• Archives of Plastic Surgery
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.173-178
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• 2015

Background Various focal heating devices are popular in Korea under the cultural influence of the traditional ondol under-floor method of home heating. These devices can cause severe burn-like injuries resulting from device malfunction or extended with low heat contact. In addition to injuries under these high heat contact, burns can be occurred by low heat exposure with prolonged periods despite the devices are properly functioning. In order to develop strategies to reduce the duration of periods of illness due to low-temperature burns, we analyzed and compared treatment methods and therapeutic periods for this type of injury. Methods This retrospective study included 43 patients burned under low heat conditions. Patients were divided into an operative group and a conservative group. The patients in the operative group underwent at least one surgical excision, and were further subdivided into early and late visit groups. The conservative group was treated only with dressings. We compared the treatment periods between the operative group and the conservative group, and also compared the preparation periods and treatment periods between the two operative groups. Results The average treatment period was significantly shorter in the operative group (P=0.02). In the early visit operative group, both wound preparation and treatment were briefer than in the late visit group. Conclusions We recommend that early proper burn care and early surgical intervention, including appropriate excision, are feasible ways to reduce the treatment period of lowtemperature burn patients.

• The Journal of Korean Obstetrics and Gynecology
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.84-98
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• 2018

Objectives: The purpose of this pilot study was to examine the feasibility of recruiting women into a clinical trial designed to examine the effects of acupuncture and electroacupuncture in treating overactive bladder (OAB) in menopause women. We tried to determine if there was preliminary evidence to suggest that acupuncture may be effective in reducing OAB symptoms and improving disease-specific quality of life. We also tried to determine the appropriate treatment duration of OAB, with safety of performing acupuncture and electroacupuncture treatment. Methods: This study was a randomized clinical trial. 7 menopause women were randomly assigned to a electroacupuncture group (EA group) (n=4) or acupuncture group (AC group) (n=3) and received electroacupuncture or acupuncture treatment twice a week (16 sessions) in 8 weeks, and follow up assessment was performed after the end of treatment. Overactive Bladder Symptom Score (OABSS), 3-day bladder diary, and King's Health Questionnaire (KHQ) were performed 4 times (at baseline (visit 0), the middle of treatment (visit 8), after the end of treatment (visit 16), and at 4 weeks of follow-up (visit 17)) and analyzed. 2 subjects were dropped out, and finally 5 subjects completed the study. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS 18.0 for window program. Results: There was an significant improvement in night-time frequency after the treatment (visit 17) in PP (Per-protocol) group analysis (p=0.042). In additional ITT (Inter-to-treat) group analysis, the OABSS (p=0.042) and night-time frequency (p=p=0.017) were improved significantly after the treatment (visit 17). But there was no significant difference of KHQ before and after the treatment. Also there was no significant difference between EA and AC group after the treatment (visit 16, 17). Conclusions: The results of this pilot study suggested that it was feasible to recruit subjects and perform the study procedures, after reconstructing several details of study protocol in performing further clinical trial.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.185-192
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• 2020

Objectives: Our study aimed to analyze the demographic and clinical characteristics of children and adolescents during their first visit to psychiatric outpatient departments for the management of suicidal ideation and behavior, and to compare the changes before and in 2012 or later. Methods: This multicenter study was conducted at five university hospitals in a metropolitan area in South Korea. Medical records of patients aged 6-18 years were retrospectively reviewed from January 2009 to December 2016. Patients were analyzed by classifying them into suicidal and non-suicidal groups based on their visit to the hospital for management of suicidal ideation or suicide attempt and other mental problems, respectively. Results: There were differences in the year of visit, diagnosis, education level, and referral sources between patients in the suicidal and non-suicidal groups. Multiple regression analysis was conducted based on the sex, education level, referral by school, and diagnosis of depression in patients in the suicidal group, which revealed significant association. Conclusion: Suicide-related problems were significantly associated with the sex, education level, referral by school, and a diagnosis of depression in the patients. A well-connected referral system would be necessary for professional mental health management of high-risk children and adolescents.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.315-323
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• 2017

Background: This study was purposed to analyze the effect of spatial accessibility to the psychiatry department in general hospital on the outpatient visit of mental patients. Methods: Data was provided from the Statistics Korea and Statistical Geographic Information Service, National Health Insurance Service, Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, and Korea Transport Institute in 2015. The study regions were 103 administrative regions such as Si and Gu. The 103 regions had at least one general hospitals with a psychiatry department. The number of outpatient visit of mental patients in regions was used as the dependent variable. Spatial accessibility to mental general hospital was used as the independent variable. Control variables included such as demographic, economic, and health medical factors. This study used network analysis and multi-variate regression analysis. Network analysis by ArcGIS ver. 10.0 (ESRI, Redlands, CA, USA) was used to evaluate the average travel time and travel distance in Korea. Multi-variate regression analysis was conducted by SAS ver. 9.4 (SAS Institute Inc., Cary, NC, USA). Results: Travel distance and time had significant effects on the number of outpatient visits in mental patients in general hospital. Average travel time and travel distance had negative effects on the number of visits. Variables such as (number of total population, percentage of aged population over 65, and number of mental general hospital) had significant effects on the number of visit in mental patients. Conclusion: Health policy makers will need to consider the spatial accessibility to the mental healthcare organization in conducting regional health planning.

• Medical Lasers
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.45-48
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• 2021

Background and Objectives Among the numerous available therapies, the usefulness of laser treatment has been proven in melasma, especially for refractory to topical agents or chemical peels. This study evaluated the effectiveness of 694-nm wavelength fractional toning ruby laser in melasma presenting on the malar area. Materials and Methods This was a retrospective study of 40 melasma patients treated with 694-nm wavelength ruby fractional toning laser for a total of 8 cycles at intervals of 2 to 3 weeks. Two independent investigators assessed the photographic findings and evaluated the severity of melasma by applying the Melasma Severity Scale (MSS). Subject satisfaction score was also surveyed at every visit. Results After the 4th treatment, subjects were continuously satisfied with their results. At the 8th visit and 1-month after the last treatment, MSS was determined to be significantly improved as compared to the first visit. One case of minor hypopigmentation was reported, but was resolved after one month. Conclusion Application of 694-nm wavelength fractional toning ruby laser for treating melasma on the malar area showed significant improvement in the MSS. Moreover, the treatment could be repeatedly applied, with low complication rate and significant patient satisfaction.

• The Korean Journal of Health Service Management
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.97-106
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• 2010

Recently hospitals are trying to meet requests of patients by reflecting regular survey results of patients into hospital's management in order to increase patients' satisfaction and the rate of return visit. In this paper, degree of patients' satisfaction and the rate of return visit were analyzed using surveys of hospital selection factors and the characteristics of aesthetic plastic surgery. This analysis results can be used as data for setting up efficient management direction of aesthetic plastic surgery hospitals. In the main results, facilities and medical trust factor was the primary cause for aesthetic plastic surgery patients to select hospitals and the results showed that hospitals have to consider carefully not only aesthetic plastic surgery patients but also guardians such as parents or friends because patients are acquiring surgery information from them. The results also showed approachableness to hospitals was not important factor to select a hospital.

• The Korean Nurse
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• v.12 no.3 s.65
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• pp.48-50
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• 1973

• The Korean Nurse
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.61-76
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• 1993

This study was done in order La provide basic data to a Fee System for hospital based Home Health Care services in Korea in the future. It was done by investigating activities provided to possible Home Health Care clients who could be discharged early from genera] hospitals and then estimating the nursing care fee according to each nursing activity based upon the time used for activity. The subjects of the study were selected by convenience sampling and consisted of 35 clients who might be clients for Home Nursing Care and were presently admitted to a medical- surgical ward of Y University Medical Center located in Seoul, Korea. The data collection period was from September 1, 1991 to September 30, 1991. The research in strum nets utilized for the study were a client selection criterial for Home Health Care developed by Choo(l991) and a check-list of nursing activity developed by researcher. The results of the study were as follows : 1. There were 44 different nursing activities provided in the seven days but the time was calculated for only 25 of the nursing activities. 2. Fees for the 25 different nursing activities were calculated by multipling the median of the average wage of a staff nurse having five years experience in an A grade general hospital to the Lime of the nursing activity. The results were compared with the insurance fee which the government recognized as an appropriate fee for that activity. The nursing activities with a lower calculated fee than the insurance fee were suction, catheterization, exercise education and dressing change. The nursing activities with a higher calculated fee than the government recognized fee were 1M injection and vital sign check. 3. There was a range of 1-15 nursing activities provided daily to the client. For the average number of nursing activities per day of 6.26 events the nursing care fee was calaulated at W 6136 per day. 4. Based upon the results of the study, a recommentdation for a Home Health Care fee per visit based on the nursing activities provided could be formulated for a Home Health Care fee system. It could be formulated as following: 1) Home health Care fee per visit $=[(direct{\;} nursing{\;}fee(direct{\;}nursing{\;}care{\;}time{\;}per{\;}activity{\;}{\times}{\;}average{\;}nursing{\;}wage)+indirect fee]{\times}average$ nursing activity per visit]+management fee+ materials fee+a travel fee In this way a nursing fee could be calculated based upon the result of the study of the nursing fees per visit. 2) Nursing activity fees per visit. = $([direct nursing{\;}care{\;}fee+indirect{\;}nursing{\;}fee]{\times}average$ number of nursing activities provided per visit] (W 6, 136) + travel fee(\ 5, 542) +management fee material $fee({\alpha})\{\;}16, 436+{\alpha}$ The nursing fee per visit as calculated in this research of $\{\;}15, 0000+{\alpha}$ could be adjusted according to the patient's condition or the use of high technology nursing care or according to the amount of time spent for travel. The nursing care fee per visit presented in this study can be validated through a Home Health Care demonstration project.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.27-42
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• 2021

This study investigated the differences in patient experience by arrangement type of medical tourism facilitators(MTF) from the pre-visit to visit stages. Specifically, patient experiences from each stage with different service providers (MTFs and medical institutions) were measured: provision of information and respect for patient preferences as pre-visit experiences with the facilitators, communication and concierge services as visit experiences with the facilitators, and medical services as medical institution experiences. The scale to measure foreign patients' experiences was modified from the 'Picker in-patient questionnaire(PPE)' and the 'Picker patient experience questionnaire(PPE-15)'. Quantitative data were collected by conducting a self-administered questionnaire on 173 patients from China, Russia, Mongolia, and Kazakhstan. Qualitative data were collected by conducting in-depth interviews with 9 patients and 9 service providers. The data were collected between January and October in 2019. Quantitative data was analyzed by SPSS 25 for Chi-squared test and ANOVA, and qualitative data were analyzed based on keywords. The main results are as follows. When foreign patients used only overseas MTFs, they had a relatively positive patient experience in respect of receiving pre-visit information(F=7.47, p<.01) and respect for patient preferences(F=3.11, p<.05). Looking at both domestic and overseas facilitators during the visit, the patient experience was relatively negative for communication(F=3.75, p<.05). Regarding medical institutions, patients had a relatively negative patient experience with regards to medical services when they used both domestic and overseas facilitators(F=6.49, p<.01). The implications of this study are as follows. Patients should have a seamless and high-quality experience regardless of the facilitator arrangement type. This can be prepared through service standardization for the service providers. It would be also necessary to consider each other's features and problems at the institutional level and to improve service coordination by having service providers periodically communicate with each other.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.997-1009
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• 1996

The purpose of this study was to identify the necessity to provide a much better and more comfortable physiotherapy than institutional physiotherapy to a number of home-keeping handicapped persons and patients with a chronic-degenerative-denile disease. Home visiting physiotherapy can be defined as a behavior which a physiotherapist himself visit home and treat patients who cannot or hardly can visit hospital. To investigate factors which might influence the necessity for introduction of home visiting physiotherapy, this survey was carried out with the out-patients of four general hospital, one Chinese-medicine hospital, one welfare institution for handicapped persons, and also for all the physiotherapists registered in Pusan physiotherapist association using the structured questionare from March 1 to March 30.