Physician`s Perception And Attitude Toward The Market Liberalization Policy On Health Care in Korea

Abstract

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate physician`s perception of and attitude to market liberalization policy on health care in Korea.

Methods: To collect data, a survey was conducted for the period from March 28 to April 15, 2005, using a questionnaire which was designed for this study. The questionnaire was distributed to 3,134 physicians who worked for hospitals such as 25 university hospitals with 400 or more acute beds, 5 national hospitals (including special medical corporations) with 500 or more acute beds, 10 nation-wide general hospitals and 15 nation-wide hospitals, and 800 clinics. Finally, 830 respondents were selected for analysis.

Results: The main findings of this study were as follows: 1. 50.0% of the physicians were concerned about market liberalization policy on health care. More physicians (40.2%) opposed a full-scale market liberalization (36.0% assented to it). By the specialty, age, and duration of employment, the responses of physicians on market liberalization policy on health care varied. 2. 45.9% of the respondents showed an agreement for any foreign hospitals to be established in the free economic zones in Korea, and 55.9% assented that the foreign hospitals provide hospital services to domestic people. To the question that foreign hospitals should be permitted to treat domestic people, about a half of physicians (49.4%) responded that they would not recommend their patients to be treated by foreign physicians, while 27.5% would do so. 3. Most positive effect of market liberalization policy on health care, perceived by physicians, was `diversified the provision of quality medical services`, while most negative effect was widening the gap between rich and poor patients to access to high quality health care services. 4. Most urgent challenge for market liberalization policy on health care was `segmentation and specialization of hospitals and clinics` followed by `modernization of hospital (clinic) facilities and expansion of medical equipments` and `efficiency and professionalism of hospital management`. 5. 44.8% of the physicians argued that domestic hospital foundations might be reincorporated into profit-making corporations `upon the results of reviewing their side-effects in the free economic zones`, while 32.7% perceived that `domestic hospital foundations should be treated equal to foreign hospitals`.

Conclusions: As the results of this study showed, physician`s perception of and responses to market liberalization policy on health care vary by their characteristics. To adopt and implement the policy and to cope with changes in global health care market, it must be very important to understand why the physician`s attitudes and perceptions toward changes of global health care market and the policy. Thus, government and organizations related to the global liberalization market and its policy should seek and try to develop some measures to cope with changes in global health care market and new system for health care. Finally, some recommendations were suggested.