J Korean Med Sci.  2016 Nov;31(11):1684-1688. 10.3346/jkms.2016.31.11.1684.

The Ecology of Medical Care in Korea

• Kim YS
• Choi YJ

• KMID: 2470261
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.3346/jkms.2016.31.11.1684

Abstract

This study aimed to describe the ecology of medical care in Korea. Using the yearly data of 2012 derived from the Korea Health Panel, we estimated the numbers of people per 1,000 residents aged 18 and over who had any health problem and/or any medical care at a variety of care settings, such as clinics, hospitals, and tertiary hospitals, in an average month. There was a total of 11,518 persons in the study population. While the number of those who had any health problem in an average month was estimated to be 939 per 1,000 persons, the estimated numbers of ambulatory care users were 333 at clinics, 101 at hospital outpatient departments, 35 at tertiary hospital outpatient departments, and 38 for Korean Oriental medical providers. The number of people who used emergency care at least once was 7 per 1,000 persons in an average month. The numbers of people hospitalized in clinics and hospitals were 3 and 8, respectively, while 3 persons were admitted to tertiary hospitals. There was a gap between the number of people experiencing any health problem and that of those having any medical care, and primary care comprised a large share of people's medical care experiences. It was noteworthy that more patients received ambulatory care at tertiary hospitals in Korea than in other countries. We hope that discussion about care delivery system reform and further studies will be encouraged.

Keyword

Delivery of Health Care; Primary Health Care; Health Services Research; Republic of Korea

MeSH Terms

Adolescent
Adult
Aged
Ambulatory Care
Databases, Factual
Delivery of Health Care/*statistics & numerical data
Emergency Service, Hospital
Female
Health Services Research
Hospitalization
Humans
Male
Middle Aged
Republic of Korea
Young Adult

Figure

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  Fig. 1 Estimated number of people per 1,000 residents aged 18 and over who had any health problem and/or medical care in the different care settings in an average month of 2012. Each square does not necessarily represent a part of the larger square except for the largest one. OPD = outpatient department.

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