Characteristics and Medical Resource Utilization of Postoperative Patients
Characteristics and Medical Resource Utilization of Postoperative Patients
The objective of this study is to assess and analyze the characteristics and usage of
 conventional and Korean medical services in postoperative patients. This study therefore
 investigates the proportion of patients with a history of surgery out of patients visiting a
 spine-specialty Korean medicine hospital, and the prognosis and preference for conventional
 and Korean medicine treatment by previous treatment history in postoperative patients.
A considerable number of patients suffer prolonged chronic pain that does not retract or
 diminish after surgery, and are thus unable to achieve the desired results in receiving
 surgical treatment. Postoperative pain is gradually being perceived as a social issue as
 opposed to a personal health condition. Meanwhile, although efforts to address chronic pain
 with integrative medicine are continued in answer to the lack of success of pain management
 through surgery, there is still a lack of supporting evidence.

 The objective of this survey study is to assess the characteristics, usage of conventional
 and Korean medical services, and prognosis by period before and after surgery in
 postoperative patients visiting a Korean medicine hospital, and analyze the associations
 between the preference for conventional and Korean medicine treatment. This study therefore
 investigates the usage of conventional and Korean medical services in postoperative patients,
 and is expected to provide information that will potentially aid patient decision making.
Inclusion Criteria:

 -  Patients with chief complaint(s) of at least one or more of the following: low back
 pain (or radiating leg pain), neck pain (or radiating arm pain), knee pain, or
 shoulder pain

 -  Patients with a history of musculoskeletal surgery related to the chief complaint(s)

 -  Patients capable of effective communication with the researcher(s) and understanding
 the survey items

 -  Patients who have given written informed consent

 Exclusion Criteria:

 -  Patients without a history of musculoskeletal surgery associated with the low back,
 neck, shoulder, or knee region(s)

 -  Patients whose current pain is mainly attributed to traffic accident injury

 -  Patients incapable of answering the researcher interviews and surveys

 -  Patients with other reasons rendering study participation inappropriate as judged by
 the researcher(s)