Journal List > J Korean Med Assoc > v.55(2) > 1042531

Lim, Seo, Kim, and Park: A survey of physicians working in a community health center

Abstract

In Korea, physicians of the public health sector have significantly contributed to health services such as prevention and treatment of disease. However, advances in the field of public health have not provided sufficient institutional strategies and systems for reinforcement of administrative capabilities and health services. As a result, the satisfaction of physicians working in community health centers has been decreasing and their advances in the field of public health have also decreased. This study was conducted to examine the work status, working conditions, and overall job satisfaction physicians in order to strengthen of the role of physicians who work in community health centers. The subjects of the study included 191 individuals. The data were analyzed by frequency analysis and descriptive analysis using SAS. It was found that among physicians working in a community health center, the overall degree of job satisfaction was satisfactory, at 52.2% of respondents. However, it was found that employment stability (81.3%), salary increases (78.8%), the abolition of new recruitment of managing physicians on the basis of temporary (5-year term) employment (75.4%), and the provision and support for education (71.2%) should be improved to increase the job satisfaction of physicians in the community health center. Regarding this, the physicians responded that the most important conditions for them to work in the community health center were actualization of salary (63.3%) and the change of job status from temporary to full-time employment (17.0%). In conclusion, we must increase the job satisfaction of physicians working in community health centers to improve the quality of the public health care system in Korea and systematically improve the personnel system, salary, administration, and job status to increase job satisfaction.

Figures and Tables

Figure 1
The perception of the work itself. 1. It's pleasant and rewarding. 2. It gives me an intellectual stimulus and a sense of achievement. 3. It affords a lot of opportunity to display one's own ability. 4. It's an acknowledged and socially respected job. 5. It gives a lot of opportunity to acquire new knowledge or techniques. 6. It makes me frustrated. 7. It's boring and gets me fed up. 8. It requires a lot of time in clerical (administrative) transactions. 9. There is no specific difference whether doing hard on it or doing sloppily. 10. It gives me stress.
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Figure 2
The perception of the work environment. 1. There is sufficient space for business activities. 2. There is sufficient time for business activities. 3. Working conditions such as noise, lighting, and indoor temperature are pleasant. 4. Medical appliances or medical equipment are sufficient enough to perform medical services. 5. There is a sufficient workforce to support business activities.
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Figure 3
The perception of the overall job. 1. I feel responsible for the job I have taken. 2. I have an aptitude for working in community health center. 3. I always trust and respect my co-workers. 4. I cooperate with co-workers in difficult tasks. 5. I have respect for senior workers. 6. I freely discuss tasks with staff. 7. I can work here as long as I want. 8. I think this job is promising. 9. I am satisfied with my current salary level. 10. Promotion is made on the basis of fair principles. 11. I am satisfied with the system of promotion. 12. We have an enough chances to be promoted to the upper ranks.
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Figure 4
Overall job satisfaction.
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Figure 5
Major entrance obstacles of physicians to the community health center. 1. Relatively low salary. 2. Lack of advertisement. 3. Lack of expertise in public health sector. 4. Insufficiency and blockage of promotion. 5. Lack of position changes among the community health centers. 6. Lack of administrative skills. 7. Other
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Figure 6
Future prospects of physicians working in community health centers.
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Figure 7
Satisfaction with educational program.
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Figure 8
Preparation time for education.
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Figure 9
Capacity reinforcement of physicians working in community health centers. 1. Research and accumulation of justification of validity with physicians getting a director. 2. Enhanced support for physicians in the public health sector in the Korean Medical Association. 3. Enhancement of program introduction for physicians in the public health sector. 4. Research support. 5. New establishment of department or officials for physicians in the public health sector. 6. Database construction for the employees of the public health sector and job information. 7. Support for long-term training abroad (6 months to 1 year). 8. Establishment and administration of cooperative degree course. 9. Establishment and administration of specialty acquisition course.
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Figure 10
Factors related to job satisfaction.
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Table 1
Characteristics of respondents
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The cases not answered in questions are rejected in analysis.

a) Incheon, Busan, Daegu, Kwangju, and Ulsan.

b) Gyeonggi-do, Kanwon-do, Gyeongsang-do, and Jeollanam-do.

Table 2
Motives for working in the community health center (multiple responses)
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Values are presented as number (%).

The cases not answered in questions are rejected in analysis.

Table 3
The average number of patients treated per day
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Values are presented as number (%).

The cases not answered in questions are rejected in analysis.

Table 4
The participating rate of current work of the physicians in the community health center
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Values are presented as number (%).

The cases not answered in questions are rejected in analysis.

STD, sexually transmitted disease

Table 5
The participating rate of desirable work of the physicians in the community health center
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Values are presented as number (%).

The cases not answered in questions are rejected in analysis.

STD, sexually transmitted disease.

Table 6
Improvements for increased job satisfaction
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Values are score and presented as number (%).

The cases not answered in questions are rejected in analysis.

SD, standard deviation.

Table 7
Major factors of medical doctors' entrance to the public health sector
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Values are presented as number (%).

The cases not answered in questions are rejected in analysis.

References

1. Ministry of Health & Welfare. Establish of sustainable healthcare system. 2005. Seoul: Ministry of Health & Welfare.
2. Yoo YT, Joung EK, Kim EM. Primary survey on grade of knowledge, attitude, practice to work for reevaluation of public health physician's role [abstract]. The Korean Society for Preventive Medicine. 1994. In : The 46th annual scientific meeting of the Korean Society for Preventive Medicine; 1994 Oct 27-29; Gyeongju, Korea. Seoul: Korean Society for Preventive Medicine.
3. Yang KS. The methods for promoting the role of health center in executing a local health policy [dissertation]. 2002. Suncheon: Sunchon National University.
4. Lee KS, Lee JJ, Kim JS, Hwang TY, Son HK, Kim CB. The medical doctors' opinion of public health center on the development and supply of medical doctor for public health sector. J Agric Med Community Health. 2009. 34:303–315.
crossref
5. Yoo YT, Joung EK, Kim EM. Primary survey on grade of knowledge, attitude, practice to work for reevaluation of public health physician's role. Korean J Prev Med. 1994.
6. Park YM. Job satisfaction and it's determinants of physicians working in health centers [dissertation]. 2003. Seoul: Yonsei University.
7. Ministry of Health & Welfare. Ministry of health and welfare year book 2011. 2011. Seoul: Ministry of Health & Welfare.
8. Kim SY. A study of the association between job performance and the human factor of doctors working in the public health center [dissertation]. 1993. Daejeon: Chungnam National University.
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