The direction of reform for enhancing primary care

ABSTRACT

Many studies have reported extensive evidence of the advantages of primary care in terms of cost, health outcomes, and quality of care. However, primary care in South Korea has continuously shrunk for several decades. In order to enhance primary care in the Korean health care system, the emphasis should be placed on rebuilding a health care delivery system and promoting the essential role of the primary care physician in community clinics. The Community-based Primary Care Project is based on the new models of encouraging doctor-patient relationships for management of chronic disease and primary care functioning as a hub of coordination among health-related community resources. This is an early step in promoting a value-based payment system. Because of the payment system for physicians' motivation and the high degree of satisfaction of patients in this project, the reform of payment system based on the conceptual framework of this project is desirable in the primary care. The primary care of the future will focus on the primary care physicians as a well-trained and highly qualified navigator rather than a gatekeeper.