Korean pediatrician shortage means long lines, frustration

Pediatric patients are waiting for doctor's appointments at a children's hospital in Seongbuk District, northern Seoul, on Oct. 18, 2022. [YONHAP]

Korea is suffering from a lack of pediatricians.

Due to the shortage, patients are forced to wait in long lines to see a doctor.

“I waited for an hour, but the wait was not that long since it was not a Monday,” a 33-year-old who came to the hospital with a two-year-old daughter told JoongAng Ilbo Tuesday. The two came out of the hospital at 10:20 a.m. after waiting for an hour to see a doctor.

They arrived at the hospital 10 minutes before it opened, but there were already 10 people waiting in line.

“When an online reservation service opens at 9 a.m., there are times when over 30 people are waiting to book a session.”

The pediatrician shortage has troubled the country for years and is a result of the declining birth rate and the freezing of medical rates over the past few years.

“Compared to other departments, pediatrics only receive doctor appointment fees since there are no additional fees not covered by health insurance for pediatrics,” said Lim Hyun-taek, chairman of the Korean Pediatric Association.

“Costs to see a pediatrician in Korea are only five percent of those of the United States and are even lower than those of Cambodia and China. This requires the hospital to receive at least 80 patients a day to maintain business but the decreasing birth rate and the Covid-19 pandemic are heavily affecting the issue.”

A plunging number of pediatric patients is another reason for a rising number of children's hospitals closing down.

Since 2020, more pediatrics medical facilities closed down than newly opened. A total of 103 children’s hospitals were newly opened, while 154 shut down in 2020. In 2021, 93 hospitals opened while 120 closed down, according to the Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service.

“A total of 662 pediatric hospitals closed in the past five years,” said Lim.

“Doctors working at local clinics are losing their jobs accordingly, causing interns and resident doctors to avoid pediatrics.”

Thirty-three resident doctors signed up for pediatrics early this year across 64 hospitals. The capacity for this specific department is 207.

“Medical students say they avoid pediatrics not because they don’t like the department but because there is no future,” Lim added.

This is also leading to hospitals suspending their emergency treatments for pediatric patients.

Among all university hospitals in the country, only 36 percent were offering emergency treatment for pediatric patients. Multiple large hospitals halted emergency treatment for pediatric patients last year, including Ewha Womans University Mokdong Hospital and Gangnam Severance Hospital.

“The number of pediatric patients in severe condition is rising as there are not many emergency rooms in big hospitals doing their jobs,” said Jung Seong-kwan, a pediatrician at the Woorisoa Children’s Hospital.

“Doctors and nurses are getting exhausted due to the rising emergency cases.”

The hospital is open for night operation from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. but registration closes early at 7:30 p.m. as there are so many patients.

To deal with the issue, the Ministry of Health and Welfare said it will run a test business to compensate hospitals offering public pediatric services. It is also considering expanding the capacity for medical students by 350 next year. The cap of freshmen in medical schools nationwide is 3,058.

“Even if the medical school’s freshmen capacity is increased, who would sign up for a department that has no future?” Lim at the Korean Pediatric Association asked.

“To prevent the collapse of pediatrics, an organization under the president should be formed to discuss mid to long-term measures.”

BY YI WOO-LIM, CHO JUNG-WOO [cho.jungwoo1@joongang.co.kr]