• Title/Summary/Keyword: health costs

Search Result 1,021, Processing Time 0.026 seconds

Work Environment Measurement Results for Research Workers and Directions for System Improvement (연구활동종사자 작업환경측정 결과 및 제도개선 방향)

  • Hwang, Je-Gyu;Byun, Hun-Soo
    • Journal of Korean Society of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene
    • /
    • v.30 no.4
    • /
    • pp.342-352
    • /
    • 2020
  • Objectives: The characteristics of research workers are different from those working in the manufacturing industry. Furthermore, the reagents used change according to the research due to the characteristics of the laboratory, and the amounts used vary. In addition, since the working time changes almost every day, it is difficult to adjust the time according to exposure standards. There are also difficulties in setting standards as in the manufacturing industry since laboratory environments and the types of experiments performed are all different. For these reasons, the measurement of the working environment of research workers is not realistically carried out within the legal framework, there is a concern that the accuracy of measurement results may be degraded, and there are difficulties in securing data. The exposure evaluation based on an eight-hour time-weighted average used for measuring the working environment to be studied in this study may not be appropriate, but it was judged and consequently applied as the most suitable method among the recognized test methods. Methods: The investigation of the use of chemical substances in the research laboratory, which is the subject of this study, was conducted in the order of carrying out work environment measurement, sample analysis, and result analysis. In the case of the use of chemical substances, after organizing the substances to be measured in the working environment, the research workers were asked to write down the status, frequency, and period of use. Work environment measurement and sample analysis were conducted by a recognized test method, and the results were compared with the exposure standards (TWA: time weighted average value) for chemical substances and physical factors. Results: For the substances subject to work environment measurement, the department of chemical engineering was the most exposed, followed by the department of chemistry. This can lead to exposure to a variety of chemicals in departmental laboratories that primarily deal with chemicals, including acetone, hydrogen peroxide, nitric acid, sodium hydroxide, and normal hexane. Hydrogen chloride was measured higher than the average level of domestic work environment measurements. This can suggest that researchers in research activities should also be managed within the work environment measurement system. As a result of a comparison between the professional science and technology service industry and the education service industry, which are the most similar business types to university research laboratories among the domestic work environment measurements provided by the Korea Safety and Health Agency, acetone, dichloromethane, hydrogen peroxide, sodium hydroxide, nitric acid, normal hexane, and hydrogen chloride are items that appear higher than the average level. This can also be expressed as a basis for supporting management within the work environment measurement system. Conclusions: In the case of research activity workers' work environment measurement and management, specific details can be presented as follows. When changing projects and research, work environment measurement is carried out, and work environment measurement targets and methods are determined by the measurement and analysis method determined by the Ministry of Employment and Labor. The measurement results and exposure standards apply exposure standards for chemical substances and physical factors by the Ministry of Employment and Labor. Implementation costs include safety management expenses and submission of improvement plans when exposure standards are exceeded. The results of this study were presented only for the measurement of the working environment among the minimum health management measures for research workers, but it is necessary to prepare a system to improve the level of safety and health.

Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of Different Management Strategies for Detection CIN2+ of Women with Atypical Squamous Cells of Undetermined Significance (ASC-US) Pap Smear in Thailand

  • Tantitamit, Tanitra;Termrungruanglert, Wichai;Oranratanaphan, Shina;Niruthisard, Somchai;Tanbirojn, Patuou;Havanond, Piyalamporn
    • Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
    • /
    • v.16 no.16
    • /
    • pp.6857-6862
    • /
    • 2015
  • Background: To identify the optimal cost effective strategy for the management of women having ASC-US who attended at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital (KMCH). Design: An Economical Analysis based on a retrospective study. Subject: The women who were referred to the gynecological department due to screening result of ASC-US at King Chulalongkorn Memorial Hospital, a general and tertiary referral center in Bangkok Thailand, from Jan 2008 - Dec 2012. Materials and Methods: A decision tree-based was constructed to evaluate the cost effectiveness of three follow up strategies in the management of ASC-US results: repeat cytology, triage with HPV testing and immediate colposcopy. Each ASC-US woman made the decision of each strategy after receiving all details about this algorithm, advantages and disadvantages of each strategy from a doctor. The model compared the incremental costs per case of high-grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia (CIN2+) detected as measured by incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER). Results: From the provider's perspective, immediate colposcopy is the least costly strategy and also the most effective option among the three follow up strategies. Compared with HPV triage, repeat cytology triage is less costly than HPV triage, whereas the latter provides a more effective option at an incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of 56,048 Baht per additional case of CIN 2+ detected. From the patient's perspective, the least costly and least effective is repeat cytology triage. Repeat colposcopy has an incremental cost-effectiveness (ICER) of 2,500 Baht per additional case of CIN2+ detected when compared to colposcopy. From the sensitivity analysis, immediate colposcopy triage is no longer cost effective when the cost exceeds 2,250 Baht or the cost of cytology is less than 50 Baht (1USD = 31.58 THB). Conclusions: In women with ASC-US cytology, colposcopy is more cost-effective than repeat cytology or triage with HPV testing for both provider and patient perspectives.

Changes in the Usage of Dental Technology CAD/CAM (치과기공 CAD/CAM 사용에 대한 실태변화)

  • Nah, Jung-Sook
    • Journal of Technologic Dentistry
    • /
    • v.37 no.4
    • /
    • pp.271-284
    • /
    • 2015
  • Purpose: The purpose of this study was to examine the usage of CAD/CAM, which is one of dental technologist duties, in an effort to look for any possible changes in the usage of CAD/CAM. It's specifically meant to compare the results of this study with those of Lee Jong-do, Park Kwang-Sig(2011)'s study in March, 2011, to determine if there were any changes over the past four years. The selected variables that were investigated were the ownership of CAD/CAM, awareness of it, the route of acquiring the first information on it, the merits and demerits of its usage, usage experience and educational experience about it. Methods: An online survey was conducted on the dental technologists who worked in urban communities including metropolitan cities to find out the usage of CAD/CAM in 2015 from July 15 to 31, 2015, after existing questionnaire items were modified. The collected data were analyzed by IBM SPSS statistics 22.0, and statistical data on frequency, percentage, mean and standard deviation for each item were obtained. To figure out the characteristics of the subjects and the relationship between their occupational characteristics and the usage of CAD/CAM, crosstabs, independent-samples t-test and one-way ANOVA were utilized. As for the usage of CAD/CAM in 2011, the results of Lee Jong-do, Park Kwang-Sig(2011)'s study were selected, and then a comparative analysis was made. The level of significance was all set at .05. Total 250 questionnaires were distributed to them, and 190(76.0%) were returned. After excluding 23 whose answers were uncertain or seemed to lack reliability, total 167(66.8%) were used in final analysis. Results: As a result of analyzing the usage of CAD/CAM that was one of dental technologist duties, there was a great increase in the ownership of CAD/CAM in their workplaces from 2.4 percent in 2011 to 71.7 percent in 2015, and there was an improvement in awareness about it and the necessity of its usage as well. In 2011, the Internet and mass media were the most common route that they got to know about it. They had a strong tendency to acquire related knowledge through education in 2015, and there were some changes in the products that they used or preferred. In both years, the great merit of CAD/CAM was the simplified manufacturing process of restoration, and it had another great advantages in 2015 such as the improved quality of restoration or improved environments for dental technology. Concerning disadvantages, high price was a big problem in 2011. In 2015, not only price but the burden of material costs, frequent breakdown, poor demand among dental clinics and a lack of CAD/CAM professionals were pointed out a lot. In the future, this researcher intends to make research to seek ways of improving CAD/CAM professionals. Conclusion: There was more awareness of CAD/CAM in 2015 than in 2011 when the changes in awareness of it were analyzed, and the finding suggest the necessity of sustained education and concern.

A Study on Clinical Characteristics of Patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment at Convalescent Hospitals (요양병원에 내원한 경도인지장애환자의 진료특성에 관한 연구)

  • Kim, Youn-Jeong;Kim, Doo Ree;Kim, Kwang-Hwan
    • Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
    • /
    • v.9 no.8
    • /
    • pp.77-85
    • /
    • 2018
  • Dementia among the diseases occurring in the old age is recognized as a disease to be solved at the national level and systematic management is being carried out. However, the awareness and response of the mild cognitive disorder, which is the middle stage of normal aging and dementia, are insufficient and social costs are increasing every year. The subjects of the study were 303 hospitalized patients whose primary diagnosis was mild cognitive impairment (F067) in a nursing hospital located in one district in 2016. The number of days of hospitalization was shorter in autumn and longer in winter or in hospital discharge. The cost of treatment for patients with mild cognitive impairment is lower in autumn and higher in winter or in 'discharge' of medical treatment results. The total cost of medical treatment was high in the winter by season in the ADL 6-12 and ADL 13-20 groups. Difference in the cost of medical treatment according to the characteristics of medical treatment, the medical expenses were the highest when the number of corporal disease was 5 ~ 8. In the medical treatment results, the ADL 6-12 point group and the ADL 13-20 point group had high medical expenses in 'continue'. Considering the clinical characteristics of mild cognitive impairment and considering that 10-15% of the patients with mild cognitive impairment progress to dementia every year, early detection and treatment of mild cognitive impairment is an effective and potentially important task for reducing potential social and dementia patients.

Implant assisted removable partial denture with implant surveyed crown: A 20-month follow-up case report (단일 임플란트 서베이드 크라운을 이용한 하악 임플란트 융합 국소의치: 20 개월 경과 관찰 증례 보고)

  • Roh, Kyoung-Woo;Jeon, Young-Chan;Jeong, Chang-Mo;Yoon, Mi-Jung;Lee, So-Hyoun;Huh, Jung-Bo
    • The Journal of Korean Academy of Prosthodontics
    • /
    • v.56 no.4
    • /
    • pp.323-329
    • /
    • 2018
  • Traditional options for posterior edentulous treatment include removable partial dentures and implant fixed prostheses. Recently, the concept of implant assisted removable partial denture, in which two treatments are fused, has been introduced in consideration of systemic health and patient's needs, costs, residual alveolar bone status and so on. Implant assisted removable partial denture has the advantage of increasing the retention and stability of the denture and improving its esthetics in cases of large bone defects or biomechanical disadvantages. In addition, it is possible to strategically place the implants in a site where the alveolar bone is relatively sufficient, thereby overcome the limit of the conventional removable partial denture design as well as reducing the burden on a wide range of implant surgery. Cost reduction is also expected. In this case, the patient was treated by placing the implant in both premolar sites of the mandible and fabricating the distal extension removable partial denture with the implant fixed prosthesis as an abutment. After delivering the definitive prosthesis, the patient showed satisfaction with the masticatory function and esthetics. and has been regularly followed-up for more than one year. The following 20-months follow-up case report describes the design of an implant-assisted-removable partial denture (IARPD) in which two cementretained implant crowns used to provide support and stability.

A Study of Leisure Programs for Hemiplegia in Community Rehabilitation Center in Ulsan (울산지역 장애인복지관을 이용하는 뇌졸중 장애인의 여가활동에 관한 연구)

  • Cho, Moo-Sin
    • The Journal of Korean society of community based occupational therapy
    • /
    • v.2 no.2
    • /
    • pp.15-23
    • /
    • 2012
  • Objective : The study is to investigate current state of leisure activity in people with stroke (including leisure activity that people with stroke participate and hope, the reason why people with stroke paticipate in leisure activity, the cost that spent in leisure activity, and leisure activity satisfaction) on community rehabilitation center. Method : Frequency analysis were performed with the SPSS 12.0 statistics package program. Result : First, the findings showed that leisure activity participated most of people with stroke disabled appear as 'swimming', and appear sequence 'gate ball', 'yoga', 'energy gymnastics' on sports leisure activity. Second, the findings showed that leisure activity costs are fifth thousand won a month on average, most of people with stroke experienced satisfactory state in leisure activity. Third, the findings showed that leisure activity appeared to satisfaction 63.1% people with stroke disabled used the community rehabilitation center. Conclusion : First, The community rehabilitation center must develop leisure activity for people with stroke. Second, Leisure activity needs to support financial affairs. Third, leisure activity need professor for body function improve. Fourth, leisure activity must participates with the community sociaty.

  • PDF

Attitudes toward Complementary and Alternative Medicine in Suwon City (수원시 주민의 대체의학 수용실태 조사)

  • Chun, Ki-Hong;Song, Hyun-Joug;Park, In-Whee;Yoo, Seung-Chul;Song, Mi-Sook
    • Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
    • /
    • v.32 no.2
    • /
    • pp.162-169
    • /
    • 1999
  • Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate the attitudes toward complementary and alternative medicine among 1,490 residents(339 households) in Suwon city. Methods: All respondents were asked about types, frequency, effects, side-effects, views, and cost of complementary or alternative medicine through a questionnaire from July 24th to 27th. Six therapies were investigated: diet; acupuncture/ massage/ chiropractic etc., mind control such as Ki/ Yoga/ spiritual therapy/ relaxation therapy etc.; nutritional supplements, cultural remedies; and Herb medications Results: The results of this survey were as follows: 35.6% of respondents had experiences with at least one or more types of complementary and alternative medicine. The average number of different types of therapies used was 3.4. More experience with various types of therapies were found among those respondents of higher education, older age group, higher income, married group, religious group than among the opposite groups of respondents. Herb medications were used most frequently(39.8%), followed by minor grains(37.9%), Ginseng(23.8%), Boshintang(21.5%), acupuncture(20.3%), Gaesojou(15.3%) Gingko nut(12.0%), mushroom(11.5%), Cupping therapy(10.2%), and black goat(0.0%). Acupuncture and Herb medications were used for treatment of hypertension the most frequently; minor grains or silkworm for treatment of diabetic mellitus; vegetables for treatment of obesity; acupuncture, Cupping Therapy, Herb medications for treatment of rheumatism; and acupuncture, Herb medications, or exercises for treatment of Cerebro Vascular Accident(CVA). The average costs of treatment were 108,000 Won for hypertension, 87,200 Won for diabetic mellitus, 16,800 Won for obesity, 68,800 Won for rheumatism, and 87,500 Won for CVA. Among 10.9% of respondents, there were 13 cases of side-effects with acupuncture, Herb medications, and Gaesojou. Among the cases of side-effects, majority was due to Herb medications. Respondents reported that Cupping Therapy was the most effective, followed by acupuncture, Ginseng, Gingko nut, Boshintang, black goat, minor grains, Gaesojou, Herb medications, vegetables, and mushroom. In response to the views of complementary and alternative medicine which they had used, they recommended minor grains first, followed by Ginseng, acupuncture, Gingko nut, Cupping Therapy, vegetables, Boshintang, black goat, mushroom and Herb medications. In contrast, they did not recommend Herb medications, acupuncture, nor Gaesojou. Conclusions: These findings indicate that many people use various complementary and alternative medicine without any guidelines for treatment of serious chronic diseases not even to invigorate themselves. It is, therefore, suggested that medical doctors or scientists verify the true effects or side-effects from the most common complementary or alternative therapies through experiments. Also medical doctors should provide a comfortable atmosphere for discussion among doctors and patients who would like to try these therapies.

  • PDF

A study on factors related to satisfaction level with dental services (치과 의료서비스 만족도 관련요인 연구)

  • Go, Eun-Jeong;Lee, Yong-Hwan;Heo, Seung-Ju
    • Journal of Korean society of Dental Hygiene
    • /
    • v.10 no.2
    • /
    • pp.393-411
    • /
    • 2010
  • Objectives : The purpose of this study was to examine factors related to the satisfaction level of patients with dental services. Methods : The subjects in this study were 200 patients at three different dental clinics in South Gyeongsang Province, on whom a survey was conducted from June 1 to July 31, 2009. The collected data were analyzed, and the findings of the study were as follows. Results : In regard to the general characteristics of the patients investigated, the women(61.5%) out-numbered the men. By age, those who were at the age of 30 and down made up the largest age group(47.0%). By academic background, the greatest group received junior-college education(54.0%). By occupation, the company employees constituted the largest group (50.5%). By income, the greatest group earned an income of 2 to 2.99 million won(75.0%). Second, as to connections between the characteristics of dental treatment and the reason of choosing the dental clinics, the largest group(70.4%) chose the dental clinics by word of mouth or the recommendation of others. Concerning the reason of dissatisfaction, the biggest group(72.7%) was unsatisfied with medical costs. As for the degree of explicit complaint, the greatest group(49.7%) sort of complained about what made them dissatisfied. Regarding the type of treatment, the biggest group(49.0%) received prosthodontic treatment. In relation to fear for dental treatment, the largest group(34.0%) feared receiving the treatment, and the biggest group(42.6%) did that due to the sound of machines. Third, satisfaction with services(0.762) had the closest correlation to overall satisfaction level, followed by satisfaction with employees(0.735), satisfaction with dentists(0.644) and satisfaction with convenient facilities (0.579). Fourth, the factors that affected overall satisfaction level were gender, the reason of choosing the dental clinic, satisfaction with dentists, satisfaction with employees, satisfaction with services and satisfaction with convenient facilities. The patients who were better satisfied with services(p<0.001), who were more contented with dentists(p<0.001), who chose the dental clinics by the recommendation of others(p<0.01), who were male(p<0.05), who were more gratified with employees(p<0.05) and who were more contented with convenient facilities expressed better overall satisfaction. Conclusions : The above-mentioned findings suggested that dental institutions should keep track of the expectations of patients to prepare differentiated strategies for marketing and human-resources development in consideration of their own circumstances to boost the satisfaction level of patients. Specifically, it's required to heighten the satisfaction level of patients with dentists.

A Study on the optimum scale of the number of beds of both the standard and the high-class (기준병상수와 상급병상수의 적정규모에 관한 연구)

  • Back, Seung-Joon;Yu, Seung-Hum;Sohn, Tae-Yong
    • Korea Journal of Hospital Management
    • /
    • v.6 no.3
    • /
    • pp.109-129
    • /
    • 2001
  • The purpose of this study was the acquisition of the optimum scale of the apportionment of standard & high-class bed for the maximum profit representative of the desire of customers in a General Hospital with 1,100 beds located in Seoul. This investigation was proceeded by the analysis of the result of the simulation with the survey of both the patients' needs for bed and the degree of the medical service by the grade of the ward. And finally the consequence was obtained as follows: 1. The result of the investigation of the inpatients' preference for the grade of ward classes shows that a private ward reflected 4.3 percent, a semi-private ward 1.7 percent, a three-bed ward 0.1 percent, and a ward with six beds 93.9 percent each other. 2. A questionnaire poll was paralleled of service terms of a medical doctor and a nurse by ward class, the data were used for the standard of the allotment of labor cost by the ward class. The poll shows that the service tenn of a medical doctor and a nurse based on a ward with six beds by ward class showed 1.7 times in internal medicine and 1.9 times in surgery at a private ward; 1.4 times in internal medicine and 1.7 times in surgery at a semi-private room; and 1.2 times both in internal medicine and in surgery at a three-bed ward 3. The resultant findings revealed the most profit per bed and per patient in a private ward. However, an analysis of profit with a standard of unit area by ward class represented a higher profit in both the internal medicine and the surgery semi-private ward than other ward classes. 4. The result of the analysis through simulation based on the data of the prime cost per the ward class proved the optimum scale of the distribution of beds by class as follows: sixteen beds of the internal medicine and twenty three beds of the surgery in the private ward; two hundreds and two of the internal medicine and one hundred and ninety eight of the surgery in the semi-private room; three of both the internal medicine and the surgery each other in the three-bed ward; one hundred and ninety eight of the internal medicine and two hundred and fifty two of the surgery in the ward with six beds. The result of this research exhibits that the income and expenditure of the hospital could be improved by changing parts of wards into private ones(containing the maximum profit per a unit of width) in case the scale of the number of beds is reset with the consideration of the profit per the unit width. In the near future it's strongly expected that the research for the more scientific standard of the allotment of labour cost by ward class and for definition of the optimum scale of the number of beds that actualize the maximum profit with the change of the three elements of the prime cost: cost of materials; labor costs; management expenses.

  • PDF

Identifying Cost and Benefit Items of Investment Projects to Offer New Public Services By the Use of Food Waste Disposers and the Direct Input of Feces in Sewers (주방오물분쇄기 사용 및 수세분뇨의 직투입에 따른 「새로운 공공하수도 서비스」제공을 위한 투자사업의 비용과 편익 항목 식별)

  • Oh, Hyun-Taek;Park, Kyoo-Hong;Kim, Sung Tai;Lim, Byung In
    • Journal of Convergence for Information Technology
    • /
    • v.10 no.5
    • /
    • pp.117-125
    • /
    • 2020
  • Our study identifies a cost and a benefit incurred in implementing an investment project to offer new public services by use of food waste disposers and direct input of feces in sewers. This is done with identifying costs of each processing division and benefits of the project by objective statistical data and engineering perspective. In summary, cost items identified are as follows: there are house laterals, removal of septic tanks, etc. for sewer pipes system. As to water quality conservation, cost incurs in storm water outfalls and divert chambers, sewage storage tanks, equipment to treat sewer overflows, and so on. With respect to sewage treatment plants(STPs), there are so many items as increase of contaminant loads in influent of STPs, and other items. There are benefit items in health improvement due to odor mitigation, increase of energy productivity, saving cost of food waste treatment and cleaning septic tanks, etc. These estimates will be used as a basic data for its economic effect.