새로운 건강보험 보장성 강화 대책 3부: 비뇨생식기 초음파 및 MRI 급여 확대 A New Healthcare Policy in Korea Part 3: Ultrasound and MRI in Urogenital Disorders
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PROVIDER: S-EPMC9431868 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Sep
REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature
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Project description:Coverage by National Health Insurance (NHI) was expanded in the abdominal imaging area as follows: upper abdominal ultrasound on April 1, 2018, lower abdominal ultrasound on February 1, 2019, and abdominal MRI on November 1, 2019. Many patients can benefit from the expansion of NHI coverage. Newly included diseases for NHI coverage includes liver cirrhosis, gallbladder polyps, hepatic adenoma/dysplastic nodules, pancreatic cysts, autoimmune pancreatitis and bile duct stone disease. However, the expansion of coverage made each examination more complex, including indications, follow-up strategy, the number of examination per patients, the standard images to be acquired, and the standard forms of the radiological report. Therefore, more careful consideration is mandatory when an abdominal imaging examination is prescribed and conducted.
| S-EPMC9431876 | biostudies-literature
Project description:In accordance with the new healthcare policy of government (Moon Jae-In Care) to strengthen health insurance coverage, the National Health Insurance (NHI) coverage of brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), brain/neck MR angiography (MRA), and head and neck MRI have been expanded since 2018 in Korea. This article has been reviewed focusing on the "Detailed matter concerning criteria and method for providing reimbursed services in the NHI. Some revisions" regarding reimbursement for MRI, which was revised from October 2018 to April 2020 and is currently in effect. It included the MRI reimbursement system in Korea, recent adjustment of the reimbursement coverage for patients with headache or dizziness, and reimbursement coverage, standard imaging, and radiologic report of brain MRI, brain/neck MRA and head and neck MRI. This article could help radiologists gain knowledge on health insurance to protect the expertise of the radiologist and to play a leading role in the hospital. As the policy changes, detailed matter concerning criteria and method for providing reimbursed services in the NHI may be revised. Therefore, radiologists should update issues related to insurance reimbursement for MRI continuously.
| S-EPMC9431867 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundThe purpose of this study is to suggest priority tasks necessary for building a sustainable healthcare system in Korea based on the Delphi consensus among healthcare professionals.MethodsTwenty-five items covering the three categories that make up healthcare policy (healthcare demand, supply, and environment) were selected based on a literature evaluation. Email surveys were also analyzed using a two-round modified Delphi method. Of 59 experts, 21 completed the first and second rounds. Each item asked about the degree of importance and urgency, and the answers were rated on a 9-point Likert scale. A coefficient of variation less than 50% for each item in the Delphi survey meant that consensus was reached. Only items that meet a predetermined threshold are prioritized (agreement ≥ 90%, average importance score and urgency score ≥ 6.5).ResultsEight items that satisfy all three criteria were set as priorities for a sustainable healthcare system. These tasks are "Securing the financial soundness of the National Health Insurance (NHI)," "Solving the problem of low fertility," "Strengthening response to public health crises such as infectious or environmental diseases," "Bio-health technology innovation using D.N.A (Data, Network, AI)," "Intensive management of dementia patients," "Mental healthcare and suicide prevention," "Reform of the operation structure of the NHI Service," and "Reform the healthcare delivery system and payment system."ConclusionThe eight items for which consensus was reached in this study should be prioritized for Korea's sustainable healthcare system. Health policy makers will need to put considerable effort into researching and establishing these priorities.
| S-EPMC9550634 | biostudies-literature
Project description:ObjectivesRecently, overwork-related disorders have become a major public health concern in Korea. This study investigated the current trends of working hours, causes of death in the working population, and compensation rates.MethodsWe reviewed the current trends of working hours, cause of death statistics in the working population, industrial accident compensation insurance (IACI) statistics, issues of compensation and prevention of work-related cerebro-cardio vascular diseases (CCVDs), mental disorders, and suicide.ResultsAlthough weekly working hours and the proportion of long working days have decreased, workers in small companies with fewer than five employees and those in the service sector continue to work long hours. The age standardized mortality due to CCVD and suicide was highest among those with managerial roles. In total, 589 CCVD cases and 104 mental disorder or suicide cases were compensated as occupational diseases in 2017. Between 2016 and 2017, 61% of 59 compensated suicides were related to overwork, specifically: long working hours, increased responsibility, or increased workload. The Korean government has introduced various policies to reduce working hours and to increase compensation approval rate for overwork-related CCVDs. Stakeholders have called for the introduction of independent laws to prevent overwork-related disorders, change organizational culture, and address the blind spots of the IACI Act and Labor Standard Act.ConclusionsPrevention and compensation policies have improved working conditions in Korea, but there remains much to be done. This review significantly contributes to the understanding of the overall policies and research to prevent overwork-related disorders in Korea.
| S-EPMC6620743 | biostudies-literature
Project description:IntroductionWith the economic recession and pandemic fatigue, milder viral variants and higher vaccine coverage along the time lay the basis for lifting anti-COVID policies to restore COVID-19 normalcy. However, when and how to adjust the anti-COVID policies remain under debate in many countries.MethodsIn this study, four countries (Singapore, South Korea, Australia, and New Zealand) and one region (Hong Kong SAR), that have shifted from the zero-COVID (ZC) policy to or close to the living-with-COVID (LWC) during or after the Omicron outbreak, were selected as research objects. All-cause mortality data were collected for these objects from 2009 to 2019. The expected mortality was estimated by a simple linear regression method. Excess mortality over time was calculated as the difference between the expected mortality and the observed mortality. Finally, percent excess mortality (PEM) was calculated as the excess mortality divided by the expected mortality.ResultsIn the examined four countries, PEM fluctuated around 0% and was lower than 10% most of the time under the ZC policy before 2022. After shifting to the LWC policy, all the examined countries increased the PEM. Briefly, countries with high population density (Singapore and South Korea) experienced an average PEM of 20-40% during the first half of 2022, and followed by a lower average PEM of 15-18% during the second half of 2022. For countries with low population density under the LWC policy, Australia experienced an average PEM of 39.85% during the first half of 2022, while New Zealand was the only country in our analysis that achieved no more than 10% in average PEM all the time. On the contrary, Hong Kong SAR under their ZC policy attained an average PEM of 71.14% during the first half of 2022, while its average PEM decreased to 9.19% in the second half of 2022 with LWC-like policy.ConclusionPEM under different policies within each country/region overtime demonstrated that the mortality burden caused by COVID-19 had been reduced overtime. Moreover, anti-COVID policies are suggested to control the excess mortality to achieve as low as 10% in PEM.
| S-EPMC10067885 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Purpose:Because it shows the movement of different parts of the tongue in real time, ultrasound biofeedback therapy is a promising technology for speech research and remediation. One limitation is the difficulty of interpreting real-time ultrasound images of tongue motion. Our image processing system, TonguePART, tracks the tongue surface and allows for the acquisition of quantitative tongue part trajectories. Method:TonguePART automatically identifies the tongue contour based on ultrasound image brightness and tracks motion of the tongue root, dorsum, and blade in real time. We present tongue part trajectory data from 2 children with residual sound errors on /r/ and 2 children with typical speech, focusing on /r/ (International Phonetic Alphabet ?) in the phonetic context /?r/. We compared the tongue trajectories to magnetic resonance images of sustained vowel /?/ and /r/. Results:Measured trajectories show larger overall displacement and greater differentiation of tongue part movements for children with typical speech during the production of /?r/, compared to children with residual speech sound disorders. Conclusion:TonguePART is a fast, reliable method of tracking articulatory movement of tongue parts for syllables such as /?r/. It is extensible to other sounds and phonetic contexts. By tracking tongue parts, clinical researchers can investigate lingual coordination. TonguePART is suitable for real-time data collection and biofeedback. Ultrasound biofeedback therapy users may make more progress using simplified biofeedback of tongue movement.
| S-EPMC7286630 | biostudies-literature
Project description:ObjectiveTo develop imaging guidelines for the MR work-up of female genital tract congenital anomalies (FGTCA).MethodsThese guidelines were prepared based on a questionnaire sent to all members of the European Society of Urogenital Radiology (ESUR) Female Pelvic Imaging Working Group (FPI-WG), critical review of the literature and expert consensus decision.ResultsThe returned questionnaires from 17 different institutions have shown reasonable homogeneity of practice. Recommendations with focus on patient preparation and MR protocol are proposed, as these are key to optimised examinations. Details on MR sequences and planning of uterus-orientated sequences are provided.ConclusionsThe multiplanar capabilities and soft tissue resolution of MRI provide superb characterisation of the wide spectrum of findings in FGTCA. A standardised imaging protocol and method of reporting ensures that the salient features are recognised, contributing to a correct diagnosis and classification of FGTCA, associated anomalies and complications. These imaging guidelines are based on current practice among expert radiologists in the field and incorporate up to date information regarding MR protocols and essentials of recently published classification systems.Key points• MRI allows comprehensive evaluation of female genital tract congenital anomalies, in a single examination. • A dedicated MRI protocol comprises uterus-orientated sequences and vaginal and renal evaluation. • Integration of classification systems and structured reporting helps in successful communication of the imaging findings.
| S-EPMC7338830 | biostudies-literature
Project description:ObjectivesIn this paper, we aimed to investigate the evolving debate over border closure in Korea during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, to address the main themes associated with border closure, and to discuss the factors that need to be considered when making such decisions.MethodsWe collated and reviewed previously conducted review studies on border closures during infectious disease outbreaks to derive relevant themes and factors.ResultsAccording to our systematic review on border closures and travel restrictions, the effects of such containment efforts are limited. We suggest considering the following factors when determining whether to impose border closure measures: (1) disease characteristics, (2) timeliness of implementation, (3) transmission delay and the basic reproduction number, (4) globalization and pandemics, and (5) social and economic costs.ConclusionsOur assessment indicates that the effects of border closures are at best temporary and limited. Alternative measures must be contemplated and implemented to suppress the spread of COVID-19 in particular and infectious diseases more broadly.
| S-EPMC7569016 | biostudies-literature
Project description:BackgroundThe increasing cost on healthcare exposes China's healthcare budgets and system to financial crisis. To control the excessive growth of healthcare expenditure, China's healthcare reforms emphasize the control of the global budget for healthcare, which leads to the release of relevant policy and a series of cost-control actions implemented by different hospitals. This work aims to identify the effects brought by the cost-control policy and actions via surveying and analysing feedback from clinicians.MethodsQuestionnaires on the cost-control policy and actions were designed for surveying 110 clinicians in hospitals from different regions of China. The data on the implementation of the cost-control actions and doctors' feedback on these actions were analysed using descriptive statistics. Pearson's chi-squared tests were performed to detect associations between doctors' opinions and specific cost-control actions. A value of p < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Association relationships between doctors' opinions and cost-control actions were modelled into network models, and key factors were identified in a multi-variate framework. Last, we visualized our resultant data using a network model, and further multi-variate analysis was performed.ResultsThere were three main findings. (1) The cost-control policy has been widely implemented in the sampled hospitals in different regions of China, with more than 80% of those surveyed acknowledging that their hospitals take actions of reducing average prescription fees for outpatients, drug costs, and in-hospitalization durations. (2) Most doctors have a negative view of some cost-control actions; this is mainly due to concerns about the effects of these actions on the doctors' own healthcare performance and patient satisfaction. (3) Cost-control actions that had a significant impact on doctors' performance included limiting average prescription fees for outpatients and limiting the use of examinations/drugs/surgeries. Decreased patient satisfaction was associated with fewer admissions of critically ill patients, reduced use of brand-name drugs, and increased total costs to patients due to increased frequencies of visits to the hospitals.ConclusionsCost-control actions implemented in hospitals in response to the government's policy to reduce its national healthcare budget affect both doctors and patients in several ways. Moreover, the cost-control policy and actions can be improved.
| S-EPMC6357408 | biostudies-literature
Project description:Precision medicine (PM) can be defined as a predictive, preventive, personalized, and participatory healthcare service delivery model. Recent developments in molecular biology and information technology make PM a reality today through the use of massive amounts of genetic, 'omics', clinical, environmental, and lifestyle data. With cancer being one of the most prominent public health threats in developed countries, both the research community and governments have been investing significant time, money, and efforts in precision cancer medicine (PCM). Although PCM research is extremely promising, a number of hurdles still remain on the road to an optimal integration of standardized and evidence-based use of PCM in healthcare systems. Indeed, PCM raises a number of technical, organizational, ethical, legal, social, and economic challenges that have to be taken into account in the development of an appropriate health policy framework. Here, we highlight some of the more salient issues regarding the standards needed for integration of PCM into healthcare systems, and we identify fields where more research is needed before policy can be implemented. Key challenges include, but are not limited to, the creation of new standards for the collection, analysis, and sharing of samples and data from cancer patients, and the creation of new clinical trial designs with renewed endpoints. We believe that these issues need to be addressed as a matter of priority by public health policymakers in the coming years for a better integration of PCM into healthcare.
| S-EPMC5075982 | biostudies-other