The Provision and Utilization of Traditional Korean Medicine in South Korea: Implications on Integration of Traditional Medicine in a Developed Country

Abstract

Traditional Korean medicine (TKM) is formally integrated into the Korean national health system and monitored through the systematic and computerized system, which could grasp the whole medical services utilization in Korea. This study analyzed TKM resources as input and utilization as output using data from 2008–2017 and compared them to Conventional Medicine (CM). As a result, 25.4% of Koreans utilized TKM yearly, and the proportion of TKM medical expenditure (ME) to total ME in national health insurance was around 4% between 2008 to 2017. The proportion of ME has been stagnating or decreasing over the past ten years. Primary users are the elderly, women, and patients with musculoskeletal diseases. The Korean Ministry of health and welfare has also developed and operated programs that have taken advantage of the strengths of TKM. This study analyzes the current status of TKM in Korea comparing with that of CM. It also explores how and why the patterns of TKM and CM are different. Although the study focuses on input and output indicators, it also highlights the challenge of evaluating whether these lead to outcomes. Lastly, it seeks to inform relevant authorities of the importance of monitoring roles and evidence-informed policymaking.

Utilization of Traditional Korean Medicine Services by the Older Population: A Cross-Sectional Study

“…In addition to the older adult group, both of the general population groups also had the same top five purposes for using TKM for all musculoskeletal diseases. Musculoskeletal diseases are the main category of diseases for which TKM is used, thus supporting the findings of previous studies [ 23 , 24 ]. As the older adult population increases worldwide, the morbidity rate of musculoskeletal diseases is expected to increase even further.…”

Evaluation of Factors Associated with Adverse Drug Events in South Korea Using a Population-Based Database

“…Thus, these results are difficult to generalize in clinical practice. The proportion of older adults in South Korea is increasing rapidly, and, similarly to other countries in Asia, South Korea has a cultural preference for consuming health supplements such as herbal medicines [ 19 , 20 ]. Therefore, the risk factors associated with ADEs in South Korea may differ from those reported in previous studies conducted in Western countries.…”

Disease-based evidence map for the second-wave development of evidence-based Korean medicine clinical practice guidelines in Korea

“… 1 However, the integration of KM in the national health care system has been providing a limited proportion of the national health care services, mostly concentrated on musculoskeletal conditions and conditions in older adults. 2 One of the reasons for this situation in Korea is the public distrust of KM, which may stem from the lack of scientific evidence and unstandardized medical approach. 3 The development of evidence-based KM clinical practice guidelines (KM-CPGs) was initiated in 2016 by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, based on the 3rd National Comprehensive Plan for KM Development, which aimed to promote the utilization of KM in medical care services and diversify the applicability of KM to various medical conditions in Korea.…”

“…The first-wave development project for KM-CPGs (2016–2022) oversaw the completion of KM-CPGs for 30 diseases in 2021, 2 which was followed by the new nationally funded project, the Korean Medicine Innovative Technology Development Project that will span from 2020 to 2029. The new project group proposed 35 additional disease candidates for the second-wave development of KM-CPGs.…”