• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.37-51
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• 2023

Purposes: There exist many non-covered services that the National Health Insurance does not cover, and thus, their prices are set by individual health care providers. However, little study has been done to investigate how hospitals set prices for those services. The purpose of this study is to examine the relationship between ownership, profitability, and prices of those services for a sample of general hospitals. Methodology/Approach: Data regarding the prices of major non-covered services (e.g., upper-level hospital room fees, MRI, Da 7inci robot surgery, and LASIK) were obtained from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service and the financial information, as well as other characteristics, were derived from the financial reports from the Korea Health Industry Development Institute. Descriptive statistics, t-tests, and multiple linear regression analyses were used to test the relationship between the independent variables and the dependent variables. Findings: Hospitals owned by private universities appeared to have higher prices for non-covered services while regional public hospitals tend to have lower prices. Profitability, measured by operating margin, was not significantly related to the prices. Hospitals that charge higher prices were more likely to be located in the capital area (Seoul, Incheon, and Gyeonggi), and to employ larger number of personnel. Practical Implications: Public hospitals tend to charge lower prices for non-covered services. Relative market power appears to be related to pricing. Further research is needed to investigate whether such a relationship varies over time and its effects on the quality and access.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Pharmacy
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.13-19
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• 2022

Background: The use of combination therapy and fixed-dose combination therapy is increasing for the treatment of type 2 diabetes. Sodium glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitor (SGLT2i) is a drug class used in combination with metformin. Methods: Type 2 diabetes patients on SGLT2i/metformin combination therapy were extracted from the 2019 Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service-National Patients Sample. On July 1, 2019, SGLT2i and metformin fixed-dose combination (SGLT2i/metformin FDC) and two-pill combination (TPC) groups were identified, and a chi-square test and multiple logistic regression were performed. Results: Of total 2,992 patients, 1,077 (36%) were prescribed SGLT2i/metformin FDC and 1,915 (64%) were prescribed TPC. We found that the most common comorbidities were in the order of dyslipidemia, gastrointestinal disease, and hypertension. Multiple logistic regression analysis showed that the use of SGLT2i/metformin FDC was lower than TPC in patients with diabetic neuropathy (OR=0.76, p=0.008). Clinic (OR=2.09, p<0.001) and general hospital (OR=1.40, p=0.019) showed higher tendency to prescribe SGLT2i/metformin FDC compared to tertiary hospital. The tendency of prescribing SGLT2i/metformin FDC was lower in Kyeonggi (OR=0.79, p=0.037), Gyeongsang (OR=0.77, p=0.025) and Chungcheong (OR=0.68, p=0.007) than Seoul. Conclusion: Factors related to the use of SGLT2i/metformin FDC in patients with type 2 diabetes were complication, medical institution and region. The tendency to prescribe SGLT2i/metformin FDC was relatively higher in clinics than in tertiary general hospitals and in Seoul than in other regions.

• The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology
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• v.8 no.3
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• pp.359-365
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• 2022

This study was to provide teaching and learning strategies to develop a creative sight-singing and ear-training program that aims to design student-centered education. Therefore, the characteristics of the sight-singing and ear-training as well as teaching and learning methods were analyzed through the literature review, and the following meaningful strategies were derived. First, a student-centered teaching environment was promoted by diversifying the teaching environment through small group activities and establishing a sustainable learning environment using MyEarTraining and Musescore applications. Second, teaching and learning strategies were proposed to improve sight-singing and ear-training skills by applying for various teaching and learning methods and cultivating the qualities of a pre-service teacher. This study is expected to be used as meaningful fundamental data in developing specific teaching and learning processes for a creative sight-singing and ear-training program.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.76-84
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• 2022

Purpose: We compared cost-effectiveness parameters between inpatient and home-based hospice-palliative care services for terminal cancer patients in Korea. Methods: A decision-analytic Markov model was used to compare the cost-effectiveness of hospice-palliative care in an inpatient unit (inpatient-start group) and at home (home-start group). The model adopted a healthcare system perspective, with a 9-week horizon and a 1-week cycle length. The transition probabilities were calculated based on the reports from the Korean National Cancer Center in 2017 and Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service in 2020. Quality of life (QOL) was converted to the quality-adjusted life week (QALW). Modeling and cost-effectiveness analysis were performed with TreeAge software. The weekly medical cost was estimated to be 2,481,479 Korean won (KRW) for inpatient hospice-palliative care and 225,688 KRW for home-based hospice-palliative care. One-way sensitivity analysis was used to assess the impact of different scenarios and assumptions on the model results. Results: Compared with the inpatient-start group, the incremental cost of the home-start group was 697,657 KRW, and the incremental effectiveness based on QOL was 0.88 QALW. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of the home-start group was 796,476 KRW/QALW. Based on one-way sensitivity analyses, the ICER was predicted to increase to 1,626,988 KRW/QALW if the weekly cost of home-based hospice doubled, but it was estimated to decrease to -2,898,361 KRW/QALW if death rates at home doubled. Conclusion: Home-based hospice-palliative care may be more cost-effective than inpatient hospice-palliative care. Home-based hospice appears to be affordable even if the associated medical expenditures double.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2022

Background: The elderly have, a higher disease morbidity than other age groups due to a decrease in resistance to the disease and have complex diseases, so care should be taken. Accordingly, it is considered important to provide information for improving the health of the elderly. Health information plays an important role in individual health promotion and education, so the degree of exposure to information about oral health of the elderly is expected to have a significant impact on understanding and acquiring information on oral content videos on the importance, prevention, and management of oral health of the elderly in the future. Methods: This study analyzed video content related to oral diseases of the elderly in a total of 150 videos uploaded on YouTube from January 1, 2012 to May 13, 2021, using a total of three books of dental hygiene for the elderly. Results: Forty-nine broadcasters accounted for the most of this information. Among the information providers, there were two dental hygienists. They accounted for 1.3% of all the information providers. The highest number of dental hygienists who broadcasted information was 42 in 2019. The average number of views was 37,303 periodontal diseases, the highest. Among the videos, dry mouth was the most common with 34 oral diseases. Conclusion: The number of images for each disease varies, so it seems that information should be provided in various ways. Dental hygienists should widely improve oral health knowledge by providing various dental hygiene management images for each oral disease to improve the oral health of the general public. In addition, based on the information of the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, the development and provision of content should be actively carried out so that people can obtain the information they desire.

• Korean Journal of Schizophrenia Research
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.34-41
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• 2019

Objectives: This study was performed to examine the effects of the public attention to 'crime of schizophrenia' on the use of mental health services in patients with schizophrenia using big data analysis. Methods: Data on the frequency of internet searches for 'crime of schizophrenia' and the patterns of mental health service utilization by patients with schizophrenia spectrum disorders by month were collected from Naver big data and the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Services in Korea, respectively. Their correlations in the same and following month for lagged effect were examined. Results: The number of outpatients correlated negatively with public attention to 'crime of schizophrenia' in the same month. The lagged relationship between public attention and the number of admissions in psychiatric wards was also found. In terms of sex differences, the use of outpatient services among female patients correlated negatively with public attention in the same month while the number of male patients' admissions in both same and following month correlated positively with public attention. Conclusion: These findings suggested that public attention to 'crime of schizophrenia' could negatively affect illness behavior in patients with schizophrenia.

• Design Convergence Study
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.91-108
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• 2018

Rather the ballot paper design could influence voting behavior, there is less study upon the designing ballot paper and the importance of information design. This study examines the possibility of error occurring in the ballot paper design under the rules of Public Official Election Act. To do this, we conducted a heuristic evaluation method to review regulations, and an empirical experiment with closed groups. From this, we found that (1) diverse cases of ballot paper can be produced, and (2) various fonts, sizes, and materials can be used. Accordingly, it is inevitable to deliver regulations on (1) the usage of chromaticity and image, (2) the applying universal designed-typography, and (3) the margin for the spacing between ballot boxes. This study, at the end, suggests institutional measures for securing the validity and legitimacy on the decision-making process to remove latent ambiguity in ballot paper designing.

• Journal of Distribution Science
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• v.21 no.7
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• pp.51-63
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• 2023

Housing is not only a basic requirement, but also a method to maintain stability and improve living. In the period of rapid social development which has a significant impact on the aging population, the housing issue is an impediment to Gen Y in Asia. Therefore, solving the housing conundrum is the most effective solution to other social problems. Purpose: This research is conducted to investigate factors influencing housing-option decisions of Gen Y and proposes recommendations to them as well as Governments and the real estate investors. Research design, data, and methodology: The Theory of Planned Behavior was employed with the expanded variables (Financial status, Location, Public services and Government incentives) based on literature review. Results: With 445 valid responses, almost all proposed hypotheses are accepted, which supports the positive interrelationship among variables. In the stage of data processing, we have determined the influence of each factor to the dependent variable "Actual Behavior", thereby helping real estate investors understand their desires, as well as improve the ability to meet customer needs. Conclusion: This is the basis to determine the influence of these factors, thereby providing recommendations to customers and what is more, giving real estate enterprises an insight of customers' demand in order to improve product quality and optimize the benefits of each party.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.29 no.6D
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• pp.727-736
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• 2009

Many of the researchers have tried to enhance the satisfaction of both users and owners of social infrastructures by applying the asset management methodology. This study is to develop more efficient asset management framework for bridge management. Based on various literature review, an asset management procedure for bridge management was suggested, and appropriate practices at each step were given. The suggested procedures include the determination of operation and maintenance strategy, level of service, performance measure, valuation of assets, and decision-makings. In addition, this study suggests an applicable decision-making process for the resource distribution based on the management strategy.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Information and Commucation Sciences Conference
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• 2021.10a
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• pp.161-163
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• 2021

This urban centralization is expected to develop rapidly, with 75% of the population living in the city by 2035. Large cities are becoming unsustainable due to side effects such as environmental pollution, severe traffic jams, excessive energy depletion, and destruction of the natural ecosystem. In addition, the happiness index of citizens of large cities is also falling because of high crime rates and safety accidents, the work-life imbalance caused by inequality and polarization, and overly competitive education. To solve this problem, Smart City, an IT-based future city model, was born. The Korean government is also actively attempting to improve urban competitiveness and promote sustainable development through efficient construction and operation of smart cities as a national focus project. To support the effort, we review the basic directions and strategies of Sejong City's Smart City service infrastructure based on the comprehensive national land plan, Smart City plan, and Smart City strategy plan.