Korea’s healthcare infrastructure is well developed compared to that of neighbouring countries. In addition, cost-effectiveness is well established as one aspect of the process used to analyse healthcare value for money. However, a consistent understanding of what value entails is still not established.
Moreover, given its relatively low level of health spending compared with that of other developed countries, Korea has scope to increase health spending. At the same time, with Korea’s population ageing at a similar rate to those of its peers, stark choices lie ahead.
How can Korea tackle these challenges to keep its healthcare system a model for the rest of Asia?