한의원의 경영 현황과 정책 인식도에 대한 조사 연구

Abstract

ObjectivesThe purpose of this study is to help improve the management of traditional Korean medical(TKM) clinics andthe policies for supporting them, by conducting a survey of the practitioners of TKM. MethodsStratified sampling was conducted based on regional location, and 700 samples were selected in a random mannerfrom the membership list. The questionnaire was delivered and returned by mail. The survey was conductedbetween 20 July and 31 August 2010. A total of 177 questionnaires (recovery rate: 25.28%) were recoveredand analyzed for the study. Results1. The the survey indicate that the overall size of TKM clinics has fallen compared with previous survey, whilethe average number of beds per clinic has remained unchanged at 7.9. The sale of medicine as a proportionof total monthly sales has increased. 2. There has been no change in the composition of clinical staff as thereare three nursing assistants. Although the average daily number of patients to clinics has remained at around33.90 compared with ten years ago, the number of patients requiring seeking acupuncture treatment hasincreased while the number of those treated with medication has decreased. 3. Clinicians in TKM have indicatedtheir preference for a binary system that separates TKM from western medicine (57.4%). The respondents donot favor the separation of dispensary from medical practice (81.5%), marks of origin for medicinal herbs(68.9%), disclosure of the prescriptions (67.2%), and the overseas expansion of Korean medical services (70.4%). However, they indicated that they are very much in favor of being granted the authority to employ and giveorders to medical technicians (96.0%). 4. The respondents selected Korea as the country that maintains a properacademic system for traditional medicine (45.5%), and are not in favor of opening Korea's traditional medicine market under an Free Trade Agreement(FTA) with China (72.7%). ConclusionThe overall status of the management of TKM clinics has declined compared with the preceding decade. Therehas been only a slight change in clinicians’ opinion of the related policies and regulatory issues.