J Korean Med Sci.  2019 Mar;34(Suppl 1):e81. 10.3346/jkms.2019.34.e81.

Comparative Research for the Healthcare Budget and Burden of Disease in Perspective Resource Allocation

• Park SY
• Yoon SJ
• Park H
• Jo MW
• Oh IH

• KMID: 2461884
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2019.34.e81

Abstract

BACKGROUND
Burden of disease can be used to prioritize the healthcare budget allocation. We analyzed the research and development (R&D) budget of the Ministry of Health and Welfare (MOHW) in 2018 and compared the results with those of the 2015 Korean National Burden of Disease (KNBD) study.
METHODS
The 2018 MOHW R&D Project integrated implementation plan was used to analyze the R&D budget of the MOHW. The budget was allocated according to the KNBD disease group and according to the budget lines. The allocated budget was compared with the economic burden and the disability adjusted life years (DALYs) in 2015. Also, for budget targets for risk factors, DALYs of attributable risk factors were compared with corresponding budgets.
RESULTS
In 2018, the MOHW major R&D budget of USD 435.1 million accounted for 3% of the total government budget. Within the disease specific R&D budget, 35.9% was allocated to communicable disease groups, 64.1% to non-communicable diseases, and 0% to injury and violence. Among level 2 disease groups, neoplasm was ranked first. Among risk factors, climate change and behavioral risk were targeted for R&D.
CONCLUSIONS
It would be difficult to say that current R&D allocations focus to minimize the burden of disease. A mismatch was observed between the R&D budget and the burden of disease in terms of economic burden and DALYs. There was a similar finding for risk factors R&D. A novel approach for allocating government R&D funding that is based on the goal of minimizing the disease burden in the Korean population should be considered.

Keyword

R&D Funding; Burden of Disease; Korea

MeSH Terms

Budgets*
Climate Change
Communicable Diseases
Delivery of Health Care*
Financial Management
Korea
Quality-Adjusted Life Years
Resource Allocation*
Risk Factors
Violence