Korea to roll out blueprint for medical reform

The government said Tuesday that it would roll out a blueprint for medical reform in late August, renewing its commitment to overhauling health care despite strong resistance from the medical circle.

Health Minister Cho Kyoo-hong made the remarks during a government response meeting, highlighting that the medical reform committee launched in April has made tangible progress in tackling the problems of the country's medical system that have remained unsolved after 31 committee meetings with relevant experts.

Adhering to junior doctors' calls for better working conditions, the government plans to establish a "comprehensive training system" under the scheme to enhance their training environments, including reduced working hours, so that they can invest more time in developing their clinical skills. Currently, junior doctors work an average of 77.7 hours per week, with most working overtime, according to the Korean Intern Resident Association.

The minister also promised to establish a "legal safety net" for doctors to limit their criminal liability in malpractice cases. The absence of a safety net often pushes physicians to stop practicing medicine and has made junior doctors reluctant to choose essential but undervalued medical fields or high-risk specialties due to the risks associated with malpractice suits.

"Now is the time for the government to change the health care system. If the current problems are not addressed properly, the disparities and imbalances within the system will worsen and become challenging to correct later," Cho noted.

Cho added that the government would allow tertiary general hospitals to focus on more critical and emergency patients and those battling rare diseases as part of its efforts to restructure tertiary general hospital operations by reducing dependence on junior doctors and creating physician-centered hospitals.

In addition, physicians in essential medical services, such as those specializing in severe and difficult treatments, will receive better compensation. The reimbursement system will also be strengthened. Cho vowed that the government would create bold investment plans to support the scheme and bring practical changes that would have a tangible impact on the medical sector.

As the government's deadlock with doctors has entered its fifth month, Cho expressed deep regrets regarding professors who have warned of boycotting junior doctors' training starting in September, noting that the public has been bearing the brunt of the medical void for months.

This comes after medical professors at Seoul St. Mary's Hospital and Severance Hospital warned that they would not take part in education and training programs for interns and residents set to join the course in September if the government and hospitals push ahead with their recruitment plans.

"It is deeply regrettable that medical professors who know and understand the difficulties of the medical field more than anybody else are seeming to overlook patients' anxiety and fear," Cho said.

"The government hopes that medical professors would warmly welcome junior doctors who made the courage to return and persuade those who have resigned to return to hospitals," he pleaded.