• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.74-86
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• 2017

Purposes: This study was performed to understand the recognition about accreditation motives, support within the hospital and accreditation survey process for the hospitals that participated in the accreditation program and to find out whether these factors are related to hospital management performances, so that the study can suggest plans for activation and development of the accreditation program. Methodology: This study was performed targeting 98 hospitals answered th the survey among 189 acute care hospitals that acquired accreditation from December 2010 to February 2014. For data analysis, frequency analysis, ${\chi}^2$-test, reliability analysis, ANOVA, Kruskal-Wallis H test and multiple regression analysis with SPSS 21.0 were used. Findings: The hospitals that had staff in charge of patient safety had bigger hospital culture change than those that didn't have(p<.05). In addition, the hospital culture change was bigger as internal motives were bigger, and as CEO's will was bigger(p<.05). Meanwhile, as maintenance rate of internal management after accreditation was higher, and as CEO's will was bigger, process improvement level was higher(p<.05). The quality improvement and patient satisfaction level were higher as CEO's will was bigger, and as suitability of survey process was recognized to be high(p<.05). As a result of analyzing the factors that affect hospital management performances with hospital culture change, process improvement and quality improvement combined, as internal management maintenance rate was higher, as CEO's will was bigger, and as suitability of survey process was higher, performances were higher(p<.05). Practical Implications: Hospitals need to reinforce internal motives to improve internal competences such as the whole system maintenance opportunity and staff training. In addition, the will of hospital director is most important, and if there is hospital director's interest in quality improvement and improvement intention definitely, employees voluntarily participate in and cooperate with the accreditation program, so that prompt medical service provision and high quality of medical services can be guaranteed, leading to hospitals' management performances.

• Quality Improvement in Health Care
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.15-25
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• 2016

Objectives: In this study, we examined the validity of Clostridium difficile culture results as a proxy measure of Clostridium difficile infection, and inferred the epidemiologic characteristics of Clostridium difficile infection by tracking the trends of Clostridium difficile culture results. Methods: We reviewed the medical records to figure out the actual possibilities of Clostridium difficile infection of those with positive or negative results of Clostridium difficile culture during the time span from January 2012 to March 2012. We calculated the positive and negative predictive value of Clostridium difficile culture results for Clostridium difficile infection. Furthermore, epidemiologic characteristics of Clostridium difficile infection in a tertiary general hospital in 2012 were analyzed. Result: The estimated positive predictive value of Clostridium difficile culture tests for Clostridium difficile infection was 100%, and the estimated negative predictive value was around 94.4~99.3% depending on the cutoff value of possibility of Clostridium difficile infection. A total of 622 cases were identified as Clostridium difficile infection in a tertiary general hospital in 2012 and there were 4.9 patients with Clostridium difficile infection per 1,000 inpatients. Conclusion: In conclusion, we identified that Clostridium difficile culture results can be used as a proxy measure of Clostridium difficile infection.

• Quality Improvement in Health Care
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.12-31
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• 2015

Objectives : The purpose of this study was to develop the qualification system for training of Quality improvement professionals who work for improving patients' safety and healthcare quality. Methods : Based on the various laws and regulations, and the operational status of other professionals' qualification systems, a basic plan of professional qualification system of QI was drawn. And through meetings with QI experts, the final scheme of the concrete qualification system was developed. Results : For management of professionals's certification or qualification, fairness and reliability are important. To do this, setting the official standard, providing a standardized training program and having appropriate qualification test are required. In order to operate the qualification system strategically, 1) the introduction step, 2) dissemination and expansion step, and 3) fusing step should be considered. As a governing body for QI specialists' qualification, 'QI professionals' qualification Center (tentative)' must have the committee to assure fairness, professionalism, and reliability. In addition, 'QI Experts Certification Department (tentative)" to develop standards for the qualification tests and conduct the tests program,' QI experts Education Department (tentative name)" must be able to operate and maintain the QI training for professional qualifications. QI professional qualification exam must be taken by everyone regardless of age, gender, race, occupation, education, and work experience. The examination should include management, leadership, strategic planning and design, quality management, health care information, patient safety culture. Practical training courses can have three step programs; beginning, intermediate and special level. Conclusion : The QI qualification system need strategic approaches for the experts working for healthcare quality improvement and patient safety. It should include the program of standardized contents and test, and operating protocol of the qualificaton system.

• The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.619-625
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• 2023

In this paper, the remote care of medical beds with multiple body pressure sensors is described. Falling is one of the factors that seriously threaten the safety of patients and harm their health. In this study, a new bed was developed to overcome this. The bed system consists of a keyboard that can operate, a keyboard controller that manages the movement of the keyboard, a sensor that measures body pressure, a sensor controller that transmits and receives sensor values, a main controller that checks it and operates automatically or manually according to the algorithm, and a server that oversees all these information. The bed system checks the patient's location through a sensor and wirelessly alerts the server through the main controller when the patient determines that there is a risk of falling, so that the nurse or nurse can recognize the patient's dangerous condition. The server may receive state data transmitted from the wired/wireless terminal to monitor whether the bed system is operating normally. The controller of the keyboard operates a keyboard-type mechanism and automatically controls the prevention of bedsores connected by body pressure sensors to physically separate the area to which the patient's pressure is applied to prevent bedsores. The main controller checks the presence of the patient's bed and transmits it to the server. In conclusion, the proposed system can smart monitor the user's state and perform remote care.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2023

Background: Like many other countries, falls and related injuries in older adults are great concerns in South Korea. In particular, falls are common in medical institutions, often causing the increase of the length of hospitalization. Objects: The purpose of this review was to help understand and address falls in hospitalized individuals in South Korea. Methods: The review was conducted on literature published in Korean from 2010 to 2022, searched in the Korea Citation Index and PubMed. Keywords used for the search were as follows: falls, fall risk, fall risk assessment, hospital, inpatient, intervention, Korea, and prevention. Results: A total of 54 articles were found and reviewed. The most common place of fall accidents was the inpatient room, where there were many cases of falls while walking. Loss of balance was the most common cause of falls, and many falls occurred in patients admitted to the internal medicine. Furthermore, a risk of falling increased with the type of medications taken. In terms of tools to assess patients' fall risk, the Morse Fall Scale (MFS) was commonly used. Patient-specific fall prevention activities were common to address falls, and they decreased the frequency of falls and the fear of falling. Factors influencing the effectiveness of the fall prevention activities included attitudes toward falls, education, environmental factors, patient safety culture, and self-efficacy in preventing falls. Conclusion: Our results should help understand and address falls and injuries in medical institutions.

• The Journal of the Convergence on Culture Technology
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.613-618
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• 2023

In this paper, a monitoring program that can automatically determine whether a patient admitted to an isolation room acts out of a stable state through a screen photographed in real time is described. The motion recognition model of this program was built by learning through transfer learning. 900 images were used for the three movements, and this program was developed for the web to support all environments. The model was determined with high accuracy to determine the state of the subject hospitalized in the isolation room, and can be applied by applying it to the existing isolation room monitoring system.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.3832-3840
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• 2014

The rapidly aging population is also increasing the number of dementia patients rapidly. Studies have revealed the early signs of slowing progress. Therefore, dementia patient safety, continuous care, daily living, and health care are becoming more important. In this paper, a smart home care system using smart phones and Bluetooth communication technology was used to monitor the state of dementia patients of based on the results of grading dementia, health care of the dementia patients at home and provide for the safety of the system using motion sensors and gas leak sensors to respond to various emergency situations, such as fire, gas leak protection, and loitering. Using this system, the patient can stay longer in their home due to the nature of Korean culture before admission, while reducing the family's economical, physical and psychological burden and allowing the consultation of specialists through the system by building a database of individuals and providing professional service and specialty care referral agencies through the link.

• Quality Improvement in Health Care
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.36-49
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• 2015

In Intensive Care Units (ICUs), where severely ill patients are treated, importance of reducing Hospital Acquired Infection (HAI) cannot be overstated. One of the simplest and most effective actions against HAI is proper hand hygiene (HH) behavior of Health Care Workers (HCWs). However, compliance varies across different cultures and different job types of HCWs (physicians, residents and nurses). This study aims to understand determinants of HH behavior by HCWs' job types in Korea. Qualitative analysis was performed based on Reasoned Action Approach style interviews with staff physicians, residents and nurses across 7 teaching hospitals. We found that all HCWs strongly believe HH is important in reducing HAI. There were, however, job type-specific HH behavior modifying factors; staff physicians stated feeling pressure to be HH behavior role model. Residents identified Quality Improvement team that measured compliance as a facilitator; a notable barrier for residents was senior physicians not washing their hands, because they were afraid of appearing impudent to their seniors. Nurses designated their chief nurse as a key referent. All participants mentioned heavy workload and lack of access to alcohol-based sanitizer as situational barriers, and sore and dry hand as deterrents to HH compliance.

• Korean Journal of Culture and Social Issue
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.147-164
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• 2010

In this paper, we reviewed the community-based approaches to suicide prevention and national strategies for the decrement of suicide rate, and made some suggestions to decrease the suicide rate in South Korea. Until now, efforts to understand and prevent suicide have been pursued singularly by specialized interest groups such as psychiatrists, psychologists, mental health practitioners, and private organizations with little interaction between them, resulting in narrow approaches toward suicide that existed in relative isolation to one another and that have been largely ineffective. To decline the suicide rate in South Korea, the people lived in Korea community ought to have enough knowledge related to suicide and have to cooperate with other people. Through these efforts, Korea community would have established social safety networks to improve the community 's mental health. The most important factor in suicide prevention and declining the suicide rate is reducing the stigma and increase the self-help seeking behaviors associated with suicide and mental health. Therefore, suicide is not an individual problem solved by suicidal patient, but a community's problem solved by community in recognizing, managing and preventing suicide.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.441-452
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• 2020

In vivo animal models are limited in their ability to mimic the extremely complex systems of the human body, and there is increasing disquiet about the ethics of animal research. Many authorities in different geographical areas are considering implementing a ban on animal testing, including testing for cosmetics and pharmaceuticals. Therefore, there is a need for research into systems that can replicate the responses of laboratory animals and simulate environments similar to the human body in a laboratory. An in vitro two-dimensional cell culture model is widely used, because such a system is relatively inexpensive, easy to implement, and can gather considerable amounts of reference data. However, these models lack a real physiological extracellular environment. Recent advances in stem cell biology, tissue engineering, and microfabrication techniques have facilitated the development of various 3D cell culture models. These include multicellular spheroids, organoids, and organs-on-chips, each of which has its own advantages and limitations. Organoids are organ-specific cell clusters created by aggregating cells derived from pluripotent, adult, and cancer stem cells. Patient-derived organoids can be used as models of human disease in a culture dish. Biomimetic organ chips are models that replicate the physiological and mechanical functions of human organs. Many organoids and organ-on-a-chips have been developed for drug screening and testing, so competition for patents between countries is also intensifying. We analyzed the scientific and technological trends underlying these cutting-edge models, which are developed for use as non-animal models for testing safety and efficacy at the nonclinical stages of drug development.