보건의료 자원배분의 우선순위 설정기준 탐색

Exploring Priority Setting Criteria for Limited Health Care Resources

OBJECTIVE This study aims to investigate the priority setting criteria that the public thinks appropriate for limited health care resources. METHODS Twelve adults who reside in Jinju were recruited for focus group interview. Participants were divided into two groups of six people each, and each discussion was moderated by the same researcher based on the same scenario. RESULTS As a result of the focus group interview in the two groups, we could identify various criteria involved in prioritizing limited health care resources. In general, accessibility to necessary medical services was considered a very important value, and it was important to guarantee access to basic medical care, equity in health care use, and support for socioeconomically vulnerable classes. It was also found that many participants considered protection from financial risks as a very important function of health insurance. However, participants were divided on how to allocate resources under the constraint of a limited budget. Some insisted that it was necessary to support the latest high-priced medical treatments as it is the obligation of the nation to protect the lives and health of people, while others insisted that it needs to be balanced considering both costs and benefits. CONCLUSION Overall, the results found that equity considerations are stronger than the support for the health maximization, which corresponds to the principle of utilitarian distribution. In addition, a big difference of opinions between generations was also discovered. Participants in their 20s, they paid more attention to cost-effectiveness than the other age group.