醫師人力研究一直是衛生政策研究中重要的議題,其最主要目的在於探討醫師人力的數量、素質與分布三大問題,以及影響醫師數量,科別分布與地理分布因素之探討。雖然醫師人力議題研究並非是個新的研究領域或新的議題,但是隨著時空環境的的改變,醫師人力總是會有新的問題發生。本研究探考台灣地區過去以來的醫師人力研究文獻,其研究目的不外於下列三部分,第一部分為現況人力分析與未來數量推計,第二部分為專科別之分布,第三部分為地理別之分布。在台灣有關醫師人力研究常會面臨下列幾個問題:一、民眾需求之估計不易。二、醫師人力資料取得不易。三、醫師職業科別之不確定性。台灣地區於1995年實施全民健康保險,由於支付制度設計無法完全考量各專科別或次專科之服務特性,在經濟誘因之影響下,已對台灣地區醫師人力結構發生相當大之影響,如何去評估醫師人力之需求與利用政策改變或保險力量調整成為未來台灣地區醫師人力研究重要的課題。
Research of physician manpower, one of the major issues in health policy, has focused on the quantity, quality and distribution of physicians. Although it is not a new issue, new definition and problems emerge as time goes by. Here, we review the research methodology of the physician manpower in Taiwan. The methodology employed in this regard was threefold: to analyze quantity by measuring the ratio of physician to the population; to analyze quality by studying the physi-cians' specialty; and to analyze distribution from a geographical point of view. There were, however, three limitations in these studies. l.Health needs were difficult to measure. 2.The physician enrollment and related material were unreliable. 3.The practitioner's specialty was not well defined. National Health Insurance began in 1995. The payment system had economic incentive consequence to the manpower structure. How to evaluate the needs of physicians and to change the constitution of physician manpower under the National Health Insurance or health care reform appears to be the most important subject.