• Quality Improvement in Health Care
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.118-131
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• 2000

Background : A continuous healthcare quality improvement is needed to provide high quality healthcare service as well as to maintain trust in terms of satisfying the needs of the patients. Recently it also became an essential issue. in hospital management, recognized for it's competitive potentiality among healthcare organization groups. This study was conducted to analyze patient complaints and issues received by the Quality Improvement Department. Its purpose is to improve healthcare qualities within the hospital, as well as establish policies and appropriate strategies in hospital management. Method : From July 1st to September 30th of the year 1999, we analyzed all complaints and issues made by various patients and their families, which were received through 24 hour phone consultation, numerous suggestion boxes, letters and E-mails, The issues were classified into 16 different categories based on a Patient Satisfaction Assessment Tool. All data were segregated according to the departmental frequencies and their contents. To come up with for environmental and patient satisfaction improvement, all complaints or issues were communicated with hospital administrators, medical and nursing staff and employees. Comprehensive customer satisfaction activities including improving phone etiquette were discussed in Customer Satisfaction Team, CQI Team and each Department. All opportunities for improvement were implemented. Feedback actions were discussed. Results : A total of 317 cases were collected. Issues regarding parking and other accommodation facilities were most common complaints that were 14.5% of total. Issues regarding admission rooms (10.7%), admission procedures (10.7%), waiting room environment (8.8%), nurses and nurse assistants (7.6%), physicians (6.6%) and others (23%) followed. Thirteen of 45 departments received more than 8 complaints. The Nursing Department had the most complaint, receiving 9.8% of total complaints. Complaints regarding the Nursing Department were predominantly related to the environment of patient rooms. The Department of Psychiatry for phone etiquette (4.7%), Department of Otolaryngology for the nursing staff's attitude and phone etiquette (4.4%), and the Admission Department followed. As a part of efforts to improve patient satisfaction, a new parking structure was built and reallocation of the parking space was done. Renovation of other accommodation facilities were carried out by hospital administration, Monthly phone call and answering attitude survey was done by QI Department. Based on this survey we made a phone etiquette manual and distributed throughout the hospital. Compare to the last year, Patient Satisfaction Index measured by Korea Productivity Center using National Customer Satisfaction Index was improved 7 points. According to our organization's own study, we confirmed the phone etiquette was improved 11% than last year. Conclusions : Issues related to parking and other accommodation facilities ranked first followed by complaints made regarding the patient care area, the admission and cashier process, and nurses' and doctors' attitude. The Nursing and Psychiatry Departments need improvement regarding phone etiquette. Results were shared and played a vital role in policymaking and strategic planning of the hospital. It is imperative that we keep our database updated by listening to and solving the needs of each patient. The CQI activities can be achieved only by full commitment of the hospital top management supported by related personal.

• Journal of The Korea Institute of Healthcare Architecture
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.67-76
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• 2015

Purpose : The current tactile walking surface indicators have not been easily accessible to blind and vision-impaired people due to unexpected variation of walking environment and walking behavior of transportation poor. Moreover, those indicators frequently cause the inconvenience to transportation users' walking. Thus, this study aims to investigate the improvement of tactile walking surface indicators, by comparing and analyzing findings from the relevant research. Results from this study contribute to suggest the better standard criteria of tactile walking surface indicators for transportation users, especially blind and vision-impaired people, the handicapped, the child and the elderly and weak, providing the secure and convenient circumstance for walking. Method : This study presents the problems about the standard criteria of tactile walking surface indicators via the examination of finding from the past studies. For example, we examine all standard criteria, focusing on shapes, colors and qualities of materials used for Tactile Walking Surface Indicators. Then, the present study suggests the improvement of standard, which apply to the current walking environment practically and reasonably. Results : To improve the current condition of tactile walking surface indicators, the analysis on international and domestic standard criteria need to be conducted. Findings from these analyses helps to suggest the better criteria for the interval between projecting points of tactile walking surface indicators, effective perceived range of walking road, and the brightness contrast between tactile walking surface indicators and finishing materials. Implication : The suggested standard criteria of tactile walking surface indicators need to be tested by transportation users, and the practical instructions of establishing tactile walking surface indicators should also be developed.

• The KIPS Transactions:PartC
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• v.18C no.3
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• pp.195-198
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• 2011

Recent expansion of the ubiquitous environment and improvement of the USN give lots of U-healthcare systems. In this paper, we design and implement a wireless ECG measurement system that can send ECG signals among the sensors and collector. It can also give almost the same precision as a hospital ECG system with mobility. The most important fact of the mobile ECG system is the signal data connectivity among the sensors and device such as signal cables or wires. we can eliminate the signal cable through the Zigbee sender and collector via implementing Zigbee-SD communication system that can receive the ECG signal data. We also implement ECG app software on the smart phone that can analyze and show the data results directly. It can give lots of mobility and usability under ubiquitous environment and would be a very efficient wireless ECG system for U-healthcare service.

• Journal of The Korea Institute of Healthcare Architecture
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.31-39
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• 2009

Population of senior citizens in Korea has been on the increase rapidly through decrease in population by falling birth rate and extension the average life span by development of medical technology and improving people's standard of living. As the booming population of senior citizens, it has appeared to problems of the elderly such as protection, health and supporting and welfare facilities for the elderly have increased there but it leaves something to be desired at plan and improvement of qualitative environment which the elderly's living space. It attaches importance to valuate about nursing homes such as management, quality of service, manufacture of physical environment and so on, so it is required to consider the elderly's emotion on environmental valuation. Healing environment that is a important fact of indoor environment operates powerfully upon the nursing homes as well as general medical facilities. It needs to healing environment for the elderly's physical health and mental stable life, we should know importance of healing environment that affects the elderly's health and life. The elderly have experienced physical, mental, and social changes with advancing years. The people who use the nursing homes are the elderly. We should find fact of healing environment as the elderly's characteristics and have to find healing environment that gives aid to the elderly's health in the nursing homes. In care for the elderly is not house care, it has focused on the elderly's health for improving their life and leading comfortable life.

• Korean Journal of Health Education and Promotion
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.171-188
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• 2003

This study, based on stages of behavioral change, was aimed at suggesting strategies for the adoption of moderate drinking habits for community-based health education designed to help rural people. An interview survey was conducted during the period from March 4 to April 5, 2002 by sampling 467 rural people living in 6 villages covered by a public healthcare clinic. The results of this study can be summarized as follows； 1. The perceived non-moderate drinkers were less prepared for behavioral change. 2. The heavier drinking habits were ‘drinking alone’, ‘meals accompanied by drinking’ and ‘drinking twice or more at a time’. The agricultural off-season and the custom of brewing liquor at home were negative environmental factors for moderate drinking. 3. The predisposing factors affecting moderate drinking were recognition of health, expectation of the drinking effect, etiquette encouraging overdrinking and control of drinking. The reinforcing factors were stress from ordinary life and perception of being loved. The enabling factor was accessibility to the public healthcare clinic. 4. Rural residents are less motivated to participate in health education for moderate drinking. Based on the above findings, health education strategies for each stage can be suggested as follows： 1) Pre-contemplation stage： improvement of perception, motivation, sharing of experiences, and reawakening. 2) Contemplation/preparation stag e： measurement of value, departure from the inertia against a change, formation of a habit, and reinforcement of the behavior. 3) Action/maintenance stage： creation of a social atmosphere, encouragement of participation, change of life style, and improvement of environment.

• Journal of The Korea Institute of Healthcare Architecture
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.17-28
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• 2010

The considerable increase of the elderly with dementia is expected annually and when we think about the family members' and the patients' suffering, it could be painful. Above all things, it imposes heavy economic burdens on the family members that have patients who suffer from diseases of age like dementia or paralysis that caring them at home and also, it is not desirable for those old people in point of physical or environmental circumstances for medical care. Thus, it is needed urgently that the expansion of specified facilities and improvement of services for these old people. Under this present condition, it is the special feature that the subject of research is people/facilities that offer services, not the elderly with dementia-the main user of those facilities. This proposal aims to make a study of expansion and improvement the old people's welfare facilities by using remodeled closed Small and Midium Hospitals which are the bad effect of economic growth. Also, it can save money with re-using abolished buildings which is property of the nation and protect environment too. In this study, We examine the present conditions of old people's welfare institution, and research a factor of remodeling for welfare facilities. Then we will verify remodeling-possibility which is concrete and working by using the product of this study.

• Journal of The Korea Institute of Healthcare Architecture
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.33-41
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• 1995

The purpose of this study is to heighten the reusing rate of hospital making its good image ultimately and giving a feeling of satisfaction to the patients, and to suggest more pleasant and comfortable environment to the wards which the patients are spending 24 hours a day from the view of nurse. The field study was in medical ward of the C University Hospital in Seoul through ethnographic method. The data were collected through observation and interview. On the basis of the results, the ward model for 4 patients was developed so as to be able to have their own area in consideration of privacy and improvement of life level & consciousness level of patients.

• Journal of The Korea Institute of Healthcare Architecture
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.17-26
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• 2007

Recently, the importance of the living environment for elderly people and its network is increasing. At the same time, the small-scale and multi-functional apartment house in which they can live is continuously required in Japan. For these reasons, it is appearing a new type of housing, Group-Living, where one lives together with others. It represents a way of communal living which is based on service at home. There are various problems such as felicity of each space, connections between the different areas, insufficiency of positioning on the aged welfare. Hence this research targets are grasp the present condition of Group-Living, to inquire the Space composition and types of it in Tokyo Area, and to suggest the direction of improvement of the small-scale and multi-functional apartment house for the aged.

• Journal of The Korea Institute of Healthcare Architecture
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.29-38
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• 2004

The purpose of this study is to analyze the air ventilation system in apartment houses focused on the air circulation and pilotis. The air ventilation system is used with the data which were obtained by the environmental health, urban climate, air pollution, ventilation path. The architectural element was pilotis concept connected with piloti ratio, piloti position and piloti type. The summaries of this study were as follows; 1) the well-being apartment concept, 2) the heat island phenomenon, 3) the oxygen density of air, 4) the definition of ventilation path, 5) the pilotis connected with residential environment improvement. In addition, the detailded case study to the air ventilation system in apartment houses be needed.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.82-87
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• 2015

As recruitment environment of hospitals has changed, employment opportunity for graduates of the hospital management majors has been reduced in larger hospitals. So, it is necessary to reestablish the status of an academic discipline to foster the professional managers of healthcare organizations. For this, curriculum contents and teaching methods might be improved. Although we need individual efforts of the society members for educational improvement, there is a need for organization and leadership of the society.