In 2010, there were an average of 3.6 beds across the 27 469 small clinics (HIRA/NHIC, 2011), despite the fact that Korea population is concentrated geographically. The tendency towards having the physical infrastructure for complex services readily available suggests that these facilities may be delivering services of a higher clinical intensity than may be medically appropriate. Clinics and general hospitals provide basic surgery and limited inpatient services, and most major hospitals have large outpatient departments. Over time, these hospitals have benefitted from a prestige factor amongst consumers who often turn to the most qualified medical specialist they can access rather than general practitioners who specialise in managing the range of a patient’s needs.