Recently, there have been many changes in the area of healthcare. There is no certainty how these changes will affect the healthcare system and public health. However, to at least have these changes positively implemented, it is clear that evaluation through continuous monitoring is necessary. The enforcement of the Medical Institution Accreditation and Medical Dispute Mediation Law as well as legal revisions regarding the public healthcare system are changes to improve the quality of healthcare, while at the same time, provide penalties for infractions of the new law such as medicine/medical device rebates; moreover, legal revisions regarding telemedicine are anticipated to impartially vitalize technical development as well as the pharmaceutical industry. For these changes to have a positive effect on the medical field and people's lives, an accurate comprehension of the system and understanding of the details is necessary to be able to respond sensitively to any changes in the future. Therefore, this paper examined the background information on the current discussion on the changes in the healthcare system, examined the detailed content of the system, and reviewed the areas that were in dispute as well as the main issues to contemplate the expected effects of the changes and future tasks that may be generated as a result. These considerations will act as foundation for an in depth understanding of recent trends in the healthcare system.
Accreditation/legislation & jurisprudence ; Delivery of Health Care/*legislation & jurisprudence ; Health Care Reform ; Humans ; Quality of Health Care ; Telemedicine

The Affordable Care Act (ACA) was signed into law on March 23, 2010 and will fundamentally alter health care in the United States for years to come. The US is currently one of the only industrialized countries without universal health insurance. The new law expands existing public insurance for the poor. It also provides financial credits to low income individuals and some small businesses to purchase health insurance. By government estimates, the law will bring insurance to 30 million people. The law also provides for a significant new investment in prevention and wellness. It appropriates an unprecedented $15 billion in a prevention and public health fund, to be disbursed over 10 years, as well as creates a national prevention council to oversee the government's prevention efforts. This paper discusses 3 major prevention provisions in the legislation: 1) the waiving of cost-sharing for clinical preventive services, 2) new funding for community preventive services, and 3) new funding for workplace wellness programs. The paper examines the scientific evidence behind these provisions as well as provides examples of some model programs. Taken together, these provisions represent a significant advancement for prevention in the US health care system, including a shift towards healthier environments. However, in this turbulent economic and political environment, there is a real threat that much of the law, including the prevention provisions, will not receive adequate funding.
Health Care Reform/*legislation & jurisprudence ; Humans ; Insurance, Health/*legislation & jurisprudence ; Medicaid/legislation & jurisprudence ; Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act ; Preventive Health Services/*legislation & jurisprudence ; United States

China ; Health Care Reform ; Health Policy ; Hospitals, Public ; legislation & jurisprudence ; Humans

In 1999, the Korean government made a drug pricing policy reform to improve the efficiency and transparency of the drug distribution system. Yet, its policy formation process was far from being rational. Facing harsh resistance from various interest groups, the government changed its details into something different from what was initially investigated and planned. So far, little evidence supports any improvement in Korea's drug distribution system. Instead, the new drug pricing policy has deteriorated Korea's national health insurance budget, indicating a heavier economic burden for the general public. From Korea's experience, we may draw some lessons for the future development of a better health care system. As a society becomes more pluralistic, the government should come out of authoritarianism and thoroughly prepare in advance for resistance to reform, by making greater efforts to persuade strong interest groups while informing the general public of potential benefits of the reform. Additionally, facing developing civic groups, the government should listen but not rely too much on them at the final stage of the policy formation. Many of the civic groups lack expertise to evaluate the details of policy and tend to act in a somewhat emotional way.
Drug Costs/*legislation & jurisprudence ; Health Care Reform/*economics/*legislation & jurisprudence ; Humans ; Korea ; National Health Programs/economics/legislation & jurisprudence ; *Politics ; *Public Opinion

OBJECTIVES: Since 2000, the National Health Service (NHS) in the United Kingdom (UK) has challenged for a large-scale reforms. This study aims to review those reforms to reflect in the dental care system in Korea. METHODS: Reports and papers that were published from 2000 to 2015 and were related to the NHS dental care system and reforms were searched. Among them, official reports from the government or organization were prioritized. RESULTS: In 2002, the “NHS Dentistry: Options for Change” report suggested rebuilding the structure to meet the standard of care, improving the remuneration system, and modernizing the workforce. Eight years later, the government proposed the “NHS Dental Contract: Proposals for Pilots” to improve accessibility to oral health and dental care. The pilot was based on three elements: registration, capitation, and quality. In 2015, the Department of Health announced the “Dental Contract Reform: Prototypes.” These prototypes include the clinical pathway, measurement and remuneration by quality of care, and a weighted capitation and quality model reimbursement system. CONCLUSIONS: The changes to the UK dental care system has implications. First, national coverage should be extended to improve accessibility to dental care. Second, the dental care system is necessary to reform focused on patient-centered and prevention. Third, registration and remuneration by quality of care needs to be introduced. Fourth, change should start from the basic steps, such as forming consensus or preparing manuals, to strengthening personnel and conducting a pilot study. Most of all, the new system will center on clinical leadership.
Consensus ; Critical Pathways ; Delivery of Health Care* ; Dental Care ; Dentistry ; Great Britain ; Health Care Reform* ; Health Manpower ; History of Dentistry ; Korea ; Leadership ; Legislation, Dental ; National Health Programs ; Oral Health ; Pilot Projects ; Remuneration ; Standard of Care

The standardized hypertension management provided by primary health care workers is an important part of China's recent health care reform efforts. Investigating 5,116 hypertensive patients from a cross-sectional survey conducted by the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention in 2012, this study found that adherence to standardized hypertension management is associated with positive effects on hypertension- related knowledge, healthy lifestyle behavior, antihypertensive medical treatments, and blood pressure control. It will be necessary to provide primary health care workers with sufficient training and reasonable incentives to ensure the implementation and effectiveness of hypertension management.
Adult ; Aged ; Aged, 80 and over ; China ; Cross-Sectional Studies ; Female ; Guideline Adherence ; statistics & numerical data ; Health Care Reform ; legislation & jurisprudence ; Health Care Surveys ; Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice ; Healthy Lifestyle ; Humans ; Hypertension ; psychology ; therapy ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Patient Compliance ; psychology ; statistics & numerical data