards to rationality, incrementalish model is highly sutable to explain the policy making process in the former period. But in the latter period when the new drugperscripition system became a national issue and civic groups began to participte in this matter more actively, rational model is more explanatory that incrementalism to understand the process. During the latter period, the original goal of this policy was not distored by a few interest groups thanks to the rapid development of civil movement and therebly a big influence of civic groups on the policy making. For that reson, a jigh level of rationality is found in the policy-making process of the latter period. Some suggestions to achieve the rationality in the policy making process based on the results of this study are as follows; Frist, the public's participation should be enered in the policy making process. Second, the govermment should make contiuns efforts to enhance its ability of long-term planning and policy implementation, and increase rationality of policy making process. Third, balance among interset groups should take place in the process of policy making. Forth, sound, constructive, and logical activity of interest groups is necessary to express and promote their interests.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.62-84
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• 2001

The purpose of the study was to compare patient's satisfaction on the pharmacy services after introducing the new system of separation of dispensing from prescribing medicines, between those filling their prescriptions from the pharmacy nearby hospitals and those from the pharmacy in their resident areas. To measure patient's satisfaction, a questionnaire survey was conducted with 354 outpatients who received prescriptions from any of the three university hospitals located in In-Cheon city. Study results showed that geographic accessibility to pharmacy was a main attribute to select pharmacy. Size of the pharmacy and availability of prescription drugs are the second major reasons for pharmacy selection for the patients from the pharmacy nearby hospital, whereas patronage is the second major reason for those from the pharmacy in resident areas. Overall satisfaction was higher among the patients from the pharmacy in resident areas than those from the pharmacy nearby hospitals, mainly due to better facilities(waiting area, public telephone, etc), kindness, cleanliness, shorter waiting time, and pharmacist's concern about patient's health. On the other hand, the patients of the pharmacy nearby hospitals showed low satisfaction because of long waiting time and the lack of pharmacist's knowledge and information about patients' health status and medication history. Patients visiting the hospital that has pharmacy-hospital cooperation system showed higher satisfaction as compared to those visiting the hospital without such system. This study provided an empirical evidence that it would be more advantageous for patients to receive pharmacy services from pharmacies located in their living areas than from pharmacies nearby hospitals. This implies that there is a strong need for adequate strategies to enhance the role of pharmacies in resident areas under the new system of separation of dispensing from prescribing medications.

• YAKHAK HOEJI
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• v.56 no.1
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• pp.60-65
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• 2012

This study examines factors associated with drug approvals and patent issues of the Korean pharmaceutical firms. The 22 firms were selected based on 2006 year's publicly noticed sales amount. Number of approved drugs was identified through Korea Food and Drug Administration and the information regarding the patents that each firm has issued during the year 2000~2006 was collected from the Korea Patent Office. The number of approved drugs has increased annually, especially after the introduction of substance patent system in 1987 and in 2000 again with the policy change into the separation of drug prescribing and dispensing practice. The number of initial approval of NCEs as well as the number of patents per firm decreased during the year 2000~2006. The 12 firms with larger revenue occupied more than 80% of the patents being issued. There was a positive relationship between share of prescription drugs out of approved drugs and the average number of patents issued. However, number of approved drugs did not show positive association with the number of patents issued per firm. Therefore, the study results imply that firms need to invest more in increasing number of approvals for their specific prescription drugs in order to achieve a good performance in the future.

• 대한예방의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.220-221
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• 2002

• 대한예방의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.227-228
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• 2002

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.139-148
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• 2005

Appropriate drug classification is important fur rational drug consumption. This study was conducted to evaluate the appropriateness of current drug classification system and suggest possible ways for improving the system. Nonprescription drug market has been decreased. Since total 27,962 products had been classified (prescription 17,187 vs. nonprescription 10,775 products, 61.5% vs. 38.5%) in July 2000 for implementing separation of drug prescribing and dispensing system, there are no classification changes. Reclassification is not motivated by product holder and regulatory system did not lead classification change either. Consumers' ease access to some nonprescription drugs is demanded. But point of public awareness and cultural and health environmental views, saff drug use rather than advantages from broad supply of nonprescription drugs is more critical. We concluded that current 2-categorized (prescription and nonprescription) drug classification system is appropriate, and addition of general sale category should be approached carefully with long term Preparations such as establishment of better nonprescription drug consuming infrastructure by public information provision and education for improving public medicinal knowledge and strengthening self medication guidance, and review of current classification status of marketed drugs and switching possibilities. For systemizing and encouraging reclassification, introduction of regulatory renewal system as a continuous reevaluation program which is the best way to review appropriateness of drug classification as well as provision of detailed guidance for industry including policy, requirement and process fer reclassification application, are necessary.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.93-100
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• 2012

Objective: This study is to review the current state of services offered to pharmacy users, and develop a service design converging a prescription service and a smart phone application service in order to enhance patients' experience at pharmacies and home. Background: Under the new medical system; separation of prescribing and dispensing drugs, a doctor writes a prescription to their patients and patients have their prescription filled at the pharmacy. As the number of flue, allergy and atopy patients has increased, waiting lines have been longer at pharmacies. Besides, the current medical service system lacks of providing proper information on prescribed pills to patients. There are already services offered during waiting times such as offering free drinks, magazines or suggesting general drugs which you can buy without prescription, however they neither cover the current medical service's shorts nor shorten the waiting time. Method: I researched objective and perceived waiting times reduction methods, the current service status at pharmacies, and the government's policy direction in a medical service. Also, I observed a patient's journey from the hospital to pharmacy and then home. I examined the circumstance at pharmacies, patients' behaviors and their thoughts during their journey, and extracted three main goals to design a service in order to help patients have positive perception during the waiting time; (1) to reduce the perceived time by the way of visualizing time and offering readings about what patients consider necessary, (2) to educate patients what they are into and how to get through, (3) to establish trust among patients, doctors and pharmacists. Based on three goals, I designed a structure and a wireframe for a new service application of smart phones. Results: With a new service design for pharmacy users, users can track their medical record and visit the information about their current medical treatments anytime. Also the service helps patients build reliable relationships with doctors and pharmacists. Conclusion: Experience is not just an activity but series of multiple activities. The serving range of a medical service should not be determined by stakeholders but user's holistic experience. By approaching a service design with a holistic vision, it can enrich not only a temporary experience but also a whole life well being. Application: Since there are already many service applications advising patients about their illness and finding right doctors, this service design is focused on the experience from getting a prescription till feeling better. The next move is to combine those two parts medical services and design an integrated service application. As a prescription is going to be coded in numbers, we might consider to design an un-attended pharmacy which can shorten huge amount of time for filling prescriptions.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society for Quality Management Conference
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• 2006.04a
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• pp.54-65
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• 2006

Since the ending of the IMF period, the Korean health industry has experienced a number of changes in its environment such as hospital bankruptcy, enforcement of SDF(Separation of Dispensing and Prescription), opening of the medical market by WHO, evaluation of medical institutions with more than 100 sick beds, and limited approval for medical service advertisement. Furthermore, the concept of medical service has changed from a beneficent and vortical one to a hi lateral and righteous one. These changes in medical service have required medical institutions to provide customers with medical service options and adopt market principles actively, while considering customer satisfaction. Thus, this paper aims to investigate the service quality and service value of medical institutions, to understand the mutual relationship between customer satisfaction and repeat visits, and to suggest better solutions for the improvement of service quality. For future studies, It will be necessary to overcome the limitations of this research and develop proper measurement tools on service quality in the Korean medical system.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.139-146
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• 2006

Objectives: Bio-equivalence(BE) test is important not only to ensure the quality of generic drugs, but also to promote drug substitution under the separation of prescribing and dispensing practice(SPD). This study was intended to investigate the perception of consumers, doctors, and pharmacists on the confidence of bio-equivalence(BE) assured drugs. Methods: Nation-wide telephone interview survey was conducted for 1,018 consumers, 800 doctors, and 806 pharmacists from September to October in 2003. Descriptive analysis and ${\chi}^2$ analysis were conducted. Results: Even though people showed higher confidence level for the Bioequivalent drugs compared with Bio-inequivalent drugs, the confidence was generally low. Among those asked about the therapeutic substitutability of original drugs by BE versions, 95.78% of pharmacists responded "positive", while only 39.33% of consumers and 31.13% of doctors said so. The elderly, the less educated, who takes chronic disease medicine, pays high cost of prescription drugs, and are in the low income responded less aware of that. Also most consumers got information such as effect of drugs from either media or doctors. Conclusions: In order for people to believe that BE drugs and original drugs are equivalent, we need to strengthen health education, and to clarify any misunderstanding. It is also necessary for the national policy to provide accurate information about drugs to the public.