PURPOSE: The role of registered nurses is expanding in scope as the healthcare paradigm shifts from acute, hospital-based care to community and population-based care. Given this paradigm shift, this study explores the legal aspects of the role of a registered nurse.METHODS: We used document analysis for extracting laws and legal orders related to nursing from the entirety of Korean law. Using textualism approach, we examined the contents utilizing a framework that was developed based on the role classification of community nurses by Clark in this study.RESULTS: A total of 119 items related to nursing were derived from 64 laws. Of these, 71.4 % can be performed by people in multiple types of occupations including nurses. As a result of analyzing required qualifications, 45.4% of 119 items required additional qualifications besides registered nurse license. Analysis of workplace and activity type demonstrated that 26.1% of the 119 items were related to medical institutions, with nurses performing mostly “Client-oriented role.” More than half (68.9%) were non-medical institutions, with nurses performing mostly “Delivery-oriented role.” Some, however, did not stipulate the nurse's roles clearly.CONCLUSION: Therefore, to match the enhanced scope and responsibilities of registered nurses and to appropriately recognize, guide, and hold these nurses accountable, laws and policy must reflect these changes. In doing so, these updated laws and policies will ultimately serve as a basis for improving the quality and safety of nursing services.
Classification ; Delivery of Health Care ; Humans ; Jurisprudence ; Legislation, Nursing ; Licensure ; Nurse's Role ; Nurses ; Nursing ; Nursing Services ; Occupations ; Republic of Korea

OBJECTIVES: Since 2000, the National Health Service (NHS) in the United Kingdom (UK) has challenged for a large-scale reforms. This study aims to review those reforms to reflect in the dental care system in Korea. METHODS: Reports and papers that were published from 2000 to 2015 and were related to the NHS dental care system and reforms were searched. Among them, official reports from the government or organization were prioritized. RESULTS: In 2002, the “NHS Dentistry: Options for Change” report suggested rebuilding the structure to meet the standard of care, improving the remuneration system, and modernizing the workforce. Eight years later, the government proposed the “NHS Dental Contract: Proposals for Pilots” to improve accessibility to oral health and dental care. The pilot was based on three elements: registration, capitation, and quality. In 2015, the Department of Health announced the “Dental Contract Reform: Prototypes.” These prototypes include the clinical pathway, measurement and remuneration by quality of care, and a weighted capitation and quality model reimbursement system. CONCLUSIONS: The changes to the UK dental care system has implications. First, national coverage should be extended to improve accessibility to dental care. Second, the dental care system is necessary to reform focused on patient-centered and prevention. Third, registration and remuneration by quality of care needs to be introduced. Fourth, change should start from the basic steps, such as forming consensus or preparing manuals, to strengthening personnel and conducting a pilot study. Most of all, the new system will center on clinical leadership.
Consensus ; Critical Pathways ; Delivery of Health Care* ; Dental Care ; Dentistry ; Great Britain ; Health Care Reform* ; Health Manpower ; History of Dentistry ; Korea ; Leadership ; Legislation, Dental ; National Health Programs ; Oral Health ; Pilot Projects ; Remuneration ; Standard of Care

Adult ; China ; Chronic Periodontitis ; therapy ; Delivery of Health Care ; legislation & jurisprudence ; Dental Scaling ; Dentists ; legislation & jurisprudence ; Humans ; Liability, Legal ; Male ; Students, Medical ; legislation & jurisprudence

The Mental Capacity Act (MCA) came into effect in March 2010 but the impact of this groundbreaking legislation on the doctor-patient relationship has not yet been studied in Singapore. It is evident that communication between healthcare professionals, patients and their loved ones has never been so critical. Translating this into practice, healthcare professionals must identify the decision-maker to obtain consent from the correct person. Consent for healthcare and treatment must be obtained from the patient with capacity or the patient's legally appointed proxy decision-maker under a Lasting Power of Attorney (LPA) where the patient lacks capacity. However, the doctor is the decision-maker for patients lacking capacity in matters of life-sustaining treatment or treatment to prevent a serious deterioration of the patient's health. All decisions made on behalf of persons lacking capacity must be made in their best interests. Capacity assessments must be properly conducted and if a patient has the capacity to make the decision then healthcare professionals must take practicable steps to help them make a decision.
Advance Directives ; legislation & jurisprudence ; Decision Making ; Delivery of Health Care ; legislation & jurisprudence ; Humans ; Informed Consent ; legislation & jurisprudence ; Mental Competency ; legislation & jurisprudence ; Physician-Patient Relations ; Physicians ; legislation & jurisprudence ; Singapore ; Third-Party Consent ; legislation & jurisprudence

Recently, there have been many changes in the area of healthcare. There is no certainty how these changes will affect the healthcare system and public health. However, to at least have these changes positively implemented, it is clear that evaluation through continuous monitoring is necessary. The enforcement of the Medical Institution Accreditation and Medical Dispute Mediation Law as well as legal revisions regarding the public healthcare system are changes to improve the quality of healthcare, while at the same time, provide penalties for infractions of the new law such as medicine/medical device rebates; moreover, legal revisions regarding telemedicine are anticipated to impartially vitalize technical development as well as the pharmaceutical industry. For these changes to have a positive effect on the medical field and people's lives, an accurate comprehension of the system and understanding of the details is necessary to be able to respond sensitively to any changes in the future. Therefore, this paper examined the background information on the current discussion on the changes in the healthcare system, examined the detailed content of the system, and reviewed the areas that were in dispute as well as the main issues to contemplate the expected effects of the changes and future tasks that may be generated as a result. These considerations will act as foundation for an in depth understanding of recent trends in the healthcare system.
Accreditation/legislation & jurisprudence ; Delivery of Health Care/*legislation & jurisprudence ; Health Care Reform ; Humans ; Quality of Health Care ; Telemedicine

On July 23rd, 2010 a revised medical law (Article 58) was passed to change existing evaluation system of medical institutions to an accreditation system. The new healthcare accreditation system was introduced to encourage medical institutions to work voluntarily and continuously to improve patient safety and medical service quality. Changes regarding the healthcare accreditation system included the establishment of an accreditation agency, the voluntary participation of medical institutions, accreditation standards centering on the treatment process and patient safety, tracing methodology, and the announcement of comprehensive results concerning accreditation. Despite varying views on the healthcare accreditation system, including some that are critical, it is meaningful that the voluntary nature of the system acknowledges that the medical institutions must be active agents in improving medical service quality. Healthcare quality is not improved instantaneously, but instead gradually through continuous communication within the clinical field. For this accreditation system to be successful, followings are essential: the accreditation agency becomes financially independent and is managed efficiently, the autonomy and regulation surrounding the system are balanced, the professionalism of the system is ensured, and the medical field plays an active role in the operation of the system.
Accreditation/*legislation & jurisprudence ; Delivery of Health Care/*legislation & jurisprudence ; Health Policy/legislation & jurisprudence ; Humans ; Quality Improvement ; Quality of Health Care ; Republic of Korea

China ; Contract Services ; legislation & jurisprudence ; Delivery of Health Care ; legislation & jurisprudence ; Dental Caries ; therapy ; Dentists ; legislation & jurisprudence ; Female ; Humans ; Liability, Legal ; Middle Aged ; Pulpitis ; therapy ; Tooth Extraction ; Treatment Failure

This study is designed to serve as a reference for the establishment of health security systems for children’s critical diseases. Through analysis of the operation of Shanghai Children Hospital Care Aid (SCHCA), this study explored the financing model and management of a children’s critical disease healthcare system and analyzed the possibility of expanding this system to other areas. It is found that a premium as low as RMB 7 per capita per year under SCHCA can provide high-level security for children’s critical diseases. With the good experience in Shanghai and based on the current basic medical insurance system for urban residents and the new rural cooperative medical scheme (NRCMS), it is necessary and feasible to build a health security system for children’s critical diseases at the national level.
Adolescent ; Child ; Child Welfare ; Child, Preschool ; China ; Delivery of Health Care ; Health Policy ; economics ; legislation & jurisprudence ; Humans ; Infant ; Infant, Newborn

Adult ; Delivery of Health Care ; legislation & jurisprudence ; Dental Implantation ; Dentists ; legislation & jurisprudence ; Dissent and Disputes ; Female ; Humans ; Liability, Legal ; Male ; Malocclusion ; therapy ; Malpractice ; legislation & jurisprudence ; Maxilla ; abnormalities ; Middle Aged ; Orthodontics, Corrective ; legislation & jurisprudence ; Tooth Loss ; surgery ; Treatment Failure

Nurses ; Knowledge ; Delivery of Health Care ; Jurisprudence ; legislation & jurisprudence