J Korean Med Assoc.  2016 Jun;59(6):429-435. 10.5124/jkma.2016.59.6.429.

Measures to address obstetrically underserved areas: limitations and future directions

• Kim JW
• Kim YH

• KMID: 2305543
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5124/jkma.2016.59.6.429

Abstract

Since 2015, the Support Project for Obstetrically Underserved Areas has been operating a total of 31 obstetric clinics, including 12 delivery clinics, 14 outpatient clinics, and 31 mobile clinics. However, the effectiveness of the project is being questioned due to the low birth rate in some of the hospitals that received delivery clinics through the project. Despite the support project, the number of obstetrically underserved areas is increasing as clinics ceasing their business or at least give up maternal care. This has led to the need for a discussion regarding the limits of obstetrics clinics in underserved areas that are operated by the support project itself and the direction of future improvements. The increasing number of obstetrically underserved areas that lack delivery clinics within a one-hour drive range can have grave consequences, which are not limited to maternal medical systems alone, but also towards the general deterioration of the community. Thus, it has been determined that existing problems should be addressed and the project should continue operating with the Support Project for Obstetrically Underserved Areas Act as the foundation and minimal measures for strengthening the social security system, which is essential. Additionally, aggressive policymaking by the government is thought to be needed for the sake of expanding the extremely weakened obstetric infrastructure.

Keyword

Obstetrically underserved area; Limitation; Future direction; Obstetric infrastructures

MeSH Terms

Ambulatory Care Facilities
Birth Rate
Commerce
Mobile Health Units
Obstetrics
Social Security

Figure

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  Figure 1 Cesarean section price levels of Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development countries (From Korean Medical Association, Research Institute for Healthcare Policy. Medical price levels of OECD countries: a comparative study. Seoul: Korean Medical Association; 2013, according to the Creative Commons license) [6].

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