• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.20-30
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• 2022

Purposes: This study purposed to evaluate the effect of a value incentive program(VIP) on the in-hospital mortality of acute stroke. Methodology: Study period was from January 2010 to December 2018. This study included 63 hospitals for acute hemorrhagic stroke that the mortality rate per month was more than one during study period. Independent variables were time variables and hospital characteristics such as hospital type, district and bed number. Interrupted time series analysis was applied to analyze the data. Findings: In case of general hospitals, the in-hospital mortality rate per month for acute hemorrhagic stroke tends to be increased by 0.03% in overall study periods but decreased by 0.32% after the implementation of the policy. On the other hand, tertiary hospital changes are not statistically meaningful. Conclusion: This study provides evidences how the VIP was effective in improving quality of acute hemorrhagic stroke care. General hospitals showed higher policy effect compare to that of tertiary hospitals.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.133-137
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• 2022

A 72-year-old woman with metastatic lung cancer to bone and brain and with left external iliac vein thrombosis was under the care of a community palliative care provider. She experienced an acute pain crisis due to acute limb ischemia of the left lower limb. Goals-of-care discussions were held with the patient and her family; she prioritized symptom control and end-of-life care at home. The family and patient were aware of her short prognosis. Her complex pain was managed by the community palliative team, and her family was empowered to give subcutaneous injections. We illustrate a case showing the importance of community health services with palliative care support in providing symptom management and support to patient and family caregivers throughout the course of a life-limiting illness. It also highlights family caregivers' potential psychological distress in delivering subcutaneous injections in terminal care for a patient at home.

• The Korean Journal of Gastroenterology
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• v.72 no.6
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• pp.281-285
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• 2018

Acute pancreatitis is a common gastrointestinal disease that is associated with significant morbidity and consumes enormous health care resources. As such, it requires up-to-date evidence-based diagnosis and standard treatment guidelines with broad support from the clinician. Korean Pancreatobiliary Association has developed clinical practice guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of acute pancreatitis to provide a framework for clinicians to manage acute pancreatitis and to improve national health care. The guidelines were divided into four parts: the diagnosis of acute pancreatitis, the assessment of the severity, the initial management, and the treatment of necrotizing pancreatitis and local complications of acute pancreatitis. In this article, we summarize and present the diagnosis and treatment guidelines for acute pancreatitis established in Korea.

• The Korean Journal of Emergency Medical Services
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.21-39
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• 2013

Purpose : The purpose of this study is to provide the basic data to improve pre-hospital phase emergency care for acute myocardial infarction (AMI) patients by analyzing AMI patients' clinical characteristics and emergency care situations. Methods : Data were collected through medical records of 385 AMI patients including ambulance records of 107 AMI patients transferred to the emergency medical center for three and a half years. Results : Regarding emergency care for AMI patients in pre-hospital phase, 47% of the care revealed moderate level or higher, and appropriateness of pre-hospital phase emergency care for cardiopulmonary complaints practiced by paramedics showed statistically significant improvement in recent years (p<.001). The time from onset of symptom to ballooning intervention by 119 emergency services was shorter than that in other cases. However, emergency care by paramedic was mainly basic life support. Conclusion : Since prognosis of AMI shows vast differences depending on prompt detection and medical intervention, cooperation between pre-hospital and in-hospital phase is highly required. 119 paramedics should be trained focusing on the accurate assessment and emergency care, and medical direction should be activated. In addition, regulation on 12-lead EKG, cardiac enzyme analysis, use of analgesics and thrombolytic agents should be legally implemented.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.57 no.2
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• pp.193-196
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• 2004

Acute respiratory distress syndrome after silicone fluid injection is uncommon. Reasons that organic silicone is inactive in the human body and has low surface tension and is not affected by physical factors such as time or temperature make this material to be widely used as a medical product. However, lately some of its side effects have been noted and also cause respiratory problems in rare occasions. The mechanism is not clear but silicone injection cause one to cough, produce hemoptysis, fever, pleuritic chest pain, and dyspnea, and may even lead to acute respiratory failure. In other countries, these side effects were reported from 1970s and several cases started to appear in Korea from 1990s. We report a 58 years-old female who recovered from acute respiratory distress syndrome after injection of silicone fluid into vaginal wall by a conservative therapy.

• Acute and Critical Care
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.269-270
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• 2018

• Journal of Korean Critical Care Nursing
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.26-35
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• 2009

Purpose: This paper reviews current diagnostic evaluation, treatment, nursing considerations, and the nurse practitioner’s (NP) role in acute ischemic stroke care. Methods: National guidelines and extensive literature on acute stroke care were reviewed and a relevant clinical case was introduced. Results: Computerized tomography (CT) of the head without contrast is the initial brain imaging procedure for patients with an acute stroke. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) can be an alternative test. Restoration of cerebral perfusion to the affected area is a key therapeutic strategy for ischemic stroke. A number of treatment strategies such as thrombolysis, anticoagulation, antiplatelet, and surgical treatment can be selected to improve blood flow to the ischemic region. The NP on the stroke team is involved with immediate stroke management including neurological assessment, ensuring adequate oxygenation, blood pressure management, activity, and diet. Discharge planning with the patient, family teaching and coordination of follow up care should also be implemented early in the hospitalization. Conclusion: The nurse practitioner is one of the cardinal members on the stroke team, and must be updated with current treatment and management guidelines.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.35 no.3
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• pp.173-180
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• 2022

Purpose: The use of surgical stabilization of rib fractures (SSRF) has steadily increased over the past decade. Recent literature suggests that a larger population may benefit from SSRF, and that the geriatric population-as the highest-risk population-may receive the greatest improvement from these interventions. We sought to determine the overall utilization of SSRF in the United States. Methods: The National Trauma Database was analyzed between 2016 and 2017. The inclusion criteria were all patients ≥65 years old with rib fractures. We further stratified these patients according to age (65-79 vs. ≥80 years old), the presence of coding for flail chest, three or more rib fractures, and intervention (surgical vs. nonoperative management). The main outcomes were surgical interventions, mortality, pneumonia, length of stay, intensive care unit length of stay, ventilator use, and tracheostomy. Results: Overall, 93,638 patients were identified. SSRF was performed in 992 patients. Patients who underwent SSRF had improved mortality in the 65 to 79 age group, regardless of the number of ribs fractured. We identified 92,637 patients in the age group of 65 to 79 years old who did not undergo SSRF. This represents an additional 20,000 patients annually who may benefit from SSRF. Conclusions: By conservative standards and the well-established Eastern Association for the Surgery of Trauma clinical practice guidelines, SSRF is underutilized. Our data suggest that SSRF may be very beneficial for the geriatric population, specifically those aged 65 to 79 years with any rib fractures. We hypothesize that roughly 20,000 additional cases will meet the inclusion criteria for SSRF each year. It is therefore imperative that we train acute care surgeons in this skill set.

• Korean Circulation Journal
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• v.53 no.9
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• pp.594-605
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• 2023

Acute myocardial infarction (AMI) is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in the Asia-Pacific region, and mortality rates differ between countries in the region. Systems of care have been shown to play a major role in determining AMI outcomes, and this review aims to highlight pre-hospital and in-hospital system deficiencies and suggest possible improvements to enhance quality of care, focusing on Korea, Japan, Singapore and Malaysia as representative countries. Time to first medical contact can be shortened by improving patient awareness of AMI symptoms and the need to activate emergency medical services (EMS), as well as by developing robust, well-coordinated and centralized EMS systems. Additionally, performing and transmitting pre-hospital electrocardiograms, algorithmically identifying patients with high risk AMI and developing hospital networks that appropriately divert such patients to percutaneous coronary intervention-capable hospitals have been shown to be beneficial. Within the hospital environment, developing and following clinical practice guidelines ensures that treatment plans can be standardised, whilst integrated care pathways can aid in coordinating care within the healthcare institution and can guide care even after discharge. Prescription of guideline directed medical therapy for secondary prevention and patient compliance to medications can be further optimised. Finally, the authors advocate for the establishment of more regional, national and international AMI registries for the formal collection of data to facilitate audit and clinical improvement.

• Journal of The Korea Institute of Healthcare Architecture
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.49-58
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• 2008

Considering the rapid growth of elderly population and the increase of medical demand for aged, many of geriatric hospitals are needed in Korea. On the other hand, supplies of hospitals for acute care are considered to be excessive. So many of small and medium hospitals facing management problems have been converged to geriatric hospitals. These attempts are considered resonable for efficient utilization of health care resources in Korea. This paper aims to identify the concept of geriatric hospital and to analyze the problems and then to seek the alternatives for architectural planning on the basis of surveying the geriatric hospitals converged from hospitals for acute care.