This study concentrates on exploring how the government has responded to the sharp confrontation between such strong professional interest groups as the associations of medical doctors and pharmacists, and analyzing the strategies and characters of pr...
This study concentrates on exploring how the government has responded to the sharp confrontation between such strong professional interest groups as the associations of medical doctors and pharmacists, and analyzing the strategies and characters of profit-oriented intervention by the interest groups and political responses by the government.
Main parts of this study consist of 5 chapters. Chapter I is the introductory part describing the purpose, scope and structure of the study. Chapter II presents the theoretical background of political responses in the policy implementation process, reviewing and discussing the significance and character of political implementation by the government and intervention by the interest groups. Chapter III provides the status of the policy for specializing dispensary and medical practice, examining the concept, necessity and background of promoting the policy, and its outcome. Chapter IV investigates the character of the interest groups in connection with their interest-oriented purpose, government strategy and change in relation or in line with the separation policy, and points out some problems on the part of government. Chapter V draws conclusion from the issues discussed above.
From this study, it became evident to make following approaches to overcome the collective conflicts and achieve the desired outcomes in policy:
First, the government should take a firm stance as a defender of public interest by maintaining the initial political objective and base, instead of being easily led by the forced pressure from interest groups;
Second, the government should not remain simply as a mediator but push actively through with firm political attitude in dealing with such critical issues as the separation of dispensary and medical practice that is directly associated with the national health, utilizing every means to persuade them morally, induce or, if necessary, force them to refrain from interest taking acts;
Third, an autonomous body should be launched to prompt dialogue or compromise between the interest groups with similar or overlapping territory of business.
For successful settlement of the separation policy in the future, more cooperation and understanding are requested by medicinal and pharmaceutical world, government and concerned people in the process.
The meaning of this study may be summed up as follows: First, the process of political decision is to solve problems on the way to realizing an ideal future. No matter how desirable it is, the desired political effect can't be yielded if the fixed policy is lightly changed or biased during its implementation process. Second, even when the purpose and intent of a policy is clearly defined and so chosen, is can be affected by numberless interactive factors like political environment, intervention or conflict of interest groups. In other word, a policy may be re-formed repeatedly in response to new requirements or mutual modification in the implementation process. Therefore, implementation of a policy can't be separated from the politics but may be an essential part of it.