Jang-Kyung Park

Statues and Improvement of Electronic Medical Record System in Traditional Korean Medicine

Objectives The study was to survey use of electronic medical records in subjects of Korean medicine doctors working for Korean medicine organizations and to contemplate ways to develop utilization of electronic medical records. Methods On August 2017, it conducted online self-reported survey on subjects of Korean medicine doctors at Korean hospitals and clinics who agreed to participate in the study. A total 40 doctors in hospital and 279 doctors in clinic were included. The surveyed contents include kinds of electronic chart, reason for not using electronic medical records and problems with creation of medical records. Results It finds that 100% of those working at Korean medicine hospitals and 86.4% of those at Korean medicine clinics have used electronic medical records. Subjects answered the biggest reason for not using electronic medical records was inconvenience. The most serious problems with creation of electronic medical records at Korean medicine organizations found in the study include there was no method of creation of medical records and no standardized terminology for use in electronic medical records. Conclusion For utilization of electronic medical records at Korean medicine organizations, standardization of terminology, development of EMR in favour of its users and development of strategy that motivates use of EMR are required.

The Utilization of Medical Devices by Traditional Korean Medicine Doctors Investigated through Traditional Korean Medicine Clinical Studies

Objective The purpose of this study was to investigate the current status of modern medical devices utilized in diagnosis and treatment in traditional Korean medicine (TKM). Methods We searched the following six Korean electronic databases to collect TKM clinical studies that were published in a five-year period (January 2012 to December 2016). Clinical studies of TKM when medical devices were used for diagnosis or treatment were investigated. Results The search generated a total of 3,735 articles, and 1,328 of these were considered to be clinical studies. Of a total of 1,328 clinical studies of TKM, 774 articles (58.3%) used medical devices for diagnosis or treatment, and 554 articles (41.7%) did not use medical devices for diagnosis or treatment. The three most used diagnostic devices were as follows: MRI scanners, which were used in 194 (20.6%) studies; X-ray machines, which were used in 172 studies (18.3%); and CT scanners, which were used in 139 studies (14.8%). The three most used treatment devices were electroacupuncture equipment (20.3%), transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) equipment (18.4%), and interferential current therapy (ICT) equipment (16.4%). Conclusions This study suggests that TKM doctors use diagnostic information derived from modern medical devices clinically. It is therefore necessary to institutionalize considering changes to the medical acts of traditional medicine (TM) doctors. Additionally, this information can be utilized as a reference for developing TM policy and education.

Acupuncture Treatment for Chronic Pelvic Pain in Women: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Aim of the Study This systematic review and meta-analysis aims to evaluate the current evidence from randomized controlled trials (RCTs) related to the effectiveness and safety of acupuncture treatment (AT), including electroacupuncture or thread-embedding therapy in combination with modern technology, for chronic pelvic pain (CPP) in women. Materials and Methods We searched 12 electronic databases up to December 2017. All randomized controlled trials evaluating the effect of AT for CPP were considered. Results Four RCTs with 474 participants were included. The methodological quality of included studies was generally low. The results of meta-analysis of two studies showed that AT combined with conventional treatment (CT) was associated with significantly reduced CPP, based on the total effectiveness rate (n=277, mean difference = 1.29, confidence interval = 1.13 to 1.47, P=0.0001, I2 = 0%). Conclusions This review suggests the potential of AT combined with CT compared to CT alone for treating female CPP. However, there is insufficient evidence to conclude that AT can be recommended as a complementary and alternative (CAM) treatment for women with CPP. To draw a firm conclusion, future studies should require not only lager, more rigorously designed RCTs but also research on different AT types. Protocol Registration Number This study is registered with PROSPERO 2018 (CRD42018088627).

Modernization Trends of Infertility Treatment of Traditional Korean Medicine

Despite the development of assisted reproductive technology (ART), it is difficult to increase the implantation rate. In Korea, Traditional Korean Medicine, including herbal medicine, is an important component of infertility treatment. Korean medical doctors who are treating infertility often use herbal medicine to promote implantation. In this article, as one of the research works on modernization of Traditional Korean Medicine, we investigated the experimental studies to clarify the effects of herbal medicines that are traditionally used to promote pregnancy. We searched for experimental studies over the past 10 years of improvement of endometrial receptivity in herbal medicine using six domestic and international sites. We analyzed 11 studies that meet the selection criteria. We found that herbal medicines demonstrably improved endometrial receptivity and increased pregnancy rates.