This study was to evaluate hospital characteristics as composition of manpower and facilities to the death rate of patient; and to earmark the factors affecting the overall hospital mortality rates. The data utilized were derived from survey material conducted by the Korean Hospital Association on 32 tertiary referral hospitals in Korea between 1986 and 1994. The findings are: 1. Those hospitals having the most capacity per bed had little difference to the mortality rates than the others. 2. Those hospitals having the most daily patients per specialist had significantly higher mortality rates than the others, but the number of daily patients per nurse had little effect on the mortality rates. 3. Those hospitals which had a relatively sufficient number of quality assurance activities revealed a lower mortality, and particularly in case where such effort was directed to the clinicians, the outcome was remarkable. we concluded that the major factor affecting the hospital mortality rates seems to be the number of specialists per number of beds, the degree of quality assurance assessment of the clinicians, the quality assurance activities of each hospital as a whole, and the number of daily patient per specialist. According to the findings of this study, the composition and quality of specialist and adequate quality assurance activities seemed to be the essential for the improvement of hospital care. Therefore, in this regard the proper implementation of policy and support is highly recommended. Due to lack of available research material, the personal characteristics of specialists haven't been considered in this study However, this longitudinal observation of 32 tertiary referral hospitals over a nine year period has significant merit alone.
Hospital Mortality* ; Humans ; Korea* ; Mortality ; Specialization ; Tertiary Care Centers*

The geographical distribution of active physicians who graduated from medical schools before 1985 were studied. Those who had emigrated, hold non-medical jobs, are in the military service, or work as public health physicians and resident staff were excluded from the study. A total of 27,728 physicians were analyzed. Our studies have shown a relationship between the location of the medical schools from the which the physicians have graduated and the geographical regions in which they practice. A statistically significant number of physicians are working near the medical colleges from which they have graduated. That is, those who had graduated from medical schools located in the southern area of the country are presently working in the same region. This relationship was shown to be especially significant for older physicians and female doctors, who work around the area of the medical colleges from which they graduated.
Female ; Humans ; Military Personnel ; Public Health ; Schools, Medical

No abstract available.
Spinal Stenosis*

No abstract available.
Mass Screening* ; Prospective Studies*

Video-assisted thoracic surgery (VATS) has been increasingly used because of it is a less invasive procedure than the open thoracotomy. Neither commercially available double-lumen tubes nor the univent tube can be used in small children. An ordinary uncuffed tracheal tube was introduced into the main bronchus of the right lung. This technique proved to be a simple and effective method of isolating and ventilating the other lung. We describe our experience providing one-lung ventilation with ordinary endotracheal tube during VATS in two young children. (Korean J Anesthesiol 2001; 40: 824 ~ 828)
Bronchi ; Child* ; Humans ; Lung ; One-Lung Ventilation ; Thoracic Surgery, Video-Assisted* ; Thoracotomy

BACKGROUND: Osteoporosis and its related fractures are increasingly being recognized as major health problems because of the rapidly increasing elderly population. In this study, we investigated the annual trend of osteoporosis-related health services utilization. METHODS: Participants aged over 50 years were identified from the Korean National Health Insurance Service database between 2008 and 2012. Health service utilization rate and treatment rate were calculated through the operational definition. RESULTS: In this period, the number of osteoporosis patients, aged over 50 years, using the medical service, increased by 33.2%. This increase was higher in males than in females. Moreover, the number of newly diagnosed osteoporosis patients increased by 4.3% in women and 20.4% in men. To estimate the proportion of osteoporosis patients who utilize medical services, we analyzed prevalence data from the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey from 2008 to 2010. Less than 60% of patients with osteoporosis were estimated to have utilized medical services because of osteoporosis. Drug treatment rates were 34.1%, 31.1%, and 33.5% in 2008, 2009, and 2010, respectively. CONCLUSION: This study demonstrated an increasing trend in the utilization of the osteoporosis-related health services from 2008 to 2012 in Korea. The proportion of newly diagnosed osteoporosis patients and the prevalence of access to medical services increased more in men than in women. Therefore, an increasing need for prevention and treatment of male osteoporosis was observed. The osteoporosis treatment rate was lower than that for other chronic diseases; more efforts are needed to improve awareness regarding osteoporosis treatment.
Aged ; Bone Density ; Chronic Disease ; Female ; Health Services ; Humans ; Korea ; Male ; National Health Programs ; Nutrition Surveys ; Osteoporosis ; Prevalence

The job characteristics and competencies of 285 dietitians in employee foodservices were investigated by worker-oriented job analysis methodology. The purposes of this study were to : a) determine the knowledge, abilities, skills and other characteristics(KASO) needed for dietitians in two types of employee foodservice groups(self-operated vs. contracted), b) categorize KASO items by factor analysis and c) provide job information and job descriptions for dietitians in employee foodservices. The job analysis questionnaire was consisted of questions concerning the 134 KASO items. The questionnaire was mailed to 250 dietitians who are members of The Korean Dietetic Association Practice Group in self-operated foodservices(group A) and 250 dietitians who are employed in contracted foodservice companies(group B). Completed were received from 285 dietitians(121 in self-operated, 164 in contracted) ; with response rate of 57%. Statistical data analysis was completed using the SPSS/win and the SAS/win packages. The results of this study can be summarized as follows. 1) Through factor analysis, the 134 KASO items were regrouped into 6 categories: 'primary dietetic tasks concerning menu management and administrative work regarding merchants', 'primary dietetic tasks concerning procurement and purchasing of food and supplies and meal production and service control', 'primary dietetic tasks concerning facility, sanitation and safety control', 'secondary dietetic tasks concerning nutrition education and research', 'secondary dietetic tasks concerning foodservice operation management' and 'human attributes'. 2) Analysis of the total scores(average scores of degree of frequency, importance and entry requirements of KASO items within 6 categories), group A showed high priorities placed on 'human attributes', 'procurement and purchasing of food and supplies and meal production and service control', 'menu management and administrative work regarding merchants', 'whereas group B showed high priorities placed on 'human attributes', 'foodservice operation management'.
Data Interpretation, Statistical ; Education ; Equipment and Supplies ; Job Description ; Meals ; Nutritionists* ; Postal Service ; Sanitation ; Surveys and Questionnaires

The job characteristics and competencies of 285 dietitians in employee foodservices were investigated by worker-oriented job analysis methodology. The purposes of this study were to : a) determine the knowledge, abilities, skills and other characteristics(KASO, hereafter) needed for dietitians in two types of employee foodservice groups(self-operated vs. contracted) and b) the analysis of the degree of frequency and importance and entry requirements of KASO items listed below : their degree of frequency, the level of importance and their function as entry requirements. The 134 KASO items would be divided into 12 task categories. The questionnaire was mailed to 250 dietitians who are members of The Korean Dietetic Association Practice Group in self-operated foodservices(hereafter group A) and 250 dietitians who are employed in contracted foodservice companies(hereafter group B). Completed were received from 285 dietitians(121 in self-operated, 164 in contracted) ; with a response rate of 57%. Statistical data analysis was completed using the SPSS/win and the SAS/win packages. The results of this study can be summarized as follows. 1) Analysis of the degree of frequency, importance and entry requirements of 134 KASO items in group A showed a high priority(score<4.0) placed on 14 items in relation to dietetic tasks and 9 items in relation to human attributes, whereas in group B 19 items in relation to dietetic tasks and 11 items in relation to human attributes. 2) Comparing responses about the KASO items in the 12 task categories, there was a significant difference between the two sample groups with regard to degree of frequency : group A scored 3.29, group B scored 3.50(p<0.01). With regard to importance of KASO items in 12 task categories, group A scored 3.78 and group B scored 3.88 showing no significant differences. With to entry requirements of KASO items in 12 task categories, group A scored 3.29 and group B scored 3.46 showing a significant difference(p<0.05).
Data Interpretation, Statistical ; Humans ; Nutritionists* ; Postal Service ; Surveys and Questionnaires

A twenty-three year old korean officer was exposed accidentally to high-tension electric current(22,900 voltage). He lost consciousness for about three days. The point of entry was the palm area of the right hand and the point of exit was the lateral area of the right thigh. He sustained second and third degree burn on the exposed area and face, neck, anterior chest, abdomen, right thigh. He subsequently developed yellow-gray foveolar lesion and macular hole, cataract, and iritis with central visual-loss in both eyes. Fluorescein angiography demonstrated the area of retinal pigment epithelial disruption. We suspected that it was electric current induced full-thickness macular hole, not photochemical macular hole, because his companion did not seeing a bright flash light and successively central visual loss.
Abdomen ; Burns ; Cataract ; Consciousness ; Fluorescein Angiography ; Friends ; Hand ; Humans ; Iritis ; Neck ; Retinal Perforations* ; Retinaldehyde ; Thigh ; Thorax

No abstract available.
Cicatrix* ; Endometriosis* ; Female