|
KMID : 1142920170010010157
|
|
Public Health Affairs
2017 Volume.1 No. 1 p.157 ~ p.175
|
|
|
Health Care Systems of the Ministry of Justice in Korea: A Part of Public Health Paralleled or Neglected
|
|
Yi Eo-Jin
|
|
|
Abstract
|
|
|
Purpose: It would like to systematically analyze the health care systems of the Ministry of Justice and its affiliated institutions in Korea, and propose policy issues and improvements in terms of public health.
Methods: Kleczkowski’s model(1984) for national health system infrastructures was applied. Each element was created from literatures and published materials.
Results: By law, standardized medical facilities with medical staff are set up in all prisons, juvenile reformatories, institute of forensic psychiatry, immigration processing and reception centers. Institutions are under the control by the central headquarters, and located throughout the country. Each clinic is organized as a medical department and has been developed into a unique system. Delivery of health care for inmates includes local community infrastructure, and moreover it has been applied telemedicine more than 10 years. Patients with specific infectious diseases (tuberculosis, leprosy) and mental disease may also be transferred to designated facilities within the system.
Medical law and the law for inmates’ treatment compose the fundamentals of the health care systems of the Ministry of Justice. Major decision-making process is independent from the Ministry of Health and Welfare. On the other hand, most of expenses of health care services including external medical treatment are expended from national finance.
Conclusions: Although health care of the Ministry of Justice is a part of public health, it has been understood as a simple medical service in the Korean system. It seems like to be neglected from the mainstream of public health, considering the infrastructure scale and history. In the future, it needs more collaboration between ‘health’ and ‘justice’ with long-term perspectives and proper approach to public health planning. The more the systems improve, the more the human rights promote.
|
|
|
KEYWORD
|
|
|
Health care systems, Prisons, Immigrants, Law enforcement, Human Rights
|
|
|
FullTexts / Linksout information
|
|
|
|
|
|
Listed journal information
|
|
|
|
|