Evaluation on public and private health care delivery in COVID19

Abstract

Background: In Korea, there are two healthcare delivery sectors: public and private. The purpose of this study is to compare public and private healthcare delivery in the context of COVID-19 and evaluate healthcare delivery to patients with medical benefits.Methods: Data from the Korea Centersfor Disease Control and Prevention (KCDC), the Health Insurance Reviewand Assessment Service claimdata, and the Ministry ofHealth andWelfarewere analyzed fromJanuary 2020 to February 2021.Results: During the observation period, the cumulative number of patients with the most severe cases was 1,566, and the proportion of inpatients with the most severe cases by healthcare facilities types were: 44.2% (692 patients) in regional public hospitals, 8.9% (140 patients) in national university hospitals, and 22.9% (358 patients) in other types of public hospitals, and 24.0% (376 patients) of private hospitals. The proportion of patients receiving medical benefits by health care institutions was 13.9% in regional public hospitals, 6.7% in national university hospitals, and 7.1% in other public hospitals.Conclusions: The debate about the roles and functions of public and private hospitalsis ongoing. Ratherthan classifying according to the establishment entity, it is necessary to seek ways to achieve the ultimate goal of the medical system, which isto protect people’slives and promote health.