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.
ABSTRACT
Background@#A bill for the mandatory installation of closed-circuit television (CCTV) in operating rooms, still likely in breach of the constitution, was approved. When a bill infringing on individuals’ fundamental rights is drafted, alternative means of minimizing the infringement of the offender’s rights should be considered ahead of the draft. To this end, alternatives on the bill identified through the consciousness of the offender would be most realistic and much more effective. Thus, this study examined doctors’ consciousness on the mandatory installation of CCTV in operating rooms, the appropriateness of punishment for members who commit immoral and unethical behaviors, and doctors’ alternative ideas to CCTV installation in operating rooms. @*Methods@#The online survey was conducted for a week from July 9, 2021, to July 16, 2021, by the Korean Medical Association Doctors News, and 2,345 doctor members responded to the investigation. @*Results@#According to the survey, the following alternatives to CCTV installation in operating rooms were proposed: strengthening punishment for performing ghost surgery (38.3%), placing cameras at the entrance of the operating room (21.8%), mandatory written consent (pledge) (13.7%) to prevent ghost surgery for medical staff participating in the surgery, promoting self-purification (whistle-blowing) (11.5%), and a biometrics function for entering operating rooms (8.8%). @*Conclusion@#The revised medical law delegated legislative devices to subordinate statutes for minimizing infringement. Thus, new regulations should be set to reduce infringement of fundamental rights. It is hoped that doctors’ consciousness on new law could be preliminary data to regulate new rules in discussing lower statutes.
ABSTRACT
This study aims to suggest practical strategies for improving the governance system of the Korean Medical Association (KMA). To this end, we used survey studies, statistical analysis, and literature reviews. The statistical analysis was performed using an analytic hierarchy process and frequency analysis. In our previous study, we proposed some measures to improve the governance system of the KMA. These measures included the organization of top decisionmakers’ meetings, recruitment of non-member officers, new qualification requirements for representatives and officers, commitment of functional roles to six vice-presidents, and organization of professional committees supporting the roles of six vice-presidents. In this study, we proposed practical strategies for the improvement measures and an implementation organization to achieve the suggested practical strategies. For the implementation of the practical strategies, the members of the KMA should understand the issue and the importance of the KMA’s governance. Additionally, the strong support of the members should be required to solve the internal problems of the KMA and to improve its governance system.
ABSTRACT
This study aims to suggest practical strategies for improving the governance system of the Korean Medical Association (KMA). To this end, we used survey studies, statistical analysis, and literature reviews. The statistical analysis was performed using an analytic hierarchy process and frequency analysis. In our previous study, we proposed some measures to improve the governance system of the KMA. These measures included the organization of top decisionmakers’ meetings, recruitment of non-member officers, new qualification requirements for representatives and officers, commitment of functional roles to six vice-presidents, and organization of professional committees supporting the roles of six vice-presidents. In this study, we proposed practical strategies for the improvement measures and an implementation organization to achieve the suggested practical strategies. For the implementation of the practical strategies, the members of the KMA should understand the issue and the importance of the KMA’s governance. Additionally, the strong support of the members should be required to solve the internal problems of the KMA and to improve its governance system.
ABSTRACT
The year 2020 marks the 112th year of the Korean Medical Association (KMA), which is a historic organization of medical experts. Since its foundation the KMA has contributed to the promotion of the health and medical care environment as well as the establishment and development of related policies. In times of health and medical care crises in the country, the KMA has always fought at the front lines. However, recent internal conflicts in the medical community have caused a lack of consistency and persistence in responding to or pursuing various health and medical policies. It weakens the KMA’s social status and influence, raising demands for its improvement. The first step for the betterment of the KMA is to analyze its critical situation. This study assumes that the internal conflicts are caused by the KMA’s governance. Through an analysis of how the KMA is currently governed, this study highlights the problems and suggests a direction for improvement.
ABSTRACT
The purpose of this study is to suggest improvement measures to solve the problems of governance within the Korean Medical Association (KMA), and to outline future tasks to implement these measures. The following measures are proposed to improve the governance of the KMA: a new representative system, the revision of the term of officers, new qualification requirements for representatives and officers, a clear business division for vice presidents, the organization and operation of councils by professional fields, and an organization of a top decision making committee. Future tasks to apply these measures in practice include the establishment of the direction of improvement of the KMA‘s governance, organization and operation of the presidential committee, and active participation and support of the KMA members. In order to improve the KMA‘s governance, the bodies of the KMA must avoid conflicts and criticisms; taking collective decisions about all tasks and policies should be made an essential principle. In conclusion, the bodies of the KMA must cooperate with each other while constantly considering and discussing the purpose of the establishment of the KMA. These measures will ensure the improvement of KMA’s governance.