A critical juncture in universal healthcare: insights from South Korea's COVID-19 experience for the United Kingdom to consider
A critical juncture in universal healthcare: insights from South Korea's COVID-19 experience for the United Kingdom to consider
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DOI：
10.1057/s41599-021-00731-y
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发表时间：
2021-03-02
影响因子：
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通讯作者：
Seo, Yongseok
中科院分区：
文献类型：
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作者：
Heo, Kyungmoo;Jeong, Keonyeong;Seo, Yongseok
全民医疗系统经历了持续的COVID-19疫情形式的严峻压力测试。在决策权和责任的制度性分配方面，韩国和英国的COVID-19应对措施分别揭示了不同的模式。本文比较和分析了这两个国家的医疗体系如何应对COVID-19。尽管两国都实施了类似的应对措施，但英国每千人的确诊病例数和死亡率都更高。基于本文所建立的分析，这两个系统之间的关键区别是英国系统的缺乏：（1）适当的医疗设备和技术沿着的人力资源;（2）灵活的政策选择，以激励医疗服务提供者，并诱导公众在国家危机时期的合作。英国的医疗保健系统正接近一个关键时刻。1991年引入的内部竞争的扩大可以作为解决上述问题和进一步改革其制度的手段。在英国政府的密切监督和精确控制下，允许系统中的非报销特殊医疗和扩大公众对医疗服务的选择将是促进内部竞争的合适政策方法，同时保持英国对全民医疗保健的投入。然而，内部竞争的根本含义是通过引导和促进各级参与，与社会和私营部门分享决策权力和责任。然而，抗击COVID-19被广泛认为是“全面战争”。“在英国政府的监督和控制下，现在是社会加强和共同抗击疫情的时候了。
Universal healthcare systems have undergone a severe stress test in the form of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. With respect to the system-embedded allocation of decision-making powers and responsibilities among actors, different modalities have been revealed in the COVID-19 responses of South Korea and the UK, respectively. This article compares and analyzes how these two countries' healthcare systems have reacted to COVID-19. Although both have implemented similar responsive measures, the UK has recorded a higher number of confirmed cases per thousand people and a higher death rate. Based on the analysis on which this paper is built, the key differences between the two systems are the UK system's lack of: (1) appropriate medical equipment and technologies along with the human resources; and (2) flexible policy options to incentivize healthcare providers and induce cooperation from the public in a time of national crisis. The UK's healthcare system is now approaching a critical juncture. The expansion of internal competition, which was introduced to the system in 1991, can serve as means of initiating a resolution to the above-mentioned issues and further reform its system. Under the UK government's close supervision and precise control, allowing non-reimbursable special medical treatment in the system and widening public choice of medical services would be a suitable policy approach promoting internal competition while at the same time maintaining the UK's devotion to universal healthcare. The underlying implication of internal competition though is the sharing of decision-making powers and responsibilities with societal and private sectors by inducing and facilitating participation at all levels. Fighting against COVID-19 however is widely considered 'all-out-war.' Under the UK government's supervision and control, it is time for society to step up and fight the pandemic together.