"Discussion on Various Issues Including Improvement of Resident Training Environment and Revision of Fee Compensation System"
Request for Participation Following Nonattendance Declaration by KMA and DAEJEONHYEOP
The Presidential Commission on Medical Reform, a social consultative body discussing medical reform, will be launched on the 25th and hold its first meeting.
Park Min-su, the 2nd Vice Minister of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, said at a briefing of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters on doctors' collective action held at the Government Complex Sejong on the 24th, "The Medical Reform Commission is a social consultative body where various sectors of society present diverse opinions on numerous large and small issues related to medical reform and prepare reasonable alternatives through open discussions." He added, "With the launch of this commission, we expect medical reform to gain momentum in earnest and for the long-stagnant health care system to take a step forward toward the future."
The government plans to concretize the '4 Major Essential Medical Policy Package,' focusing on strengthening regional medical care, establishing a safety net for medical accidents, and enhancing fairness in the compensation system such as medical fees through the commission.
Vice Minister Park explained, "We plan to discuss various issues including improving the training environment for residents and reforming the training system to cultivate high-quality specialists, revising the fee compensation system to enable just and sufficient compensation reflecting the characteristics of essential medical care, systematic management and improvement of non-reimbursed services and indemnity insurance that hinder fair compensation for essential medical care, improving the medical delivery system for effective patient distribution from tertiary general hospitals to hospitals and clinics according to severity to resolve concentration in large hospitals, and establishing a safety net and compensation system for medical accidents so that doctors can focus on their duties and patients can receive adequate compensation."
The commission members consist of government members from six ministries and 20 private members. Among the private members, 10 are recommended by provider organizations including medical associations, 5 by consumer organizations, and 5 are experts in various fields. The Korean Medical Association (KMA) and the Korean Intern Resident Association (KIRA), which stand at opposite ends regarding medical school enrollment expansion, have declared their absence.
Vice Minister Park urged once again, "We hope that the KMA and KIRA will participate in the Medical Reform Commission with an open mind," and added, "We sincerely ask you to join us in preparing alternatives to improve Korea's health care system."
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