Gov't tells hospitals to prevent patient harm as doctors resign

Doctors walk near a hospital in Seoul on Monday. [NEWS1]

The government has asked hospitals to roll out measures to prevent harm to patients resulting from the resignations of medical professors.

According to sources on Monday, the Ministry of Health and Welfare issued a notice to the Korean Hospital Association last week, urging hospitals to respond appropriately to changes in medical treatment and appointments caused by the resignations and leaves of absence of medical professors, or senior doctors. The Korean Hospital Association represents approximately 3,500 hospital chiefs nationwide.

The Health Ministry based its request on the Framework Act on Health and Medical Services and the Medical Service Act, which obliges medical services personnel to provide "high-quality and appropriate health care" to patients. The law says patients are entitled "to receive appropriate health and medical treatment services to protect and improve their own health," the notice stressed.

The ministry further advised hospitals and doctors to provide thorough explanations to patients regarding appointment schedule changes and consider assigning different doctors or referring patients to other hospitals for treatment. Abrupt appointment cancellations or changes could be construed as refusals of medical services, the ministry warned.

Last week, major hospitals suspended outpatient appointments and surgeries as medical professors walked off the job in solidarity with junior doctors protesting the government's plan to increase the medical school enrollment quota.

Medical professors began submitting their resignation letters en masse in late March, although none have been accepted by their employers, according to the government. Starting last week, medical professors nationwide began taking one day off per week in response to their increased workload due to the mass walkout of junior doctors.

Some 12,000 trained doctors have left their workplaces since Feb. 20 to protest the government's plan to increase medical school admissions by 2,000. The annual medical recruitment quota has been capped at 3,058 since 2006.

The lingering walkout has also caused financial challenges for hospitals, with Kyung Hee University Medical Center in Seoul announcing possible salary suspensions from next month.

Three of the five major hospitals — Seoul National University Hospital, Severance Hospital and Seoul Asan Hospital — have been operating under emergency management systems since March due to financial losses.

On Monday, the government also urged medical schools to submit their academic plans to prevent grade retention among students who have joined the protest against the medical school enrollment quota hike.

The details of their semester plans may include adopting flexible schedules, such as having yearlong courses squeezed into the upcoming semester. This will require students to make up for classes from August to February.

According to academic regulations at medical schools, students who miss more than one-third or one-fourth of classes are eligible to receive a failing grade. Failing one course requires medical students to repeat a year.

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