• Journal of health informatics and statistics
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.300-306
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• 2018

Objectives: The purpose of this study is to demonstrate empirically through a specialist AHP analysis what factors should be more important in the development of the public health care system. In addition, we will use Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) method for experts to achieve research purpose. Methods: The data analysis method of this study is as follows. First, we set up three metrics in order to measure the relative importance between the factors to be improved for the development of the public health care system and each of the sub-factors. A total of nine measurements (items) were set by combining the three measurement criteria for each measurement index. Second, the relative importance and priority analysis use the AHP analysis. Third, the subjects of this study were 15 experts in the field of public health care. The statistical processing was performed using the Expert Choice 2000 statistical program. Results: In order to development of the public health care system, experts ranked the most important as improvement in the systematic aspect of public health care (56%) as the first priority. Next, the relative importance analysis of the measurement items considering the multiple-weights of the sub-factors is as follows. The strengthen institutional improvement (revitalization of secondary public function hospital) was the number one, strengthen cooperation between agencies was the second, and Re-establishing the role of local public health care system was the third place. Conclusions: Considering the relative importance, factors that are considered to be important in the first place may not be improved as the best policy alternative due to limitations in spatial, temporal, financial, and institutional aspects. In this case, we suggest that we should choose the best policy alternative by using prioritization considering relative weights.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.1-3
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• 2016

The prevalence of non-communicable disease (NCD) has been continuously increasing due to population ageing, and the change in consumption and lifestyle patterns. Cancers, cerebrovascular diseases, and hypertensive diseases have been the major causes of deaths in the Republic of Korea since 1983. Numerous studies have suggested the need for a sustained comprehensive treatment tailored for individual patients and recommend the development of a systematic program to manage NCD patients to provide such care. It's necessary to develop the Korean model of the community based NCD prevention and control, consisting strategy of community movement, education for the NCD patients, and partnership the primary care clinic with public health organization to meet the needs in community people.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.26 no.4
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• pp.265-270
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• 2016

Public health system for more prevention-oriented health promotion rather than hospital-based curative service, focusing population rather than individual, and comprehensive health management in the local community strongly needs to be constructed to solve major issues on efficiencies and equity problems which Korean healthcare system is facing nowadays. Public health promotes and protects the health of people and the communities where they live, learn, work, and play. Medical care tries to cure those who have diseases, but public health tries not to become ill and not to be injured. Debates on how we build or rebuild public health system, which is contrasted with medical care system, are needed in Korea, focusing how needs for healthy community and right to health are fulfilled. Public health specialists for practising population health at local community level should be systematically recruited, the function of public health centers should be strengthened, and new government organization should be established for place-based health management.

• KDI Journal of Economic Policy
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.1-22
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• 2016

This paper examines the effects of a universal childcare subsidy on childcare decisions and mothers' employment by using Korea's policy reform of 2012, which provided a full childcare subsidy to all children aged 0 to 2. I find that the introduction of a universal childcare subsidy increased the use of childcare centers by children aged 0-2, which led to less maternal care compared to that provided to children aged 3-4. However, the expanded subsidy had little effect on mothers' labor supply. Moreover, the policy effects vary by individual and household characteristics. The effects of the expanded subsidy are mainly found in low-income households and less educated mothers. Highly educated mothers and high-income households are likely to focus more on the quality of childcare service. These results imply that a simple reduction in childcare costs would bring only limited effects on mothers' time allocation behavior; thus, more attention should be paid to improving the quality of childcare services.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.245-246
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• 2022

Concerns about a global economic recession are rising following the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic. Accordingly, government entities, which are committed to overcome two barriers to severe inflation and economic recession, are showing high interest in spending management so as not to undermine fiscal soundness. Since the health care sector especially accounts for a large proportion of fiscal expenditure, it should be managed in a manner that the expense is appropriately spent. The National Health Insurance System and Healthcare System have secured international competitiveness and reliability by effectively responding to the COVID-19 pandemic. Likewise, considerable efforts should be made to reorganize the welfare and healthcare systems so that they can be sustainable during the post-COVID-19 era and the recession.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.115-117
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• 2023

The issue of increasing the number of physicians is emerging. Because the physician workforce is a critical component of the health care system, and substantial costs are involved in training personnel, a cautious approach is required. The demand to increase the number of physicians is based on the contention that there are difficulties in accessing essential health services and the need to prepare for future demands such as fostering physician-scientists. However, simply increasing the number of physicians is not an appropriate approach to address these demands, especially considering that the effects of such an increase will appear 10 years later. Moreover, it is concerned that the current argument for increasing the physician workforce is intertwined with political interests. When considering the impact on the health care system, decisions regarding the expansion of the physician workforce should be based on evidence. Additionally, rather than temporarily responding to social issues, it is expected that a governance system will be established to continuously discuss and decide on fostering medical personnel.

• Korea Journal of Hospital Management
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.238-260
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• 1998

This article describes the theoretical foundations of government policy for hospitals in terms of correcting market failure and enhancing equity. It then discusses the characteristics that desirable payment systems should have, and the effects of the DRG-based prospective payment system on hospital behavior, its financial performance, hospital industry, and health care expenditure. The rationales and impacts of other public policies for hospitals such as antitrust and fair trade regulation, dissemination of practice guidelines and hospital mortality information, regulation of hospital capital investment, and tax policy are also discussed.

• 대한예방의학회:학술대회논문집
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• 1996.10a
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• pp.365-366
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• 1996

• Korean Journal of Occupational Health Nursing
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.58-66
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• 2007

Purpose: A national long-term care system for elderly and the disabled has its unique evolution in each country. Japan, Germany and the United States may be the typical examples of respective social insurance system. This paper reviews the counterpart examples of Japan, Germany and the United States and looks at their accumulated long-term care system experiences and personal care system under workers' compensation. Methods: Literature review and website searching were conducted. Key words as 'workers' compensation insurance', 'personal care benefit' and 'long term care' were used in searching the related literatures. Results: Though the personal care benefit under current Workers'Compensation in Korea is very similar to Japan's, the long-term care system of Korea is not as well established. Germany and the United States have the provision of personal care benefit for injured workers within long term care system. Conclusions: We recommend some key issues to take into account for improving personal care benefit system in workers' compensation in Korea as follows: providing a comprehensive coverage through the linkage of long term care, introducing an assessment & evaluation system for the appropriate benefits, establishing insurer's role for quality management of personal care service, and developing a policy for family caregivers.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.116-135
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• 1991

Few studies have been conducted on the detailed routes of medical care utilization under the National Health Insurance. This study was undertaken to identify the utilization patte군 of health care facilities among industrial workers and their dependents. One of the largest health insurance association was purposively chosen for this objective. The association had 345, 757 members as of 31 December, 1990. The study sample of 297, 948 subjects have been drawn from the membership pool on the basis of their continuous membership status during 1 January through 31 December 1990. This study has tried to identify differential utilization patterns between acute and chronic conditions, and among standard income classes. All the diagnoses were recoded in a manner to achieve the objective of this study. As for acute diseases, most age group had used one medical facility as much as by 60% except the age group of 1-4, This young age group had used over three different health facilities as much as by 10.9-15.8%. The finding suggests that some policy measures by sought for remedying the excessive/inappropriate use of services. In addition, mid-income classes(between 17 and 48) were more likely to use multiple sources of care than lower income classes(between 1 and 16) and upper income classes(above 49). This study has revealed that chronic cases are more likely to pursue multiple sources of care, however those with chronic conditions tend to use single health facility more than those with acute conditions(67.9% versus 52.4%). As many as 12.2% have visited more than three health facilities in chronic conditions, but 5.9% for acute conditions. The most likely source of care was primary clinics for both acute and chronic conditions. Compared with the role of general hospital, small-size hospitals found to play a minimal role in the care and referral of patients. This indicates the need of strengthening the function of small-size hospitals. While a minor cross utilization of western medicine and pharmacy was noted, no significant boundary crossing was identified between western medicine and oriental medicine, or between pharmacy and oriental medicine. It is too early to confirm that whether there is substitutability or cross utilization among these alternative sources of care. A further study is needed to identify these relationship.