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KMID : 1137920110360010036
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Journal of Agricultral Medicine & Community Health
2011 Volume.36 No. 1 p.36 ~ p.46
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The Experience and Competence of Physicians Who Provide Emergency Health Care at Public Health Sub-Centers on Remote Islands in Korea
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Seo Je-Hyun
Lee Su-Jin
Ha Jeong-Hoon
Kwon Duck-Geun
Kim Jung-Ho
Lee Jae-Hyuk
Na Baeg-Ju
Kang Yoon-Hwa
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Abstract
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Objectives: To investigate the experience and competence of physicians providing emergency medical services at public health sub-centers on remote Korean islands.
Methods: This study enrolled 79 doctors who work at public health sub-centers on remote Korean islands. Data were collected in December 2009 via self-administered e-mail questionnaires. The response rate was 44.3%.
Results: Emergent situations occurred at most (58.68%) of the public health sub-centers that were surveyed in December 2009. An average of 1.92 cases required treatment by public health physicians. Only 20.25% of the physicians were specialists in emergency medicine, while the remainder were general practitioners (GPs) without clinical experience as emergency doctors. We also found that the physicians we surveyed had insufficient knowledge of emergency medical care. At some health centers only one doctor was available, and there was no medical team in holiday, although most of the physicians indicated that the ideal number of doctors per center was two or three. In cases of emergency, patients were often sent to the mainland by ship without receiving first-aid treatment. The public health sub-centers lacked the necessary medical equipment to save lives in emergencies and lacked escort systems for emergency patients.
Conclusions: The Korean government should address the importance of providing emergency care in remote areas. Health administrators should provide suitable manpower, medical equipment, guidelines for emergency medicine, and education for public health physicians on remote islands.
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KEYWORD
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Emergency medical service, Health services accessibility, Public health doctor
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