South Korea faces widening urban-rural healthcare gap
Members of the Blue Cross Medical Volunteer Corps provide physical therapy to elderly residents in Hoengseong County, Gangwon Province, on April 29, 2023. Photo by Asia Today
March 17 (Asia Today) — South Korea’s healthcare system is becoming increasingly concentrated in the Seoul metropolitan area, leaving many rural communities with limited access to basic medical services.
The number of small clinics in Seoul and surrounding Gyeonggi Province has surged by nearly 4,000 since before the COVID-19 pandemic, while growth in provincial regions has remained largely stagnant, according to data released Monday by the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service.
In the fourth quarter of last year, Seoul had 10,477 clinic-level medical facilities and Gyeonggi Province had 8,579, marking increases of 2,105 and 1,762 respectively compared with the same period in 2018.
By contrast, increases in rural provinces were modest. South Gyeongsang added 93 clinics, North Chungcheong 72 and North Gyeongsang 48 over the same period. South Jeolla saw an increase of just 23 clinics over seven years.
The imbalance has led to stark disparities in access to care. While urban areas see intense competition to open new clinics, some rural residents must travel long distances to receive treatment.
In several counties – including Ongjin in Incheon, Inje in Gangwon Province and Bonghwa, Yeongyang and Cheongsong in North Gyeongsang Province – there are no internal medicine clinics at all. Patients with chronic conditions such as hypertension and diabetes often rely on basic prescriptions rather than continuous specialist care.
The shortage is particularly concerning in regions with rapidly aging populations. Although local health centers operate dementia care programs, patients frequently need neurologists for accurate diagnosis and treatment. However, 113 municipalities nationwide lack neurology services.
Experts also point to a decline in public health doctors as a contributing factor. Mandatory service as a public health physician now lasts longer than active military duty, discouraging applicants.
The government has proposed mid- to long-term measures, including training doctors required to serve in regional areas and expanding telemedicine and integrated care services. Still, experts warn such efforts may fall short without broader incentives to encourage medical professionals to settle outside major cities.
Kim Jae-yeon, head of a national obstetrics and gynecology association, said younger doctors are reluctant to work in rural areas.
“There is no guarantee they will remain long-term,” Kim said. “We need measures such as utilizing senior physicians, redefining underserved areas and offering higher reimbursement rates for care in those regions.”
— Reported by Asia Today; translated by UPI
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