Yoon Visits Hospital: "Establish a Reliable Compensation System for Severe Patient Care in Tertiary Hospitals"

Visit to Seoul Asan Hospital, Encouraging Medical Staff

President Yoon Suk-yeol is encouraging a child patient hospitalized for brain tumor chemotherapy at Seoul Asan Hospital Children's Hospital on the 18th by bumping fists.
[Photo by Yonhap News]

President Yoon Suk-yeol visited Seoul Asan Medical Center on the 18th and stated, "We will establish a definite compensation system for the treatment of critically ill patients at tertiary general hospitals." President Yoon emphasized, "Essential medical care and critical treatment that protect the health and lives of the people are as important as national security," adding, "Just as we should not hesitate to spend the budget for national security, we will not spare the budget for the lives of our citizens."

On the morning of the same day, President Yoon visited the Children's Hospital at Seoul Asan Medical Center to observe the treatment of critically ill pediatric patients and encouraged the patients, their guardians, and medical staff, according to the presidential office. This hospital visit was President Yoon's first since the announcement of the medical reform measures in February.

The visit was arranged to encourage medical staff who quietly maintain pediatric medical care even amid collective actions by the medical community and to listen to voices from the field.

President Yoon first visited the hospital school within the pediatric hematology-oncology ward. The hospital school is a place where volunteers teach children so that they can continue their studies during their hospitalization for treatment.

Before entering the ward, President Yoon greeted the nurses at the station by saying, "Thank you for your hard work," then asked the accompanying medical staff for permission to enter, put on a sanitary gown, and entered the ward. He asked a patient hospitalized for brain tumor chemotherapy about their name and grade, saying, "The doctors are taking good care of you, so you will get better soon. You can do well, right?" and gave a fist bump to the child. He also encouraged the child's mother with a handshake, saying, "Stay strong."

Following this, President Yoon held a meeting with the hospital director and key officials to hear about the emergency treatment situation and suggestions for the government. Before the meeting, President Yoon shook hands with the attending medical staff one by one, expressing gratitude on behalf of the people, saying, "Despite difficult conditions, you are working hard for patients in essential medical fields such as pediatrics, adolescent medicine, and obstetrics and gynecology. I sincerely thank you for your dedication."

The medical staff reported that they are doing their best to minimize medical gaps even amid emergencies such as resident doctors' resignations, and proposed expanding essential medical personnel and realizing medical fees. They emphasized the need for ▲early return permission for military doctors scheduled to return as full-time doctors ▲fundamental improvements to address the manpower shortage and increasing deficit structure in pediatric care ▲establishing severity assessment criteria suitable for children in pediatric surgery ▲realizing fees for high-risk deliveries due to the increase in high-risk pregnant women ▲support for fetal treatment centers ▲and institutional clarification of nurses' scope of work.

President Yoon Suk-yeol is visiting Seoul Asan Medical Center in Songpa-gu, Seoul on the 18th and greeting the medical staff attending the meeting. [Image source=Yonhap News]

The meeting lasted more than twice the originally scheduled time. President Yoon spent ample time conversing with the medical staff, promising prompt implementation of their suggestions and urging the medical community's cooperation to complete medical reform, the presidential office said.

In particular, President Yoon instructed his aides, "Immediately devise a plan to allow military doctors scheduled to return as full-time doctors after discharge to work at hospitals even before discharge." Regarding medical fees, he mentioned, "Last year, the government increased policy support fees for pediatrics and obstetrics and gynecology once, but we are now considering further increases to cover not only initial visits but also follow-up visits."

Regarding the expansion of medical school quotas, President Yoon appealed, "Please do not insist that you cannot engage in dialogue unless the number of increases is adjusted. Look to the future and persuade the juniors." He added, "Some suggest a phased increase, which would be good if done over a long time, but due to political risks, previous governments have not dared to do so, and it has become too late. We cannot keep going through such pains every time."

He continued, "We will ensure that, as doctors worry, there will be no decline in medical quality," and urged, "To complete medical reform, doctors and nurses who know the field best must provide their opinions on what is lacking and needs improvement. Trust the government and come to the dialogue."

Finally, President Yoon emphasized, "The government will firmly ensure that medical staff in essential medical fields receive fair compensation, feel rewarded in their work, and that hospitals do not suffer financial difficulties."

Present at the president's visit to the Children's Hospital were medical staff including Park Seung-il, director of Seoul Asan Medical Center; Lee Je-hwan, deputy director of medical affairs; Park Soo-sung, director of planning and coordination; and Ko Tae-sung, director of the Children's Hospital. From the government, Prime Minister Han Duck-soo and Minister of Health and Welfare Cho Kyu-hong attended, along with aides such as Sung Tae-yoon, chief of policy at the presidential office.

President Yoon Suk-yeol is moving with medical staff during his visit to the Children's Hospital at Seoul Asan Medical Center on the 18th. [Image source=Yonhap News]