Abstract
This study is aimed at exploring the direction and characteristics of Japanese medical facility improvement in each area, a move to strengthen local medical services. Also, this study is intended to establish implications for Korea, which has similar social conditions as Japan's. Based on the findings, Japanese medical facility improvement has the following characteristics. First, as for medical service supply system, the linkage between facilities was being strengthened. The purpose is to share the functions and roles of limited medical facilities. It allows patients to receive complete medical services in one area. Second, local public health facilities were consolidated to boost their management efficiency and to improvement their original functions. Third, local medical facility roles were divided into different levels. The purpose is to treat patients more efficiently depending on their diseases. In other words, the cooperative medical system was strengthened by dividing the roles of medical facilities. It is aimed at treating each patient more systematically depending on their conditions in line with the treatment stage. The findings suggest the following for Korea. In order to supply and maintain stable medical services regionally in line with social changes, functional issues of medical facilities should be tackled consistently and systematically.