Presidential Office: "Hospital Structure Dependent on Residents... Support for Hiring Professors"

Active Preparation of Emergency Medical Care and Compensation Measures
Dispatch of Public Health Doctors and Military Medical Officers

The Presidential Office is preparing practical compensation measures to prevent burnout among professors and nurses who are replacing residents that collectively resigned in opposition to the increase in medical school quotas. Since the departure of residents is causing medical service gaps, the government is also considering support measures if the affected hospitals actively recruit professors and other staff.

A senior official from the Presidential Office said in a phone interview with Asia Economy on the 3rd, "We earnestly ask the residents to stay by the patients' side so that the public does not suffer hardships," adding, "However, if personnel leave, we will prepare emergency medical services and compensation measures."

The official pointed out, "The actual large-scale departures are among residents undergoing training at hospitals, and due to their departure, medical practices are not being properly conducted," and added, "The structure where hospitals rely on residents for operation is problematic."

The official stated, "If hospitals face difficulties due to residents leaving, they should resolve the issue through recruitment," and said, "Hospitals need to devise ways to expand and supplement the workforce that can actually replace them."

The government is also actively working on measures to fill the medical service gaps. Severe patient admissions and surgeries will be handled by tertiary hospitals, while mild patient care will be divided among general hospitals. Legal protections will be established so that Physician Assistant (PA) nurses can perform their duties with peace of mind. Public health doctors and military medical officers will be actively dispatched to medical institutions to respond to the medical service gaps.

Presidential Office: "Dialogue with the Medical Association is not possible... Please form a representative organization"

The medical community was urged to promptly form a representative organization to engage in dialogue. A senior official from the Presidential Office said, "The government hopes that a representative organization will gather the opinions of the medical community rather than relying on a specific group," and added, "There are several medical organizations, but the atmosphere is such that no dialogue is happening at all."

He continued, "Dialogue based on collective action cannot be established," and said, "Please stop collective actions and return to the medical field. If proposals are made through a representative dialogue channel, the government will immediately make efforts."

Earlier, on the 28th of last month, the Presidential Office requested, "The Medical Association claims to represent the medical community, but it is somewhat difficult to have true representation," and asked, "Please propose members with representation who have gathered consensus within the medical community."

The Presidential Office also plans to proceed with administrative sanctions against residents who have not returned as scheduled. A Presidential Office official said, "The government plans to send advance notices from the 4th to residents who have not returned, informing them of a three-month license suspension," and added, "There is no change in the plan to proceed with the three-month license suspension as a principle."

Meanwhile, the Medical Association held a nationwide doctors' rally at 2 p.m. at Yeouido Park in Seoul to oppose the increase in medical school quotas and the essential medical package, urging the government to reconsider the increase from the beginning. In response, a Presidential Office official said, "Currently, plans to increase medical personnel are inevitable," and added, "If this is a task that someone must do someday for our future and children, then the Yoon Seok-yeol administration is committed to doing it now," indicating no change in the determination to push forward medical reform.

On the afternoon of the 3rd, a nationwide doctors' general rally is being held near Yeouidaero next to Yeouido Park in Seoul to oppose the increase in medical school quotas and the essential medical package. [Image source=Yonhap News]