J Korean Med Assoc.  2013 May;56(5):389-393.

The experiences of system integration countries informing the potential unification of the Korean peninsula's healthcare system

• Yoon SJ

Abstract

A "system integration country" is defined as the political unification to a single national system of a country divided for a certain period of time such as Germany, Yemen, and Vietnam. Vietnam is moving to adopt the South Korean health insurance system. The process by which the Vietnamese healthcare insurance system is introduced should be applied to establishing the North Korean healthcare system after the future unification of the Korean peninsula. Yemen's political instability has resulted in poor health care indicators. Before the unification of Germany, an agreement regarding healthcare was formed and vigorous mutual exchanges of health care issues occurred. Political unification is not in itself a perfect solution for health care issues. We must make thorough preparations and develop strategies for an upcoming integration of healthcare systems. Like the experience of the unified Germany, humanitarian exchanges and cooperation of public healthcare issues should continue. A unified Korea will be confronted with many hardships, especially in health care. Therefore, a practical plan for the healthcare system before and after the unification of the Korean peninsula is needed.

Keyword

Healthcare system of unified Korea; System integration

MeSH Terms

Asian Continental Ancestry Group
Delivery of Health Care
Germany
Humans
Insurance
Insurance, Health
Korea
Vietnam
Yemen

Figure

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  Figure 1 Trends of age-standardized mortality rates in cardiovascular diseases from 1991 to 2007 using the annual European standard population (Modified from Robert Koch Institute. 20 Years after the fall of the Wall: how the health developed in Germany? Berlin: Robert Koch Institute; 2009) [10].

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  Figure 2 Suicide rates per 100,000 from 1990 to 2007 (Modified from Robert Koch Institute. 20 Years after the fall of the Wall: how the health developed in Germany? Berlin: Robert Koch Institute; 2009) [10].

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  Figure 3 Trends of accidental mortality rates from 1990 to 2007 using the annual European standard population (Modified from Robert Koch Institute. 20 Years after the fall of the Wall: how the health developed in Germany? Berlin: Robert Koch Institute; 2009) [10].

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