Senior doctors at Asan Medical Center to reduce procedures, outpatient care from Thursday

Senior doctors at Asan Medical Center, one of the five biggest hospitals in Seoul, said Wednesday they will cut procedures and outpatient care starting Thursday, blaming the government for causing disruptions in public health services in the wake of medical reform.

Medical professors at the University of Ulsan, who serve as senior doctors at Asan Medical Center because the hospital is affiliated with the university, said the move is aimed at focusing on treatments for critically ill patients and emergency care.

"Under the emergency situation caused by the government, professors have been making the best efforts to maintain medical services under a challenging working environment," a committee of the professors said in a statement, noting that there are signs of the collapse of the medical system.

Under the move, the professors said the number of surgeries and outpatient treatments will be reduced by 49 percent and 30.5 percent, respectively. They asked noncritical patients to visit other hospitals.

About 12,000 trainee doctors have left their worksites since late February in protest of the government's plan to increase the number of medical students.

Earlier this week, medical professors at Korea University announced a walkout starting July 12, excluding the operation of emergency rooms and intensive care units. Those at Chungbuk National University vowed to start an indefinite walkout starting July 26.

Doctors at Severance Hospital, Gangnam Severance Hospital and Yongin Severance Hospital also have been suspending the treatment of outpatients, nonemergency surgeries and other services since late last month.

The medical community and the government, however, have made little progress, as trainee doctors and medical students have boycotted a medical community-wide committee launched last month, claiming their voices were not sufficiently reflected.

The government, which already finalized the plan to increase the number of medical students by approximately 1,500 next year, has been urging doctors to establish a single representative body to begin discussions on medical reform. (Yonhap)