J Korean Med Assoc.  2023 Aug;66(8):508-515. 10.5124/jkma.2023.66.8.508.

Analysis of factors affecting the unbalanced distribution of physicians’ working regions in South Korea

• Lim SM
• Park JH
• Lim JY
• Kim KH

• KMID: 2545254
• DOI: http://doi.org/10.5124/jkma.2023.66.8.508

Abstract

Background
Many countries need help with the problem of an unbalanced distribution of physicians and hospitals. Moreover, various policies and strategies have been proposed to solve this problem. This study aimed to examine the determinants of the unbalanced distribution of physicians.
Methods
From the 2020 Korean Physician Survey data, 4,181 physicians practicing in Korea were limited to the subjects of the study. We analyzed the factors influencing physicians’ choice of practice location and their willingness to change their practice location from an urban to a rural area.
Results
The region of physicians’ hometown, medical school, and residency training hospitals determined their choice of practice location. The type of affiliated healthcare organization and the location of physicians’ hometown, medical school, and residency training hospitals affected their willingness to change their practice location from an urban to a rural area. Furthermore, the concordance rate of the regions of physicians’ hometown, medical school, and residency training hospitals with the region of their practice location was 24.9%.
Conclusion
In South Korea, policies for doctors have been designed without considering why they are reluctant to work in rural hospitals. To have a balanced distribution of physicians and hospitals, it is necessary to accurately analyze the status of medical resources based on regions and identify the current and future medical demand. The social situation, such as future demographic change and regional extinction, must also be fully considered. Furthermore, policies should be implemented that encourage physicians to work in rural hospitals.

Keyword

Physicians; Surveys and questionnaires; Urban hospitals; Rural hospitals; Health policy; 의사; 설문조사; 도시병원; 지방병원; 보건정책