PURPOSE: This study aimed to set priorities for improving the medical device distribution structure and to suggest an innovative improvement plan for the distribution structure using the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) method, focusing on stakeholders in the medical device industry. METHODS: This study conducted a survey with 35 specialists using the AHP method, which is a multiple-criteria decisionmaking methodology, in order to set priorities for improvement plans to address the problems faced by the medical device distribution structure. RESULTS: The AHP analysis showed that supply stability was the most important factor, followed by greater transparency, efficiency, smart supply, and cost reduction. CONCLUSIONS: It is necessary to establish a stable supply system and manage crises through supply stability, as well as to provide opportunities for fair trade through greater transparency. As steps towards those goals, we propose establishing a unique device identification system, an information disclosure system, online distribution, and a group purchasing organization system in Korea.
Disclosure ; Group Purchasing ; Korea ; Methods ; Online Systems ; Specialization

In this paper, the SWOT analysis method is used to find out the internal strength, weakness, exterior opportunities and threats of the present medical devices' procurements in hospitals and some strategic considerations are suggested as "one direction, two expansions, three changes and four countermeasures".
Cost Savings ; Equipment and Supplies, Hospital ; economics ; Group Purchasing ; economics ; organization & administration ; Humans ; Marketing of Health Services ; methods ; Purchasing, Hospital ; organization & administration ; Quality Control

This study examined the experience of administrators of home-based child care centers about CCFSM (Center for Children's Foodservice Management) service using a qualitative approach. Eight administrators of home-based child care centers in Seoul with more than one year's experience of CCFSM were interviewed regarding their opinions on support activities, standards, and foodservice management. The interviews were semi-structured with open-ended questions and they were transcribed and classified according to the subjects. There were negative opinions regarding the indications after a hygiene inspection leaving photographs or records behind, but most positive opinions were about round visits for foodservice sanitation and nutrition management. The participants thought that it is not enough that the number of nutrition education sessions for children be twice a year, and there was a suggestion to increase the rentals of nutrition educational materials. There was a complaint about the menus in that were difficult to prepare for lunch time or to obtain food ingredients for. The administrators poorly recognized how to use the standardized recipes and chlorine-based disinfectants, so they could not be applied properly. They also pointed out the problems of joint purchasing as low quality and high prices in the food service operation. They felt discriminated against compared to with larger scale child care centers because of their size and expressed concerns regarding the fact that many home-based child care centers were not included due to the lack of publicity and budget. Through the results, the CCFSM should provide a differentiated service and management by creating a dedicated team or staff for home-based child care centers so they will not feel left out. In addition, It is also important to constantly gather opinions to improve the menus and to use standardized recipes practically. In addition, it will be necessary to develop nutrition educational materials corresponding to the infants' age for home-based child care centers and increase the rent to expand nutrition education.
Administrative Personnel ; Budgets ; Child ; Child Care* ; Child* ; Disinfectants ; Education ; Food Services ; Group Purchasing ; Humans ; Hygiene ; Lunch ; Sanitation ; Seoul*

Nutrition during childhood is essential for growth and maintenance of health. Good food habits developed during the childhood will contribute both to the healthy growth and the prevention of the degenerative disease of later life. Both parents and the providers in child care centers play an important role for children's good eating behavior. Therefore all child care programs should achieve recommended standards for meeting children's nutritional and educational needs in a safe, sanitary, and supportive environment to promote the healthy growth and development of children. The purposes of this study were to evaluate the foodservice management practices and assess the needs for a Central Production Unit by contacting the child care center' providers. This approach was achieved using a variety of qualitative and quantitative information including the general foodservice management practices and the needs for a Central Production Unit. An indepth face-to-face interview with structured-questionnaires was undertaken at 32 representative child-care centers in Seoul. Statistical data analysis was done using the SAS program for descriptive analysis and ANOVA. The number of national/public and private sectors were 11 respectively, followed by 10 licensed home day-care centers. Total average number of children in child-care centers was 54.3+/-48.5. The foodservice productivity index in child-care centers was 4.8 minutes per meal for public child care centers, 6.0 for private child-care centers, and 9.8 for home child care centers. Home child care centers were found to have the lowest productivity index which indicated inefficient foodservice practice. The important factors in group purchasing were menus(39.6%) or close distance(39.6%) > type of foodservice operation(32.8%) > total number of meals(19.9%) > food costs(16.2%) in order. Average score of the efficiency for central food production in child-care centers was 3.80+/-0.84 out of 5.
Child ; Child Care* ; Child* ; Data Interpretation, Statistical ; Efficiency ; Feeding Behavior ; Food Habits ; Group Purchasing ; Growth and Development ; Humans ; Meals ; Parents ; Private Sector ; Seoul

As the rapid growth of internet users, the implementation of e-commerce and e-community are becoming popular also in health fields. Especially, the marketing strategy through joint purchasing for health services such as lasik, plastic surgery, etc. has increasingly been an important issue in clinics and health portals. Therefore, this study purposes to investigate the current status of joint purchasing for health services and estimate the demand on them. Since the university students use an internet most frequently and tend to purchase the goods and services actively through it, the intention for health services were targeted to university students. Only 29% of respondents acknowledged the joint purchasing system for health services. And the purchasing intention was higher in the university students who experienced the joint purchasing for general goods than those who did not experience. Non-surgery items such as stress clinic, dental scaling showed higher intention. Meanwhile when respondents purchase the health services through an internet, they consider the reliability of quality for health services at most. Considering this, if the legal regulations and ethical standards for reliable health services are systematically prepared, positive attitudes and behavioral intention on joint purchasing for health services will be increased and the market of joint purchasing will be enlarged.
Surveys and Questionnaires ; Dental Clinics ; Group Purchasing* ; Health Services* ; Humans ; Intention ; Internet ; Joints* ; Keratomileusis, Laser In Situ ; Marketing ; Public Opinion* ; Social Control, Formal ; Surgery, Plastic