Chih-Ming Kung

A Robust Watermarking and Image Authentication Scheme used for Digital Contant Application

The development of computers and Internet has exploded in the last few years. The digital images are distributed and duplicated easily through WWW, thus the protection of the intellectual property rights of digital images becomes an important issue. In this paper, we proposed two techniques that are robust watermarking and image authentication scheme. The proposed scheme includes two parts. The first is a robust watermarking scheme performed in the frequency domain. It can be used to prove the ownership. The second is a signature process, which can be used to prove the integrity of the image. The input of the signature process is the edge properties extracted from the image. The signature can be correctly verified when the image is incidentally damaged such as lossy compression. Such a scheme can provide a high degree of robustness against JPEG compression attacks. Experimental results are also presented to demonstrate the validity and robustness of the new approach.

Fast Fractal Image Compression Base on Block Property

Fractal image compression is promising both theoretically and practically. The encoding speed of the traditional full search method is a key factor rendering the fractal image compression unsuitable for real-time application. The primary objective of this paper is to investigate the comprehensive coverage of the principles and techniques of fractal image compression. In this paper, the novel image quality index (structure similarity, SSIM) and block property classifier employed for the fractal image compression is investigated. Experimental results show that the scheme speeds up the encoder 10 times faster and the visual effect is better in comparison to the full search method.

Continuous Quality Improvement of Nursing Care: Case Study of a Clinical Pathway Revision for Cardiac Catheterization

Background: Taiwans Bureau of National Health Insurance (BNHI) has been gradually introducing Taiwan diagnosis related groups (Tw-DRGs) for inpatient cases since 2010. Challenged to adapt to payment system changes, hospitals must implement necessary management control systems or measures to maintain both fiscal soundness and medical care quality. Purpose: This study investigated the outcome of management participation in work to revise cardiac catheterization clinical pathway operating procedures. Methods: BNHI-qualified cases for Tw-DRGs 125 payment principles were recruited as study subjects to revise the cardiac catheterization clinical pathway. Researchers compared pre- and postrevision values in terms of mean medical care fees, patient volumes, healthcare quality, and length of hospital stay, as well as financial risk. Results: Significant differences were observed in precardiac catheterization nursing care completion rates, mean lengths of hospital stay, diagnosis numbers, surgical treatment numbers, and numbers of complications or comorbidities. Medical utilization was also significantly lower (p < .05) after revision implementation. Conclusions: Clinical pathway revision involves organization, procedural flows, and performance management. The revision successfully improved hospital finances and promoted medical care quality.

A Robust Oblivious Watermark System base on Hybrid Error Correct Code

Due to the rapid development of computer networks and data communication technologies, communication using digital media (text, picture, sound, video, etc.) has become more and more frequent. Digital media can be readily duplicated, modified, and transmitted, making them easy for people to create, manipulate, and enjoy. Thus the protection of the intellectual property rights of digital images becomes an important issue. Watermark is an effective and popular technique for discouraging illegal copying and distribution of copyrighted digital image information. In this paper, we proposed the method for robust watermarking. First, the robust watermarking scheme performed in the frequency domain. It can be used to prove the ownership. Second, we can provide a high degree of robustness against JPEG compression attacks by the source coding, and protect the transmit information by channel coding. We adopt the data distribution idea to avoid the continue information attack, because it will destroy the entire error correction scheme. Experimental results are also presented to demonstrate the validity and robustness of the approach.

Transparency of Mandatory Information Disclosure and Concerns of Health Services Providers and Consumers

Background: This study analyzed differences between transparency of information disclosure and related demands from the health service consumer’s perspective. It also compared how health service providers and consumers are associated by different levels of mandatory information disclosure. Methods: We obtained our research data using a questionnaire survey (health services providers, n = 201; health service consumers, n = 384). Results: Health service consumers do not have major concerns regarding mandatory information disclosure. However, they are concerned about complaint channels and settlement results, results of patient satisfaction surveys, and disclosure of hospital financial statements (p < 0.001). We identified significant differences in health service providers’ and consumers’ awareness regarding the transparency of information disclosure (p < 0.001). Conclusions: It may not be possible for outsiders to properly interpret the information provided by hospitals. Thus, when a hospital discloses information, it is necessary for the government to consider the information’s applicability. Toward improving medical expertise and information asymmetry, the government has to reduce the burden among health service consumers in dealing with this information, and it has to use the information effectively.

The exploration of medical resources utilization among inguinal hernia repair in Taiwan diagnosis-related groups

BackgroundThis study centered on differences in medical costs, using the Taiwan diagnosis-related groups (Tw-DRGs) on medical resource utilization in inguinal hernia repair (IHR) in hospitals with different ownership to provide suitable reference information for hospital administrators.MethodsThe 2010–2011 data for three hospitals under different ownership were extracted from the Taiwan National Health Insurance claims database. A retrospective method was applied to analyze the age, sex, length of stay, diagnosis and surgical procedure code, and the change in financial risk of medical costs in IHR cases after introduction of Tw-DRGs. The study calculated the cost using Tw-DRG payment principles, and compared it with estimated inpatient medical costs calculated using the fee-for-service policy.ResultsThere were 723 IHR cases satisfying the Tw-DRGs criteria. Cost control in the medical care corporation hospital (US

The Establishment of an Integrated Management Model - An Experience in Taiwan Hospital

764.2/case) was more efficient than that in the public hospital (US

Support Vector Machine for Fast Fractal Image Compression Base on Structure Similarity

902.7/case) or nonprofit proprietary hospital (US

Establishment of an Integrated Management Model for the Secondary Prevention of Cervical Cancer- an Experience in Taiwan Hospital

817.1/case) surveyed in this study. For IHR, anesthesiologists in the public hospital preferred to use general anesthesia (86%), while those in the two other hospitals tended to administer spinal anesthesia. We also discovered the difference in anesthesia cost was high, at US

Hospital strategies under the "quasi" global budget payment system

80.2/case on average.ConclusionsBecause the Tw-DRG-based reimbursement system produces varying hospital costs, hospital administrators should establish a financial risk assessment system as early as possible to improve healthcare quality and financial management efficiency. This would then benefit the hospital, patient, and Bureau of National Health Insurance.