• 대한불안의학회지
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• 제15권2호
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• pp.61-67
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• 2019

Objective : This study aimed to investigate the general process from the symptom onset to the psychiatric treatment in Korean panic patients and the effect of improved public awareness on it. Methods : This study has a retrospective design. The subjects were the new patients with panic disorder who visited the psychiatric outpatient clinic in twelve university-affiliated hospitals all across Korea. The medical chart was reviewed retrospectively and the data were collected including chief complaints of symptoms, recent stressors, the time to visit the psychiatric outpatient clinic, and visit of other departments and diagnostic approaches for their symptoms. Results : A total of 814 participants were included in the study. The most common department other than psychiatry the panic patients visited were cardiology (28.3%), general internal medicine (16.0%) and neurology (11.4%). The most frequently used diagnostic tests were a echocardiography (17.9%), 24-hour Holter monitoring (11.2%), and brain MRI (8.2%). Only 37.3% of participants visited psychiatric clinic directly. About 80% of participants visited psychiatric department within 1 year after their first panic symptoms and it took $13.8{\pm}13.7weeks$ on average. Comparing before and after 2012, the number of participants increased who visit directly the psychiatric clinic without visiting other departments (p=0.002) and without visiting emergency room (p<0.001). Conclusions : Our results suggest that a substantial number of patients visit departments other than psychiatry when they experience first panic symptoms. However, most patients begin psychiatric treatment within 1 year after their first symptoms and the number of patient are increasing who visit psychiatric department directly without visiting other departments.

• 보건행정학회지
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• 제26권2호
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• pp.135-147
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• 2016

Background: The voluntary diagnosis-related groups (DRG)-based payment system was introduced in 2002 and the government mandated participation in the DRG for all hospitals from July 2013. The main purpose of this study is to examine the independent effect of mandatory participation in DRG on various outcomes of patients. Methods: This study collected 1,809,948 inpatient DRG data from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment database which contains medical information for all patients for the period 2007 to 2014 and examined patient outcomes such as length of stay (LOS), total medical cost, spillover, and readmission rate according to hospital size. Results: LOS of patients decreased after DRGs (large hospitals: adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.87; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.78-0.97; small hospitals: aOR, 0.91; 95% CI, 0.91-0.92). The total medical cost of patients increased after DRGs (large hospitals: aOR, 1.22; 95% CI, 1.14-1.30; small hospitals: aOR, 1.22; 95% CI, 1.21-1.23). The results reveals that spillover of patients increased after DRGs (large hospitals: aOR, 1.27; 95% CI, 0.70-2.33; small hospitals: aOR, 1.18; 95% CI, 1.16-1.20). Finally, we found that readmission rates of patients decreased significantly after DRGs (large hospitals: aOR, 0.28; 95% CI, 0.26-0.29; small hospitals: aOR, 0.59; 95% CI, 0.56-0.63). Conclusion: The DRG payment system compared to fee-for-service payment in South Korea may be an alternative medical price policy which can reduce the LOS. However, government need to monitor inappropriate changes such as spillover increase. Since this study also is the results based on relatively simple surgery, insurer needs to compare or review bundled payment like new DRG for expansion of various inpatient-related diseases including internal medicine.

• 보건행정학회지
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• 제24권1호
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• pp.92-99
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• 2014

Background: Korea's primary care clinics are seeking increase in consultation fees by expanding supply within the frame of the health insurance system, but inequality of physician income between regions and individuals is exacerbating. The purpose of this study lies in analyzing the distribution of patients of primary care clinics, their specialized field, and the degree of inequality between medical fee income according to region. Data was acquired from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service on charged bills made by clinic-size medical institutions from 2008 to 2011. Methods: By comparing the outpatient number per clinic according to the clinic's specialized field, results showed that ophthalmology, otolaryngology, dermatology, orthopedics, and internal medicine showed high numbers whereas plastic surgery, neuropsychiatry, cardiothoracic surgery had fewer outpatients. The number of outpatients for clinic according to region showed Chuncheonnam-do, Jeju-do, Gangwon-do, Chungcheongbuk-do, Ulsan to have higher numbers of outpatients. For those four years, clinics in the Seoul area had a rather lower number. Results: As a result of comparing the decile hierarchy distribution ratio between specialized fields according to primary care clinics income from National Health Insurance, the inequality degree showed that obstetrics and gynecology and general medicine were each 0.130, 0.280 for the decile distribution ratio, which was the highest degree of inequality within the specialized field. Their Gini coefficient were also relatively high at 0.691, 0.528 respectively. On the other hand, the decile distribution ratio for otolaryngology and orthopedics were 0.510, 0.468, respectively, while their Gini coefficient each at 0.318, 0.314 makes their inequality degree relatively lower than other fields. Conclusion: This study is limited in that the data used was the health insurance charges submitted by clinics, which does not provide total information of the doctors' income. However, because most clinics are largely dependant on their income to come from health insurance reimbursements. Therefore, the results of this study can be used effectively. In the future, research that includes data on non-covered service income should be conducted to closely examine policy plans with a new medical fee policy which can resolve the medical fee income inequality issue between clinics as well as revitalize primary medical care.

• 동의생리병리학회지
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• 제24권1호
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• pp.152-157
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• 2010

The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of traditional Korean medical therapy in patients with functional dyspepsia evaluted using multi-channel electrogastrography. Before the treatment, the EGG of 14 outpatients (male 3, female 11) with functional dyspepsia were recorded and their dominant frequency(DF), percentage of gastric slow waves, percentage of Power ratio, and percentage of slow wave couplings were analysed. For 8 weeks, the patients received acupuncture treatment. After 8 weeks, EGG was rechecked and compared with the previous data. After treatment, normogastria was significantly increased in channel 1 and channel 3($53.70{\pm}18.94$% vs $72.64{\pm}15.49$% in channel 1, P<0.05; $79.74{\pm}18.09$ vs $90.86{\pm}8.86$ in channel 3, P<0.05). arrythmia was significantly decreased in channel 3($14.34{\pm}15.21$ vs $5.93{\pm}6.90$, P<0.05). The patients who had less severe decrease in EGG indexes showed improvement of those indexes through 8 weeks of outpatient care. EGG channel 3 was shown to be the most adequate standard of evaluation. But there was no significant improvement in slow wave coupling rate which is a new index of multichannel EGG.

• 한국치위생학회지
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• 제11권4호
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• pp.489-497
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• 2011

Objectives : Based on data collected from patients who suffered from dental caries during the period between 1990 and 2008, the number of patients and their trends were analyzed as a source of evidence to conduct the oral health plan. Methods : A population of sample design for patient survey data was derived from computerized data saved at medical institutions accredited by National Health Insurance Corporation. Large institutions such as dental hospitals were included for the complete enumeration test, while the rest of medical institutions, for example, dental clinic, relatively small institutions, were used for the sample survey. Most of patients with dental caries were outpatients and their disease was treated at the dental hospital or dental clinic in general, therefore, main analysis was carried out at those institutions. Results : The rate of patients who suffered the dental caries has decreased to 56.8% in 2008 from 78.5% in 1990. The rate of patients who visited the dental hospital for treatment has increased to 4.8% in 2008 from 0.5% in 1990, whereas the percentage of those who visited the dental clinic has fallen to 97.9% from 99.5% during the same period. The ratio by age, in the meantime, it showed that patients aged 40s has increased to 13.5% in 2008 from 7.2% in 1990, and the number also has risen in 50s from 5.6% in 1990 to 9.9% in 2008. However, the number of children aged 0 to 9 who visited hospital for treatment of dental caries has fallen to 17.0% in 2008 from 33.9% in 1990. Conclusions : By figuring out the trends of patients with the dental caries during the period between 1990 and 2008, fundamental data for the oral health policy have been collected. As a result, the necessity of a new medical treatment system for managing the dental caries in terms of patient ages as well as the oral health policy and campaign was taken into consideration.

• 핵의학기술
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• 제21권1호
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• pp.23-28
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• 2017

Purpose Recently, there has been increasing demands for clinical departments at Asan Medical center in Seoul. They want to see the results of lab tests about blood samples as soon as possible and to be reported to them on the day. As the main contents of the survey, we explained the goodness of Asan medical center's in vitro and the points to be improved. Based on this, it became an opportunity to create a positive image of In vitro laboratory. In addition, we could identify their specific requirements through the surveys. Materials and Methods In September 2016, a total of 14 questionnaire surveys were conducted for 49 clinical departments and outpatient nurses at Asan Medical center in Seoul. The survey consists of description questions to be able to express the intention of the individual and the questions made on the Likert 4 point scale. The main contents of 14 questions are composed of goodness of In Vitro laboratory and points to be improved. Results 62% answered that the best service in In Vitro laboratory was "good accuracy and reproducibility". On the other hand, as an inconvenience when requesting blood tests, 73% pointed out that "the result report time was long", which was recognized as a part to be improved. There are many contents that "The result of all tests is reported within 2 hours" on the day of the examination. In the question - 'Are there some examination results which do not coincide well with clinical observations?', 55 of 56 people answered "no". Above all, the majority answered that waiting for re-examination results is too long. This problem must be causing discomfort to the patients. Conclusion In order to improve these problems, the first thing is to increase the number of blood tests by using the current personnel, equipments and reagents to the fullest by item in Asan Medical Center's Nuclear medicine in vitro part. Secondly, in case of re-examinations, we use the "AMIS message" to show other clinical departments the reporting time. This methode improves the efficiency of work with nurses and increases satisfaction of custom service. Thirdly, the correlation was evaluated by selecting the test species that can be carried out by the shortening method. Currently, C-peptide and insulin are implemented in the reaction process to shorten 2 hours into 1 hour. Finally, we are considering purchasing new equipments for quick test results.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제64권6호
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• pp.891-900
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• 2021

Objective : Vertebral artery dissecting aneurysm (VADA) is a very rare subtype of intracranial aneurysms; when ruptured, it is associated with significantly high rates of morbidity and mortality. Despite several discussions and debates, the optimal treatment for VADA has not yet been established. In the last 10 years, flow diverter devices (FDD) have emerged as a challenging and new treatment method, and various clinical and radiological results have been reported about their safety and effectiveness. The aim of our study was to evaluate the clinical and radiological results with the use of FDD in the treatment of unruptured VADA. Methods : We retrospectively evaluated the data of all patients with unruptured VADA treated with FDD between January 2018 and February 2021 at our hybrid operating room. Nine patients with unruptured VADA, deemed hemodynamically unstable, were treated with FDD. Among other parameters, the technical feasibility of the procedure, procedure-related complications, angiographic results, and clinical outcomes were evaluated. Results : Successful FDD deployment was achieved in all cases, and the immediate follow-up angiography showed intra-aneurysmal contrast stasis with parent artery preservation. A temporary episode of facial numbness and palsy was noted in one patient; however, the symptoms had completely disappeared when followed up at the outpatient clinic 2 weeks after the procedure. The 3-6 months follow-up angiography (n=9) demonstrated complete/near-complete obliteration of the aneurysm in seven patients, and partial obliteration and segmental occlusion in one patient each. In the patient who achieved only partial obliteration, there was a sac 13 mm in size, and there was no change in the 1-year follow-up angiography. In the patient with segmental occlusion, the cause could not be determined. The clinical outcome was modified Rankin Scale 0 in all patients. Conclusion : Our preliminary study using FDD to treat hemodynamically unstable unruptured VADA showed that FDD is safe and effective. Our study has limitations in that the number of cases is small, and it is not a prospective study. However, we believe that the study contributes to evidence regarding the safety and effectiveness of FDD in the treatment of unruptured VADA.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• 제66권5호
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• pp.573-581
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• 2023

Objective : Due to the implementation of vaccinations and the development of therapeutic agents, the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic that started at the end of 2019 has entered a new phase. As a result, neurosurgeons should reconsider the way they treat their patients. As the COVID-19 situation prolongs, the change in neurosurgical emergency patients according to the number of confirmed cases is no longer clear. Outpatient treatment by telephone was permitted according to government policy. In addition, visits to caregivers in the intensive care unit were limited. Methods : The electronic medical records of patients who had been treated over the phone for a month (during April 2020, while the hospital was closing) were reviewed. Meanwhile, according to the limited visits to the intensive care unit, a video meeting was held with the caregivers. After the video meeting, satisfaction was evaluated using a questionnaire. Results : During April 2020, 1021 patients received non-face-to-face care over the telephone. Among the patients, no critical medical problem occurred due to non-face-to-face care. From July 2021 to December 2021, 321 patients were admitted to the neurosurgical intensive care unit and 107 patients (33.3%) including their caregivers agreed to video visits. Twice a week, advance notice was given that access would be made through a mobile device and the nurse explained to caregivers how to use the mobile device. The time for the video meeting was approximately 20 minutes per patient. Based on the questionnaire, 81 respondents (75.7%) answered that they agreed, and 26 respondents (24.3%) answered that they strongly agreed that was easy to communicate through video meetings. Fifty-two (48.6%) agreed and 55 (51.4%) strongly agreed that they were easy to understand the doctor's explanation. For overall satisfaction with this video meeting, three respondents (2.8%) gave 4/5 points and 95 respondents (88.8%) gave 5/5 points, and nine (8.4%) gave 3/5 points. Their reason was that there was not enough time. Conclusion : In situations where patient visits are limited, video meetings through a mobile device can provide sufficient satisfaction to caregivers. Telemedicine will likely become common in the near future. Health care professionals should prepare and respond to these needs and changes. Therefore, establishing a system with institutional support is necessary.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• 제11권1호
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• pp.86-97
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• 1978

The mobile medical service has been operated for many years by a number of medical schools and hospitals as a most convenient means of medical service delivery to the people residing in such area where the geographical and socioeconomic conditions are not good enough to enjoy modern medical care. Despite of official appraisal showing off simply with numbers of outpatients treated and medical persons participated, however, as well recognized, the capability (in respect of budget, equipment and time) of those mobile medical teams is so limitted that it often discourages the recipients as well as medical participants themselves. In the midst of rising need to secure medical service of good quality to all parts of the country, and of developing concept of primary health care system, authors evaluated the effectiveness of and problems associated with mobile medical servies program through the community diagnosis of a village (Opo-myun, Kwangju-gun) to obtain the information which may be halpful for future improvement. 1. Owing to the nationwide Sae-Maul movement powerfully practiced during last several years, living environment of farm villages generally and remarkably improved including houses, water supply and wastes disposal etc. Neverthless, due to limitations in budget time and lack of knowledge (probably the most important), these improvements tend to keep up appearances only and are far from the goal which may being practical benefit in promoting the health of the community. 2. As a result of intensive population policy led by the government since 1962, there has been considerable advances in understanding and the rate of practicing family planning through out the villages and yet, one should see many things, especially education, to be done. Fifty eight per cent of mothers have not received prenatal check and the care for most (72%) delivery was offered by laymen at home. 3. Approximately seven per cent of the population was reported to have chronic illness but since only a few (practically none) of the people has had physical check up by doctors, the actual prevalence of chronic diseases may reach many times of the reported. The same fact was observed also in prevalence of tuberculosis; the patients registered at local health center totaled 31 comprising only 0.51% while the numbers in two neighboring villages (designated as demonstration area of tuberculosis control and mass examination was done recently) were 3.5 and 4.0% respectively. Prevalence rate of all dieseses and injuries expereinced during one month (July, 1977) was 15.8%. Only one tenth of those patients received treatment by physicians and one fifth was not treated at all. The situation was worse as for the chronic patients; 84% of all cases either have never been treated or discontinued therapy, and the main reasons were known to be financial difficulty and ignorance or indifference. 4. Among the patients treated by our mobile clinic, one third was chronic cases and 45% of all patients, by the opinion of doctors attended, were those who may be treated by specially trained nurses or other paramedics (objects of primary care). Besides, 20% of the cases required professional managements of level beyond the mobile team's capability and in this sense one may conclude that the effectiveness (performance) of present mobile medical team is quite limitted. According to above findings, the authors would like to suggest following for mobile medical service and overall medicare program for the people living in remote country side. 1. Establishment of primary health care system secured with effective communication and evacuation (between villages and local medical center) measures. 2. Nationwide enforcement of medical insurance system. 3. Simple outpatient care which now constitutes the main part of the most mobile medical services should largely be yielded up to primary health care unit of the village and the mobile team itself should be assigned on new and more urgent missions such as mass screening health examination of the villagers, health education with modern and effective audiovisual aids, professional training and consultant services for the primary health care organization.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• 제49권1호
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• pp.71-75
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• 2006

목 적 : 소아에서 비교적 흔한 것으로 알려진 편두통은 성인과 다른 양상을 보이므로 성인의 편두통 진단기준을 그대로 이용하기가 곤란하다. 최근 국제두통학회에서 발표한 새로운 진단기준에 근거하여 전조를 동반하지 않는 편두통 환자의 임상적 특징과 이전의 진단기준 적용시와의 차이점에 대해 알아보고자 하였다. 방 법 : 2003년 9월부터 2004년 7월까지 강북삼성병원 소아과 외래에 두통을 주소로 내원하였던 102명의 환자 중에서 국제두통학회의 개정된 기준에 근거하여 진단 내린 전조를 동반하지 않는 편두통 환자 27명과 진단기준 4가지 중 1가지를 만족시키지 못하는 개연적 편두통 환자 7명을 대상으로 임상적 특징을 분석하고 이전의 편두통 진단기준과 비교분석하였다. 결 과 : 전조를 동반하지 않는 편두통 환자는 27명(26.5%)이었으며 평균 연령은 11.0세, 남녀비는 1.7 : 1이었으며 10명(37.0%)에서 편두통의 가족력이 있었다. 편두통의 기간은 평균 16.3개월이었고 빈도는 한달에 평균 13.1회였으며, 지속시간은 2시간 이상이 12례(44.4%)였고 1-2시간이 15례(55.6%)를 차지하였다. 발생부위는 전두부가 9례, 후두부가 2례, 측두부가 14례였으며, 측두부일 경우 편측성이 11례, 양측성이 3례였고, 양상은 압박성(15례, 55.6%)이 편두통의 전형적인 양상인 박동성(6례, 22.2%)보다 많았다. 개연적 편두통 환자는 7명(6.8%)이었으며, 지속시간이 1시간 미만인 경우가 5명인 것을 제외하고는 그 외의 특징에서 편두통 환자와 비슷한 양상을 보였다. 이전 진단 기준을 동일한 환자들에게 적용했을 때 전조를 동반하지 않는 편두통 환자는 9명(8.8%)으로 개정된 진단기준에서의 27명(26.5%)과 큰 차이를 보였다. 결 론 : 소아 편두통 환자의 임상적 특징을 알아보았으며, 이전의 진단기준과 비교하였을 때 새로 개정된 진단 기준에서 지속시간을 1시간 이상, 부위를 양측성까지 포함시킴으로써 상당수의 환자들이 편두통으로 진단될 수 있었다.