Gyeonggi-do Conducts Full Survey on Compliance with 'Medical Fee Posting' at 1,303 Animal Hospitals

Gyeonggi Province will conduct a full inspection related to the posting of veterinary hospital treatment fees by the end of May. Earlier in January, Gyeonggi Province introduced a system for posting veterinary hospital treatment fees. This inspection will cover 1,303 veterinary hospitals within the province.

According to the revised Veterinarian Act, all veterinary hospitals must post the costs of major treatment items such as consultation, hospitalization, and examination fees. The posting methods include placing booklets or printed materials, or attaching posters in easily visible locations for animal owners such as inside the veterinary hospital reception desk or treatment rooms, or posting on the veterinary hospital’s official website.

If the fees are not posted, a corrective order will be issued, and failure to comply with the corrective order will result in fines (300,000 KRW for the first offense, 600,000 KRW for the second, and 900,000 KRW for the third).

Since last year, Gyeonggi Province has conducted preliminary guidance inspections for veterinary hospitals through city and county offices, and has informed all veterinary hospitals in the province of this system in advance through the Gyeonggi Veterinary Association.

Gyeonggi Provincial Government

In this inspection, Gyeonggi Province will also check not only the treatment fee posting system but also ▲ explanations and consent for major treatments such as surgeries ▲ matters related to the veterinarian prescription management system ▲ proper issuance of prescriptions ▲ recording and preservation of medical records ▲ and whether there are any false or exaggerated advertisements. If any legal violations are found, administrative actions will be taken according to relevant regulations.

Choi Kyung-mook, Director of the Animal Quarantine and Hygiene Division of Gyeonggi Province, stated, "We will do our best to ensure that the implementation and changes following the revision of the Veterinarian Act, including the veterinary hospital treatment fee posting system, are thoroughly observed in the field by combining publicity and guidance inspections, so that the rights to know and the right to choose treatment for veterinary hospital users are guaranteed."