• The Korean Society of Law and Medicine
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.177-219
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• 2016

A commercial advertisement is not only a way of competition but also a medium of communication. Thus, it is under the constitutional protection of the freedom of business (article 15 of the Constitution) as well as the freedom of press [article 21 (1) of the Constitution]. In terms of the freedom of business or competition, it should be noted that an unfair advertising (false or misleading advertisement) can be regulated as an unfair competition, while any restraint on advertising other than unfair one might be doubted as an unjustifiable restraint of trade. In terms of the freedom of press or communication, it is important that article 21 (2) of the Constitution forbids any kind of (prior) censorship, and the Constitutional Court applies this restriction even to commercial advertising. In this article, the applicability of these schemes to advertising of the so-called learned professions, especially physician, are to be examined, and some proposals for the reformation of the current regulatory regime are to be made. Main arguments of this article can be summarized as follows: First, the current regime which requires advance review of physician advertising as prescribed in article 56 (2) no. 9 of Medical Act should be reformed. It does not mean that the current interpretation of article 21 of the Constitution is agreeable. Though a commercial advertising is a way of communication and can be protected by article 21 (1) of the Constitution, it should not be under the prohibition of censorship prescribed by article 21 (2) of the Constitution. The Constitutional Court adopts the opposite view, however. It is doubtful that physician advertising needs some prior restraint, also. Of course, there exists severe informational asymmetry between physicians and patients and medical treatment might harm the life and health of patients irrevocably, so that medical treatment can be discerned from other services. It is civil and criminal liability for medical malpractice and duty to inform and not regulation on physician advertising, to address these differences or problems. Advance review should be abandoned and repelled, or substituted by more unproblematic way of regulation such as an accreditation of reviewed advertising or a self-regulation preformed by physician association independently from the Ministry of Health and Welfare or any other governmental agencies. Second, the substantive criteria for unfair physician advertising also should correspond that of unfair advertising in general. Some might argue that a learned profession, especially medical practice, is totally different from other businesses. It is performed under the professional ethics and should not persue commercial interest; medical practice in Korea is governed by the National Health Insurance system, the stability of which might be endangered when commercial competition in medical practice be allowed. Medical Act as well as the condition of medical practice market do not exclude competition between physicians. The fact is quite the opposite. Physicians are competing even though under the professional ethics and obligations and all the restrictions provided by the National Health Insurance system. In this situation, regulation on physician advertising might constitute unjustifiable restraint of competition, especially a kind of entry barrier for 'new physicians.'

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing Administration
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.67-77
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• 2005

Purpose: Needs of health-welfare-medical service for the elderly is rapidly increasing in Korea. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the needs of health-welfare-medical service for the long-term care elderly in the community and to compare differences by their characteristics. Method: Needs assessment was completed in the homes of 598 persons over 65 years by using the tool of needs assessment, between November and December, 2003. We examined all the health-welfare-medical service of elderly in the community. Data were analyzed using SAS program. Result: The needs of the long-term care elderly in community was largest 'home visiting service of visiting nurse(87.5%)', and then 'religious, psychological and emotional support(73.9%)', 'home visiting therapy of physician(58.5%)', 'social support service(55.7%)', 'health improvement program of public health center and social welfare center(51.8%)', 'health examination(48.8%)' followed. The difference of health-welfare-medical service needs among characteristics(age, medical security, caregiver existence, and regions) was statistically significant by service contents(p<0.05 or p<0.01). Conclusion: We can apply it in the distribution of community resource and the development of service providing programs by figure out the needs assessment for the long-term care elderly in the community, and consequently, through this, realizing the health maintenance and promotion of the long-term care elderly.

• Health Policy and Management
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.394-398
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• 2019

Education on the physician continues with undergraduate medical education, graduate medical education, and continuous medical education. The countries such as the United States, Japan, the United Kingdom, German, and others are required to undergo training in the clinical field for 2 years after completing the national medical examination, and to become doctors after passing the clinical practice license test. Korea can obtain a medical license and become a clinical doctor at the same time if it passes written and practical tests after completing 6 years of undergraduate medical education or 4 years of graduate school. About 90% of medical school graduates replace clinical practice with 4-5 years of training to acquire professional qualifications, but this is an option for individual doctors rather than an extension of the licensing system under law. The medical professional qualification system is implemented by the Ministry of Health and Welfare on the regulation. In fact, under the supervision of the government, the Korean Hospital Association, the Korean Medical Association, and the Korean Academy of Medical Sciences progress most procedures. After training and becoming a specialist, the only thing that is given to a specialist is the right to mark him or her as a specialist in marking a medical institution and advertising. The government's guidelines for professional training are too restrictive, such as the recruitment method of residents, annual training courses of residents, dispatch rule of the residents, and the quota of residents of training hospitals. Although professional training systems are operated in the United States, the United Kingdom, France, and Germany, most of them are organized and operated by public professional organizations and widely recognize the autonomy of academic institutions and hospitals. Korea should also introduce a compulsory education system after graduating from medical education and organize and initiate by autonomic public professional organization that meets global standards.