• Health Policy and Management
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.81-99
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• 1993

The purpose of this research is to assess the geographical distribution of physicians and dentists and the degree of maldistribution of the physician. Data were obtained form the Korean Medical Association's report on physicians registry and census for 1990. To assess the degree of disparity in the rural-urban distribution of physician manpower and to identify changes in the distribution pattern, the Gini index of concentration was used. Major findings are as follows; 1. Urban-rural disparity in the distribution of physician manpower exists in all categories of manpower, i.e. physician, dentist, oriental medical doctor, general practitioner, medical specialist, practitioner, public health physician and public health dentist. Urban area which had 74.4% of nation's population, accounted for over 90% of all physician manpower. 2. In terms of the ration of physician manpower per 10, 000 population, in urban area, they were 8.2 physicians, 2.7 general practitioners, 5.5 specialists, 3.0 practitioners, 1.8 dentists and 1.3 oriental medical doctors. In rural area, the ratios were 1.4 physicians, 0.6 general practitioners, 0.9 specialists, 1.0 practitioners, 0.4 dentists and 0.4 oriental medical doctors. 3. Gini indicies computed to measure inequality of physician manpower distribution were 0. 3675 for physicians, 0.3372 for general practitioners, 0.3338 for specialists, 0.2263 for practitioners, 0.3132 for dentists and 0.3293 for oriental medical doctors. 4. Inspite of increase in the number of physician manpower, urban concentration of physician manpower intensified from 1980 to 1990. However, the Gini index for all physician manpower fell by 18.3~36.7% from 1980 to 1990, indicating more even distribution. 5. In rural area, the public health physicians and dentists had increased the ratios of physicians, general practitioners, practitioners and dentists per 10, 000 population remarkebly, and had decreased the Gini indicies of physicians, general practitioners, practitioners and dentists. Thus, public health physicians and dentists contributed to improve the distribution of physician manpower in rural area. Based on the results of this study, long-term and rational manpower policies should be developed to solve the problem of geographical maldistribution of physician manpower as well as short-term policy for inducing physicians to the rural areas.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.1-12
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• 2004

This paper estimated the demand and supply of physicians for oriental medicine for the period of $2009{\sim}2019$. Two equation models were used in the estimation of manpower. In 2004, the total number of physicians of oriental medicine was amounted to 13,662 registered and 10,532 available in clinical practice, respectively. According to estimates in the study, overall excess supply of physician manpower in oriental medicine was expected in the period, such as $5,300{\sim}5,700$ persons in 2009 and $900{\sim}1,700$ persons in 2019. However, the excess supply would be mitigated after 2019 mainly due to an increase in demand for oriental medical services. Specially, opening medical service market to overseas could be an exogenous variable in physician supply. An alternative manpower policy for oriental medical doctors is needed in a way of controlling oversupply.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.26 no.4 s.44
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• pp.661-671
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• 1993

In order to compare the geographical distribution of physician by level of medical care and specialty, a log linear model was applied to the annual registration data of the Korean Medical Association as of the end of December, 1991 which was supplemented from related institutions and adjusted with relevant sources. Those physicians in primary and secondary care institutions were not statistically significantly unevenly distributed by province-level catchment area. There were some differences in physician distribution among big cities, medium and small-sized cities, and counties; however, those physicians for primary care level were equitably distributed between cities and counties. Specialties for secondary care physicians were less evenly distributed in county areas than in city areas, and generalists are distributed more evenly in cities and counties than in big cities. There is a certain limitation due to underregistration in the annual physician registration to the Korean Medical Association; however, the geographical distribution of physicians has been improved quantitatively. It is strongly suggested that specialties and the level of medical care should be considered for further physician manpower studies.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.75-83
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• 1997

The medical insurance system has been adopted in 1989. Since then, the utilization of medical care services has increased rapidly. It appears that the medical institution needs more nursing manpower such as nurses and nurse aides to meet an increased demand for medical care for the residents. However, the medical care clinics run by a medical practitioners has a more shortage of nursing manpower than hospitals. The purpose of this survey was to analyze the current employment status and to obtain an opinion on the improvement of utilization such as recruitment and retention of nursing manpower. The questionnaire sent to the private physician and the response rate was 28.7% ; 87 out of 300 physicians. 82.6% of the respondents employed nurses aides rather than nurses and an average number of employees per clinic was 2.5 persons. Most physicians had difficulties in recruiting nursing manpower. It took more than one month for replacement on average, therefore, they were suffering from giving good continual care for the patient and also high resignation of nursing personnel. The low wage, long working hours, hard work and lack of incentives are the biggest reasons for the difficulty in recruiting and retaining of the nursing personnel obtained for the clinics survey. The above mentioned problems would be solved in the near future by changing those difficulties. In the meantime, the private physicians are marking an effort to retain the nursing personnel by keeping a relationship of the private physician's cooperatives.

• Journal of Society of Preventive Korean Medicine
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.149-162
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• 2013

Objectives : This study was conducted to estimate the future demand and supply of physicians for korean medicine from 2016 year to 2026 year in order to make an adequate manpower policy in a way of keeping a balance between demand and supply. Methods : Baseline projection method and trend analysis(a polynomial log power equation model) were used in the estimation of future supply and demand respectively. We used data about the amount of oriental doctors from Ministry of Health and Welfare Statistics Yearbook and the treatment days from HIRA Statistics Yearbook. Results : It was projected that the total number of physician of Korean medicine will be 25,178 registered and 18,967 available in clinical setting. According to polynomial equation model which explained the trend of demand and had the highest score of $R^2$ among the equation models, 3,800~5,600 physician in Korean medicine will be oversupplied in 2016 year, 9,000~10,700 physicians in 2021 year and 15,700~17,000 persons in 2026 year depends on annual working days which is 265days, 255days or 239days. Log equation model also showed that overall excess supply of physician manpower in Korean medicine. Conclusions : Alternative manpower policies for Korean medicine doctors should be implemented in a way of both dwindling supplies and growing demand in Korean medical service in terms of Korean medical services utilization and improving physician's productivity.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.136-152
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• 1991

The study was conducted to project supply and demand of the physicians from year 1991 to year 2010 based on the analysis of supply and demand of the physicians up to year 1989. Results of the study will provide information for the physicians manpower planning of the 7th 5-year Economic Social Development Planning(1992-1996) and contribute to the overall health manpower planning for the 21the century. It is projected that physician will be oversupplied from the very near future based on the current productivity or underestimated based on the optimal productivity. Thus, it is desirable not to change size of training and education during the 7the 5-year planning period and re-examine the status of the physician manpower at the end of the 7th 5-year period taking into consideration medical services utilization pattern, patients' satisfaction, and physicians' productivity.

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.21 no.1 s.23
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• pp.61-69
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• 1988

In this study, the number of physicians presently living in Korea was thoroughly estimated by several means and, on this basis, their productivity and level of supply were estimated. The results were as follows First, the number of physicians who did not notify the Korea Medical Association in May 1987 were 10,110, including 4,093 emigrant physicians(40.5%) ,861 military medical officers,745 public health doctors, and 107 deceased physicians. A total of 1,330 physicians could not be identified by any effort. Second, among the 34,897 registered physicians as of May 1987, 29,933(85.8%) were residing in Korea, 4,115 physicians(11.8%) had emigrated to other countries, and 849 physicians(2.4%) were deceased. Practicing physicians difined as those in Korea who were not retired, serving in the military, or completing residencies or internships, comprised 78.6%(27,414 physicians) of the total number of registered physicians. Third, it is estimated that in the year 2000 the number of registered physicians, physicians residing in Korea, and practicing physician will be 75,040, 64,038, and 57,655, respectively and these are increases of 115.0%, 113.9%, and 110.3%, respectively, compared to 1987. Fourth, the population physician ratio will be 759 to one physician in the year 2000. Fifth, the productivity of physicians, as calculated by relative values defining the productivity of 35 to 44 year-old male physicians as 10, will increase 110.7% in the year 2000 compare to that of 1987, and this increment is almost the same level as that of physician supply. From the results of the present analysis of physician manpower and supply projection, it can be recognized that the development of a regular notification system is necessary in order to identify precisely the number of physicians. Also a policy of physician supply is essential in order to adjust in advance the number of physicians, otherwise there will be surplus to the medical demand.

• 대한예방의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 1996.10a
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• pp.307-308
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• 1996

• 대한예방의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2000.10a
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• pp.167-168
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• 2000

• Journal of Preventive Medicine and Public Health
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• v.26 no.1 s.41
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• pp.1-19
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• 1993

Mail questionnaire was administrated to 370 practising physicians and 388 pharmacists in Taegu city selected by systematic sampling to examine utilization states and opinion of pharmacy under medical care insurance programme and the attitude to the functional division between physicians and pharmacists from April to May 1992. Regarding the opinion on the outcome of drug-store under medical insurance, 71.2 percent of practicing physician answered faliure but 13.4 percent of practicing pharmacists answered failure in contrast. Fifty percent of practicing physician asserted introducing functional division between physician and pharmacist while 66.9 percent of practicing pharmacist answered drug-store under medical insurance itself is sucessful programme. Average daily numbers of preparation of medicine was 32.2 case. Percentage of utilization of drug-store under medical issurance to average daily cases of preparing of medicine was 20 percent, percentage of utilization with physician's prescription was 0.7 percent. And 58.7 percent of practicing physician experienced outside the institute prescription. Regarding the opinion on the pros and cons of enforcing functional division between physician and pharmacist, 59.2 percent of practicing physician prefered pros and 17.7 percent cons, but 38 percent of practicing pharmacist prefered pros and 45.5 percent cons. And pharmacist knew better the content of functional division between physician and pharmacist than physician. As a reason for pros of enforcing functional division between physician and pharmacist, practicing physician emphasized to prevent misuse or abuse of medicine but practicing pharmacist emphasized to display physician and pharmacist's professional ability. And as an opinion on implementation style of functional division between physician and pharmacist in pros respondents, practicing physician favored mandatory enforcement (52.3%), while practicing pharmacist favored partial incomplete functional division (81.7%). As the method of prescription if functional division between physician and pharmacist will be enforced, both practicing physician and pharmacist prefered generic name (44.0%, 89%) mostly, but physician prefered brand name (35.3%) secondly. Regarding the reason for not implementing functional division between physician and pharmacist up to date, both physician and pharmacist answered problem of business right between physician and pharmacist, followed by lack of recognition, and interest of people and lack of the govermental willness. Regarding the opinion on prior decision of condition for enforcing functional division between physician and pharmacist, practicing physician and pharmacist named uneven distribution of medical facilities and drug-store between rural and urban, inequality of physician and pharmacist manpower and the problem of manpower demand and supply mostly, and practicing physician pointed out establishing attitude of acceptance on the part of pharmacist and practicing pharmacist favored establishing attitude of acceptance on the part of physician, which was different attitudes between physician and pharmacist. Following conclusion was reached ; 1. Current drug-store under medical insurance program yield insufficient outcome, so we should consider program conversion from drug-store under medical insurance program to functional division between physician and pharmacist. 2. There were problem of business right and conflicts between physician and pharmacist at enforcing functional division between physician and pharmacist, so the goverment should search for formulating plan to resolve the problem and have neutral willness for the protection of the national health.