• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.13-15
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• 2015

Intraoperative neuromonitoring of thyroid surgery has gained universal validity to help in nerve identification, safe nerve dissection, and prediction of postoperative vocal cord function. In this article, standard intraoperative neuromonitoring procedure, interpretation about loss of signal, and the indications covered by health insurance will be described.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.266-274
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• 2020

Objectives: Describe out-of-pocket payment (OOP) and the proportion of Peruvian households with catastrophic health expenditure (CHE) and evaluate changes in socioeconomic inequalities in CHE between 2008 and 2017. Methods: We used data from the 2008 and 2017 National Household Surveys on Living and Poverty Conditions (ENAHO in Spanish), which are based on probabilistic stratified, multistage and independent sampling of areas. OOP was converted into constant dollars of 2017. A household with CHE was assumed when the proportion between OOP and payment capacity was ≥0.40. OOP was described by median and interquartile range while CHE was described by weighted proportions and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). To estimate the socioeconomic inequality in CHE we computed the Erreygers concentration index. Results: The median OOP reduced from 205.8 US dollars to 158.7 US dollars between 2008 and 2017. The proportion of CHE decreased from 4.9% (95% CI, 4.5 to 5.2) in 2008 to 3.7% (95% CI, 3.4 to 4.0) in 2017. Comparison of socioeconomic inequality of CHE showed no differences between 2008 and 2017, except for rural households in which CHE was less concentrated in richer households (p<0.05) and in households located on the rest of the coast, showing an increase in the concentration of CHE in richer households (p<0.05). Conclusions: Although OOP and CHE reduced between 2008 and 2017, there is still socioeconomic inequality in the burden of CHE across different subpopulations. To reverse this situation, access to health resources and health services should be promoted and guaranteed to all populations.

• Korean Medical Education Review
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.18-34
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• 2022

The purpose of this study is to clarify the background of the controversial attempt to establish a new public medical school linked to compulsory service as a means of strengthening public healthcare in Korea, and to raise anticipated problems with possible solutions. In Korea, healthcare is predominantly provided by the private sector focused on medical care, rather than public healthcare, even under the national health insurance system. The government has been mainly in charge of public health and unmet medical services from a residual perspective, but health inequalities still exist. To resolve this issue, the government created the concept of public health and medical service (PHMS) from a universal perspective and tried to strengthen the infrastructure of public healthcare and to foster core PHMS doctors by establishing a new public medical school linked to compulsory service in medically vulnerable areas. This study investigated the reality and concept of the new public medical school planned by the government, and identified problems such as the possibility of obtaining accreditation and evaluation before its establishment, the side effects of dividing doctors' roles, the waste of huge amounts of resources, and insensitive policies. In conclusion, in order to resolve health inequalities in Korea, we need to train doctors through medical school education that strengthens the social responsibility of doctors along with strengthening public healthcare infrastructure, and to provide a better environment for doctors working in medically vulnerable areas through sophisticated policies.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.1-20
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• 1999

Since the late 1980s, there have been radical changes in the managerial environment of Y University Medical Center(YUMC). Externally, the competition among hospitals has intensified due to the establishment of universal health insurance in 1939 and the entrance of large enterprises into the health care industry in the early 1990s. In addition, government regulation of medical institution is becoming stricter. Also, consumer groups have continued to demand the respect for patient rights and improvement of the quality of medical services. Internally, the financial condition of YUMC has worsened, not only because weak control and poor mediation in its large-scale structure have made its operation inefficient, but also because the rates of increase in the prices of goods and labor have grown faster than any increases in revenues. This study on materials management at YUMC presents a way for YUMC to reduce costs and increase its productivity, thereby overcoming its financial difficulties and dealing with external pressures. This study utilized the case studies of the materials purchasing and medical supply management in the United States and the comparative analysis of management to suggest short-term and long-term alternatives for innovation in YUMC. The goals of the short-term alternatives for innovation are to centralize the purchasing and supply departments and to simplify the decision-making processes. Through these attempts, it is estimated that YUMC's costs could be reduced by $600,000 per year. In the long-term, it is necessary to consider introducing a Supply Processing Distribution(SPD) system and setting up a centralized electronic system for supply and inventory management, although it is difficult to estimate the effect of cost-cutting because of the lack of analysis data. Thus, YUMC should thoroughly analyze initial investment costs and economical efficiency generated from long-term alternatives.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.22
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• pp.10003-10008
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• 2014

Background: Cervical cancer has been a leading female cancer in Thailand for decades, and has been second to breast cancer after 2007. The Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) has provided opportunistic screening with Pap smears for more than 30 years. In 2002, the MoPH and the National Health Security Office provided countrywide systematic screening of cervical cancer to all Thai women aged 35-60 years under universal health care coverage insurance scheme at 5-year intervals. Objectives: This study characterized the cervical cancer incidence trends in Songkhla in southern Thailand using joinpoint and age period cohort (APC) analysis to observe the effect of cervical cancer screening activities in the past decades, and to project cervical cancer rates in the province, to 2030. Materials and Methods: Invasive and in situ cervical cancer cases were extracted from the Songkhla Cancer Registry from 1990 through 2010. Age standardized incidence rates were estimated. Trends in incidences were evaluated by joinpoint and APC regression models. The Norpred package was modified for R and was used to project the future trends to 2030 using the power of 5 function and cut trend method. Results: Cervical cancer incidence in Songkhla peaked around 1998-2000 and then dropped by -4.7% per year. APC analysis demonstrated that in situ tumors caused an increase in incidence in early ages, younger cohorts, and in later years of diagnosis. Conclusions: Both joinpoint and APC analysis give the same conclusion in continuation of a declining trend of cervical cancer to 2030 but with different rates and the predicted goal of ASR below 10 or even 5 per 100,000 women by 2030 would be achieved. Thus, maintenance and improvement of the screening program should be continued. Other population based cancer registries in Thailand should analyze their data to confirm the success of cervical cancer screening policy of Thailand.

• The Korean Society of Law and Medicine
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.385-411
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• 2008

The goal of medicine is to contribute to promoting national health by preventing diseases and providing treatment. The scope of modern medicine isn't merely confined to disease testing, treatment and prevention in accordance to that, and making experiments by using the human body is widespread. The advance in modern medicine has made a great contribution to valuing human dignity and actualizing a manly life, but there is a problem that has still nagged modern medicine: treatment and healing for terminal patients including cancer patients. In advanced countries, pain care and hospice medicine are already universal. Offering a helping hand for terminal patients to lead a less painful and more manly life from diverse angles instead of merely focusing on treatment is called the very hospice medicine. That is a comprehensive package of medical services to take care of death-facing terminal patients and their families with affection. That is providing physical, mental and social support for the patients to pass away in peace after living a dignified and decent life, and that is comforting their bereaved families. The National Hospice Organization of the United States provides terminal patients and their families with sustained hospital care and home care in a move to lend assistance to them. In our country, however, tertiary medical institutions simply provide medical care for terminal patients to extend their lives, and there are few institutional efforts to help them. Hospice medicine is offered mostly in our country by non- professionals including doctors, nurses, social workers, pastors or physical therapists. Terminal patients' needs cannot be satisfied in the same manner as those of other patients, and it's needed to take a different approach to their treatment as well. Nevertheless, the focus of medical care is still placed on treatment only, which should be taken seriously. Ministry for Health, Welfare & Family Affairs and Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service held a public hearing on May 21, 2008, on the cost of hospice care, quality control and demonstration project to gather extensive opinions from the academic community, experts and consumer groups to draw up plans about manpower supply, facilities and demonstration project, but the institutions are not going to work on hospice education, securement of facilities and relevant legislation. In 2002, Ministry for Health, Welfare & Family Affairs made an official announcement to introduce a hospice nurse system to nurture nurse specialists in this area. That ministry legislated for the qualifications of advanced nurse practitioner and a hospice nurse system(Article 24 and 2 in Enforcement Regulations for the Medical Law), but few specific plans are under way to carry out the regulations. It's well known that the medical law defines a nurse as a professional health care worker, and there is a move to draw a line between the responsibilities of doctors and those of nurses in association with medical errors. Specifically, the roles of professional hospice are increasingly expected to be accentuated in conjunction with treatment for terminal patients, and it seems that delving into possible problems with the job performance of nurses and coming up with workable countermeasures are what scholars of conscience should do in an effort to contribute to the development of medicine and the realization of a dignified and manly life.

• The Journal of Korean society of community based occupational therapy
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.45-59
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• 2011

Objective : he aim of this study is to describe on the definition of the welfare state and scope of the social welfare and to analyze the development of the social welfare policy for the disabled in South Korea. Methods : We described on the definition of the welfare state and scope of the social welfare and analyzed the social welfare policy and welfare policy for the disabled among Korean Government through literature review. Finally, We also analyzed the welfare policy for the disabled in the Roh Moo-hyun Administration. Results : Welfare policy or welfare policy for the disabled was developed as economic growth from 'selective welfare' to 'universal welfare'. Scope of the social welfare was expanded from 'minimum guarantee' of the Lee seong-man administration to 'participatory welfare' of the Roh moo-hyun administration and that was similar to the welfare policy of administration for the disabled. Conclusion : We suggest that occupational therapist based community should find unmet health need and provide home-based rehabilitation services to the disabled and the elderly.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.105-127
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• 2013

Objectives : We examined the use of the moxibustion through survey on Korean Medicine Doctors (KMDs) on preparation of universal moxa product standard by fully reflecting opinions of practitioners and the industry. Methods : The questionnaire is composed of 25 questions including use of indirect moxa, side effects, complaints and improvements, general characteristics and so on, and were responded by 1,588 KMDs. For statistics, frequency analysis, chi-square analysis, T-test and ANOVA were conducted using SPSS 12.0 for windows, and the significance level was 0.05. Results : In this research, 91% of the responded KMDs was using moxibustion, and the proportion of using mediate moxibustion was shown as 63.2%. They used mediate moxibustion for side effects of direct moxa method such as risk of burn, ease of use, control of stimulation and so on. And it was mostly being conducted to women and 40 ages. Most respondents gave moxibustion treatments for the purpose of thermal stimulation on acupoint to musculoskeletal diseases. Most respondents were treating 1~2 pieces of moxibustion to patients by moxibustion points to those of 1~2 regions every time within 10 minutes. Regarding the frequency of side effects of mediate moxibustion, within 3% of respondents had experienced side effects, and the types were burn, flare and itchiness, odor and smoke. The dissatisfaction of mediate moxibustion products was moderate(2.00 out of 5 point scale), and went up public health doctors, the younger ages and the shorter clinical experience. Complaints on mediate moxibustion products were serious odor, poor attachment, risk of burn etc. Regarding ways to improve mediate moxibustion, the expansion of moxibustion's insurance cost carne out highest, followed by preparation of manual on efficacy, strengthening of training, acquiring evidence on efficacy, diversification of specifications, safety improvement, quality improvement of mediate moxibustion products. Conclusions: Many KMDs use for ease of use and give moxibustion treatments for thermal stimulation but they complain about safety, efficacy and quality of mediate moxibustion. After this it is considered that we have to elevate therapeutic effect through the improvement of mediate moxibustion products.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.18 no.10
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• pp.145-157
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• 2018

In this study, we analyzed the effect of the income level of cancer, stroke, and myocardial infarction on mortality by using National Health Insurance Service(NHIS) Cohort 2.0 DB. Patients who newly developed the disease in 2007 were observed till 2015. The analysis used the Cox probability proportional risk model and the competing risk model. The income level used information at the time of the onset of the disease in 2007, categorized into low / mid / high. The results showed that there were differences in the risks of death and secondary disease in patients with cancer, stroke, or myocardial infarction according to the income level. In addition to the need for a social safety net to lower the incidence of early deaths in low-income families, it seems necessary to continue to strengthen universal protection for serious diseases similar to the current policy.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.1-22
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• 2002

Health is a fundamental human right and a sine qua non for happiness of people and for national development. Government has a responsibility for the provision of health services for their people. Recent changes of disease pattern, i.e. decrease of Infectious diseases and increase of chronic and degenerative diseases Including cancer and cardiovascular diseases, together with universal coverage of health insurance and improved living standard have prompted medical care utilization and skyrocketed the national health expenses. The goal of national health policy is improving the quality of life through the betterment of health level. To achieve this goal it is necessary to establish a healthcare system for lifetime, to improve the efficiency of healthcare delivery system, and to strengthen the public health services for disease prevention and health promotion. The current public health service programs are Inefficient due to an inconsistent policy for health service program, lack of health information system, irrational health program planning and evaluation, and Inadequate training of health workers. Local government has a legal responsibility for health service program planning and promoting the competence of health workers. Thus, municipal and provincial health departments should expand their roles and strengthen their function. The strategies for developing public health service programs at local level are ${\circled}1$ stipulating the goals of health policy, ${\circled}2$ promoting the ability for health program planning and evaluation, ${\circled}3$ establishing health information and surveillance system, ${\circled}4$ training of health workers, ${\circled}5$ establishing an institution for health information management and training of health workers, and ${\circled}61$ collaboration with local universities.