Biomedical subjects

Yong-Kyun Roh

Publications and source records attributed to Yong-Kyun Roh.

2 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2004

Health care for older persons: a country profile-Korea.

The Korean healthcare system is faced with a crisis caused by rapidly changing social values tending toward westernization, increasing insurance benefit requests for elder health care, financial instability of the National Health Insurance (NHI) program, and a lack of social infrastructure for the elderly. The demand for health care for the elderly has increased markedly, because of a rapidly aging population, growing female participation in the labor market, elevated expectations for health care, and a change in the pattern of medical conditions in the elderly from acute illness to chronic disability. NHI lacks the finances to meet the benefit request for long-term care (LTC). Only 0.39% of the elderly can be accommodated in LTC beds. Consequently, the chronically disabled elderly overflow to acute care beds in general hospitals, which places an undue burden on the already strained NHI system in terms of longer stays and higher cost of treatment in hospitals compared with care specific to the elderly in LTC facilities. It is clear that the Korean healthcare system does not have the facilities to meet such challenges and is in a state of disorder. Korea has failed to predict and prepare for population needs before they arise, including financing and the development of appropriate care models, particularly concerning the adequate provision of LTC. This paper advocates the necessity of international discussion of the prospects for developing health care for aging populations and encourages the sharing of differing national experiences concerning care for the elderly.

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PubMed2003

Primary care physicians shortage: a Korean example.

BACKGROUND: A mismatch in the demand and supply of primary care physicians could give rise to a disorganization of the health care system and public confusion about health care access. There is much evidence in Korea of the existence of a primary care physician shortage. The appropriate required ratio of primary care physicians to the total number of physicians is estimated by analyzing data for primary care insurance consumption in Korea. METHODS: Sums of primary care expenditure and claims were calculated to estimate the need for primary care physicians by analyzing the nationwide health insurance claims data of the Korean National Medical Insurance Management Corporation (KNMIMC) between the years 1989-1998. RESULTS: The total number of physicians increased 183% from 1989 to 1998. However, the number of primary care physicians including general physicians, family physicians, general internists, and general pediatricians showed an increase of only 169% in those 10 years. The demand for primary care physicians reaches at least 58.6%, and up to 83.7%, of the total number of physicians in Korea. However, the number of primary care physicians comprises up to 22.0% of the total number of active physicians during the same research period, which showed a large gap between demand and supply of primary care physicians in Korea. CONCLUSIONS: To provide high quality care overall, a balanced supply of primary care physicians and specialists is required, based on the nation's demand for health services.

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