Background: Despite the increasing competition caused by the rapid growth in the number of pharmacies in the Republic of Korea,research on factors influencing pharmacy sales is limited. This study aimed to investigate the factors affecting the financial performance of chain-affiliated versus independent pharmacies, with a focus on average transaction values. Methods: Transaction data from January 1, 2023, to December 31, 2023, were analyzed, excluding prescription drug sales. The focus was on over-the-counter medications, health supplements, and quasi-drugs. Results: The average transaction value at chain pharmacies was significantly higher, with an average of 14,596 KRW compared to 5,523 KRW at independent pharmacies. Within chain pharmacies, a higher proportion of pharmacies where pharmacists had completed a three-year training program was observed in the group with higher average transaction values (60.34% vs. 41.38%, p = 0.0411). Pharmacies that underwent interior renovations in accordance with franchise guidelines experienced a 1.27-fold increase in transaction values within 3 to 6 months, which was sustained at 1.41 times for up to 48 months. Conclusion Chain-affiliated pharmacies demonstrated higher average transaction values compared to independent pharmacies. Additionally, pharmacist training and interior renovations significantly contribute to increased transaction values, suggesting that investing in these areas can enhance financial performance. Further research with broader data and additional metrics is recommended to deepen the understanding of factors influencing pharmacy sales.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of hospital case volume on clinical outcomes in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data on 1,073 patients with cT1-4N0-3M0 NPC were collected from a multi-institutional retrospective database (KROG 11-06). All patients received definitive radiotherapy (RT) either with three-dimensional-conformal RT (3D-CRT) (n=576) or intensity-modulated RT (IMRT) (n=497). The patients were divided into two groups treated at high volume institution (HVI) (n=750) and low volume institution (LVI) (n=323), defined as patient volume ≥ 10 (median, 13; range, 10 to 18) and < 10 patients per year (median, 3; range, 2 to 6), respectively. Endpoints were overall survival (OS) and loco-regional progression-free survival (LRPFS). RESULTS: At a median follow-up of 56.7 months, the outcomes were significantly better in those treated at HVI than at LVI. For the 614 patients of propensity score-matched cohort, 5-year OS and LRPFS were consistently higher in the HVI group than in the LVI group (OS: 78.4% vs. 62.7%, p < 0.001; LRPFS: 86.2% vs. 65.8%, p < 0.001, respectively). According to RT modality, significant difference in 5-year OS was observed in patients receiving 3D-CRT (78.7% for HVI vs. 58.9% for LVI, p < 0.001) and not in those receiving IMRT (77.3% for HVI vs. 75.5% for LVI, p=0.170). CONCLUSION: A significant relationship was observed between HVI and LVI for the clinical outcomes of patients with NPC. However, the difference in outcome becomes insignificant in the IMRT era, probably due to the standardization of practice by education.
Cohort Studies ; Disease-Free Survival ; Education ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms ; Radiotherapy ; Radiotherapy, Intensity-Modulated ; Retrospective Studies* ; Treatment Outcome

PURPOSE: To investigate the patterns of care for patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) in South Korea. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A multi-institutional retrospective study was performed (Korean Radiation Oncology Group [KROG] 11-06) on a total of 1,445 patients from 15 institutions. RESULTS: Of the 1,445 patients, more than half were stages III (39.9%) and IV (35.8%). In addition to patterns of care, we also investigated trends over time with the periods 1988-1993, 1994-2002, and 2003-2011. The frequencies of magnetic resonance imaging and positron emission tomography-computed tomography were markedly increased in the third period compared to previous 2 periods. Concurrent chemoradiation (CCRT) was performed on 894 patients (61.9%), neoadjuvant chemotherapy on 468 patients (32.4%), and adjuvant chemotherapy on 366 patients (25.3%). Of stage II-IV patients, CCRT performed on 78.8% in 2003-2011 compared to 15.0% in 1988-1993. For patients treated with CCRT, cisplatin was the most commonly used agent in 81.3% of patients. Over the periods of time, commonly used radiotherapy (RT) techniques were changed from 2-dimensional RT (1988-1993, 92.5%) to 3-dimensional RT (2003-2011, 35.5%) or intensity-modulated RT (IMRT; 2003-2011, 56.5%). Median RT doses given to primary tumors, high-risk lymphatics, and low-risk lymphatics were 70.0 Gy, 58.1 Gy, and 48.0 Gy, respectively. Adoption of IMRT increased the dose per fraction and escalated total radiation dose. CONCLUSION: Assessment of the patterns of care for NPC patients in South Korea demonstrated that management for NPC including diagnostic imaging, treatment regimen, RT techniques and dose schedule, advanced in accordance with the international guidelines.
Appointments and Schedules ; Chemotherapy, Adjuvant ; Cisplatin ; Diagnostic Imaging ; Drug Therapy ; Electrons ; Humans ; Korea* ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms ; Radiation Oncology ; Radiotherapy ; Retrospective Studies

OBJECTIVE: Prenatal diagnosis of congenital heart disease(CHD) has been made by fetal echocardiography and its clinical impact on the outcome of affected cases has been reported. METHODS: A multicenter retrospective study was performed by our study group for the fetal diagnosis of CHD, confirmed postnatally or at second study and/or at autopsy and/or follow up. 274 cases out of 8 centers operating fetal echocardiography in high risk pregnancies were analyzed and their outcome was analyzed according to the presence of associated factors and with respect to the types of the CHD. RESULTS: There were 179 cases of significant CHD, 72 cases of miscellaneous CHD, 23 cases of fetal arrhythmias. Significant CHD consisted of 42 cases of ventricular septal defect(VSD), 17 cases of heterotaxia induding asplenia and polysplenia, 15 cases of complete atrioventricular septal defect(AVSD), 15 cases of coarctation of aorta, 14 cases of hypoplastic left heart syndrome(HLHS), 13 cases of tetralogy of Fallot(TOF), 11 cases of double outlet right ventricle(DORV). These 6 frequent CHDs consisted of 70.9% of significant CHD. The gestational age of the fetuses at diagnosis was 20-41 weeks(83 cases from 5 hospitals: Kangnam and Bundang CHA hospital, Ewha women's university hospital and Samsung medical center). 28.9%(24 out of 83 cases with known gestational age at diagnosis) had been diagnosed before 25 weeks of pregnancy. The most common indication of fetal echocardiography was abnormal obstetric ultrasound findings. Associated extracardiac and chromosomal anomaly was 27.9% and 11.7% respectively. The rate of termination of pregnancy(TOP)/significant CHD was 34.1%. Perinatal mortality was 39.7% induding 61 TOP, 5 fetal death in utero(FDIU), 4 neonatal death and 1 neonatal operative death. The most common factors of TOP were extracardiac and chromosomal anomaly. Five cases of d-transposition of great arteries with intact ventricular septum had been diagnosed prenatally at 3 hospitals, all of them had planned delivery and all survived arterial switch operation in the neonatal period. CONCLUSION: This study represents the impact of fetal echocardiograhpy on the outcome of CHD in Seoul and part of Kyung-Gi area in 1998. The data suggested that significant CHDs could be diagnosed accurately in most hospital But the prenatal detection rates of CHD were relatively low in several hospitil compared to the number of livebirth, probably due to inaccurate prenatal ultrasound screening.
Aortic Coarctation ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Arteries ; Autopsy ; Cardiology* ; Diagnosis ; Echocardiography ; Fetal Death ; Fetus ; Follow-Up Studies ; Gestational Age ; Gyeonggi-do ; Heart ; Heart Defects, Congenital* ; Mass Screening ; Perinatal Mortality ; Pregnancy ; Prenatal Diagnosis* ; Retrospective Studies ; Seoul ; Ultrasonography ; Ventricular Septum