Healthcare ; Position value for relative comparison ; Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development ; Comparison ; Priority
Abstract
The aim of this study was to investigate the current and trend of healthcare status of South Korea compared to Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) countries. We used the position value for relative comparison (PARC) method for measuring the healthcare status of South Korea by five parts of healthcare policy (demand, supply, accessibility, quality, and cost). Additionally, we conducted Mann-Kendall test for analyzing the trend of PARC from 2000 to the present. Demand, supply, accessi bility, and quality of healthcare of Korea were located upon the average of OECD countries, and showed an increasing trend from 2000 to the present. However, primary care and screening for cervical cancer were placed at a lower level compared the OECD aver age. In conclusion, the current state of healthcare in Korea seems to be generally beyond the average among OECD countries. How ever, some parts, including primary care, need to be improved.