Background: The field of medicine is constantly changing. Notable changes occur in the patterns of clinical practice, business of medicine, shift in demographics/generation of the health care workforce, emergence of sub-specialization; and advances in research and technology. These changes can affect the way young physicians establish their practice and this is an area not addressed by the medical education and training. Purpose: There is little data in the literature regarding the experience of young physicians in establishing clinical practice. This study was undertaken to answer the central question: Among physicians in the field of Internal Medicine with or without subspecialty who graduated from training in 2013 to 2018, what were the issues and challenges that they faced as they established their clinical practice in the urban or mixed setting? Methodology: Qualitative research-case study; Key informant interview was conducted among junior Internal Medicine consultants who satisfied the inclusion criteria. Data analysis used thematic analysis consisting of reading, writing notes, describing, and classifying transcripts according to categories and themes. Results: After a comprehensive analysis of narratives, five emergent themes surfaced: “Tough Days” (Period of figuring out the system; Need for Self-introduction; Few patients and Feelings of frustration and depression); “Torn and Divided” (Unpredictable work schedule and workload; Lack of time for issues outside career); “Temporary Debt” (Large start-up cost; Expensive maintenance); “Difficult but Tolerable” (Family support; Call-a-colleague; Debt of gratitude to mentors) and lastly “Dreams and To-do’s”. Conclusions Our respondents have experienced substantial challenges in starting clinical practice. Learning the ways of the healthcare business, effectively promoting oneself to the community, dealing with the emotional turmoil of having few patients, coming up with a strategic schedule and area of practice, and looking for funds and paying it back, were the challenges and experiences of these young medical specialists as they establish their careers in the urban and/or rural setting.
Private Practice

The use of computed tomography (CT) in emergency departments has increased over several decades, as physicians increasingly depend on imaging for diagnoses. Patients and medical personnel are put at risk due to frequent exposure to and higher levels of radiation, with very little evidence of improvements in outcomes. Here, we explore why CT imaging has a tendency to be overused in emergency departments and the obstacles that medical personnel face in ensuring patient safety. The solution requires cooperation from all emergency care stakeholders as well as the continuous education of doctors on how CT scans help in particular cases.
Diagnosis ; Education ; Emergencies ; Emergency Medical Services ; Emergency Medicine ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Humans ; Patient Safety ; Private Practice ; Radiation, Ionizing ; Risk Assessment ; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

This study identified the explanatory power of the Korean rehabilitation patient group (KRPG) v1.1 for acquired brain injury (ABI) on medical expenses in the rehabilitation hospitals and the correlation of functional outcomes with the expenses. Here, the design is a retrospective analysis from the claim data of the designated rehabilitation hospitals. Data including KRPG information with functional status and medical expenses were collected from 1 January and 31 August 2018. Reduction of variance (R2) was statistically analyzed for the explanation power of the KRPG. Association between functional status and the medical expenses was carried out using the Spearman's rank order correlation (rho). From the claim data of 365 patients with ABI, the KRPG v1.1 explained 8.6% of variance for the total medical expenses and also explained 9.8% of variance for the rehabilitation therapy costs. Cognitive function and spasticity showed very weak correlation with the total medical expenses (rho = −0.17 and −0.14, respectively). Motor power and performance of activities of daily living were associated weakly (rho = −0.27 and −0.30, respectively). The KRPG and related functional status in ABI reflects the total medical expenses and rehabilitation therapy costs insufficiently in the designated rehabilitation hospitals. Thus, the current KRPG algorithm and variables for ABI may need to be ameliorated in the future.
Activities of Daily Living ; Brain Diseases ; Brain Injuries ; Brain ; Cognition ; Diagnosis-Related Groups ; Fee-for-Service Plans ; Humans ; Muscle Spasticity ; Neurological Rehabilitation ; Rehabilitation ; Retrospective Studies

BACKGROUND: As of July 2015, per diem payment was changed from fee for service Therefore, this study aims to analyse changes in medical charges and medical services before and after enforcement of the palliative care, targeting palliative care wards in a general hospital, and provide basic data needed for development of per diem payment. METHODS: The subjects of the study were a total of 610 cases consisting of 351 patients of service fee who left hospital (died) from July 2014 to June 2016 and 259 ones of per diem payment at Chosun University Hospital in Gwangju Metropolitan City. RESULTS: The results are summarized as follows. First, after the palliative care system was applied, benefit medical service charges and insurance increased significantly (p<0.001). As benefit medical service charges increased, benefit private insurance payment increased significantly (p<0.001). Second, after the per diem payment was applied, total private insurance payment to medical institutes decreased significantly (p=0.050) and non-benefit also decreased significantly (p=0.001). CONCLUSION: It is suggested that additional rewards in the obligatory palliative care items should be continuously remedied and monitored to provide good quality hospice palliative care.
Academies and Institutes ; Fee-for-Service Plans ; Fees and Charges ; Gwangju ; Hospices ; Hospitals, General ; Humans ; Insurance ; Palliative Care ; Reward

The fee-for-service system is used as the main payment system for health care providers in Korea. It has been argued that it can't reflect differences in the medical practice costs across regions because the fee schedule is calculated based on the average cost. So, some researchers and providers have disputed that there is need for adopting geographic practice cost index (GPCI) used in the United States for the Medicare program for the elderly to the fee-for-service payment system. This study performed to identify whether the difference in the practice costs among regions exists or not and to examine the feasibility of applying GPCI to Korea payment system. For this purpose, we calculated modified-GPCI and examined considerations to introduce GPCI in Korea. First we identified available data to calculate GPCI. Second, we made applicable GPCI equations to Korea payment system and computed it based on four types of regions (metropolitan, urban, suburban, and rural). We also categorize the regions based on the availability of the medical resources and the capability of utilizing them. As a result, we found that there wasn't any significant difference in the GPCI by regional types in general, but the indices of rural areas (0.91–0.98) was relatively low compared to the indices of other regions (0.96–1.07). Considering the need to use GPCI floor, the pros and cons of using GPCI, and the concern of the regional imbalance of resources, the introduction of GPCI needs to be carefully considered.
Aged ; Fee Schedules ; Fee-for-Service Plans ; Health Personnel ; Humans ; Korea ; Medicare ; Relative Value Scales ; United States

A 13-year-old neutered male Poodle dog was presented with a third eyelid mass in the left eye. The dog had undergone local resection of the mass about a year prior in a private practice. On cytological examination, the mass was diagnosed as adenocarcinoma. Although lung and lymph node metastases were suspected, based upon the computed tomographic results, exenteration was performed to relieve chronic pain and to improve the dog's quality of life. Exenteration carried a good prognosis with no tumor recurrence until 1 year and 10 months after surgery, when local recurrence occurred near the left zygomatic arch.
Adenocarcinoma ; Adolescent ; Animals ; Chronic Pain ; Dogs ; Humans ; Lung ; Lymph Nodes ; Male ; Neoplasm Metastasis ; Nictitating Membrane ; Orbit ; Private Practice ; Prognosis ; Quality of Life ; Recurrence ; Zygoma

BACKGROUND: Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs) in the health industry are quite common, however, there have only been a few studies regarding physiotherapists, while in Greece, there is an apparent lack of research and data. The aim of this study is to investigate MSDs experienced by physiotherapists in Greece, their causes and specific measures, and good practices followed. Additional emerging risk factors will be examined. METHODS: A questionnaire of MSDs followed by individual and workplace characteristics was completed by 252 physiotherapists. It covered the major workplace categories such as public hospitals, private rehabilitation centers, and private practices. RESULTS: Analysis indicated that 89% of the respondents had experienced a work-related MSD; 32.2% of those injuries occurred within the first 5 years of working. The most lumbered physiotherapists were those working as private practitioners and almost half of the injured respondents chose to work while injured. The most common measure taken to tackle work related MSDs was found to be physical therapy sessions. Job satisfaction and psychosocial issues were also identified as side-effects of the economic slowdown. CONCLUSION: Physiotherapists in Greece were found to suffer from MSDs; workplace musculoskeletal injuries were quite common but under-reported. The body parts most affected were the lower back, the upper back, the shoulders, and the neck. There was a strong correlation between the workplace setting and the number of MSDs. A well-defined occupational safety and health management system and strict administration steering were found to reduce MSDs. The economic slowdown experienced in Greece during the execution of this study placed additional pressure on physiotherapists.
Greece ; Hospitals, Public ; Human Body ; Humans ; Job Satisfaction ; Neck ; Occupational Health ; Physical Therapists* ; Private Practice ; Rehabilitation Centers ; Risk Factors* ; Shoulder ; Surveys and Questionnaires

The Ministry of Health and Welfare announced a plan for community care in March 2018. Community care is a concept of social services that includes residential, welfare, and health care services, as well as direct care. It is a policy to actively prepare for an aged society. Various services must be developed for comprehensive community care. It is especially necessary to ensure that adequate resources are provided for home care and visiting care. To achieve this goal, the benefit policies of health insurance and long-term care insurance must be changed. Community service providers and infrastructure must be expanded, and a diverse professional workforce should be trained. Doctors need training and experience as team leaders, as they will be able to work with nurses, nutritionists, and social workers. It will be particularly important to operate clinics as group practices rather than as solo practices. Change is also needed in community hospitals, which must receive orientations regarding early patient discharge plans and community-centered collaboration. Hospitals should serve as health care safety nets, including short-term stays and same-day care. Regional governance is important for community care. Doctors must work with a variety of institutions, including community health centers, welfare centers, and elderly facilities. Medical professionals should prepare for and lead future social changes.
Aged ; Community Health Centers ; Community Health Services ; Cooperative Behavior ; Delivery of Health Care ; Group Practice ; Health Services for the Aged ; Home Care Services ; Hospitals, Community ; Humans ; Insurance, Health ; Insurance, Long-Term Care ; Nutritionists ; Patient Discharge ; Private Practice ; Social Change ; Social Welfare ; Social Work ; Social Workers

Globally, efforts are being made to develop and strengthen a palliative care policy to support a comprehensive healthcare system. Korea has implemented a hospice and palliative care (HPC) policy as part of a cancer policy under the 10 year plan to conquer cancer and a comprehensive measure for national cancer management. A legal ground for the HPC policy was laid by the Cancer Control Act passed in 2003. Currently in the process is legislation of a law on the decision for life-sustaining treatment for HPC and terminally-ill patients. The relevant law has expanded the policy-affected disease group from terminal cancer to cancer, human immunodeficiency virus/acquired immune deficiency syndrome, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and chronic liver disease/liver cirrhosis. Since 2015, the National Health Insurance (NHI) scheme reimburses for HPC with a combination of the daily fixed sum and the fee for service systems. By the provision type, the HPC is classified into hospitalization, consultation, and home-based treatment. Also in place is the system that designates, evaluates and supports facilities specializing in HPC, and such facilities are funded by the NHI fund and government subsidy. Also needed along with the legal system are consensus reached by people affected by the policy and more realistic fee levels for HPC. The public and private domains should also cooperate to set HPC standards, train professional caregivers, control quality and establish an evaluation system. A stable funding system should be prepared by utilizing the long-term care insurance fund and hospice care fund.
Caregivers ; Comprehensive Health Care ; Consensus ; Fee-for-Service Plans ; Fees and Charges ; Fibrosis ; Financial Management ; Financing, Government ; Hospice Care ; Hospices* ; Hospitalization ; Humans ; Insurance, Long-Term Care ; Jurisprudence ; Korea* ; Liver ; National Health Programs ; Palliative Care* ; Pulmonary Disease, Chronic Obstructive

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to evaluate retention practices commonly employed by orthodontists. The objectives were to identify the types of retainer frequently used and to investigate the variations in retention practice. METHODS: A total of 97 orthodontists were randomly selected, and a questionnaire consisting of 25 multiple-choice questions sent to them by mail. Upon receiving of the completed questionnaires, the data were statistically analyzed. RESULTS: A total of 32 responses were received; among these, 59.4% of orthodontists' practiced is in a government setting and 40.6% were in private practice. A vacuum-formed retainer was the most commonly used removable retainer for both maxillary (46.9%) and mandibular (46.9%) arches, followed by a Hawley retainer (maxilla, 43.8%; mandible, 37.5%), and a fixed retainer (maxilla, 3.1%; mandible, 9.4%). Of the responding orthodontists, 78.1% prescribed full-time wear (more than 20 h per day) for a duration of 3-9 months for a maxillary arch, compared to 71.9% for the mandibular arch. Only 18.8% of the orthodontists prescribed part-time wear of the retainer for the maxillary arch, compared to 21.9% for the mandibular arch. The majority of orthodontists did not instruct their patients to stop wearing removable retainers (71.9%) or fixed retainers (66.8%) at any specific time and they preferred their patients to continue wearing retainers. CONCLUSIONS: Vacuum-formed retainers are the most commonly used retainers among orthodontists. The majority of orthodontists prescribed full-time wear for more than 20 h per day with a duration of 3-9 months and preferred indefinite use of the retainer.
Humans ; Malaysia* ; Mandible ; Postal Service ; Private Practice