Seeking a Better System for the Better Neonatal Care in Korea

ABSTRACT

Due to the decreasing birth rate and the increasing percentage of babies in need of neonatal intensive care, the Korean government has changed its policy to support the institutions that need neonatal intensive care units (NICU). In order to keep up with this change, it is critical to further publicize and educate the importance of neonatal intensive care and newborn baby care because it is the duty of our society to decrease the rate of neonatal death. The most likely reason for the sudden decrease of the neonatal death rate in Korea is probably the advancement of neonatology. Although the constant efforts by neonatologists to improve the quality of the treatment of newborn babies have decreased the neonatal death rate, the general support for neonatal intensive care is still insufficient, as a result of impractical medical fees and the shortage of health care providers for neonatal intensive care compared to in other developed countries. In conclusion, the support from the government through the increment of medical insurance fee is needed to improve the medical environment including neonatal intensive care, which, in turn, could secure general investment and international competitiveness.