Functions and roles of public healthcare for controlling infectious diseases.
10.5124/jkma.2015.58.7.617
- Author:
Chan Byoung PARK
1
Author Information
1. Former Director of Cheonan Public Medical Center, Cheonan, Korea. bluecow12@hanmail.net
- Publication Type:Original Article
- Keywords:
Public hospitals;
Community health centers;
MERS epidemics;
Infectious disease control
- MeSH:
Communicable Diseases*;
Community Health Centers;
Delivery of Health Care*;
Employment;
Hospitals, Private;
Hospitals, Public;
Humans;
Middle East;
Regional Health Planning
- From:Journal of the Korean Medical Association
2015;58(7):617-623
- CountryRepublic of Korea
- Language:Korean
-
Abstract:
The importance of public healthcare system has been widely recognized since the current Middle East respiratory syndrome epidemic began. However, their capacities are not sufficient in both quantitative and qualitative perspective aspects. When a large-scale outbreak develops, public hospitals and community health centers should be primarily responsible for treatment of patients and isolation of individuals who are likely to infect other people, with the supplemented of private hospitals. Clearly, the central and municipal governments, and public healthcare system has failed to deal with the current Middle East respiratory syndrome epidemic, largely due to lack of expertise and professional staff. The governments at various levels and public hospitals should thoroughly and publicly review the work process and problems revealed in dealing with the current epidemic. Based on such evaluation, they should establish action plans for infectious disease control, and regular training and exercise should be done according to them. In addition, more public hospitals should be established under the regional health planning. It is important for public heathcare facilities to hire physicians on a stable and long-term employment contract, and to train them so that they could play a role in case of epidemic.
