Government: Establishing Regionally Complete Essential Medical Care is Key to Healthcare Reform

Sang-min Lee: "Regional General and Specialized Hospitals to Become Excellent Hub Hospitals"
Promises to Increase Full-time Professors at National Universities for Medical School Freshmen
Concerns Over Medical Professors' Collective Action... "Public Worries Are Growing"

The government reiterated its position that "establishing 'regionally conclusive essential medical care' that ensures access to necessary medical services in any area is the core of medical reform." Despite the medical community's collective action continuing for three months, the government plans to closely monitor medical sites in each region to maintain an emergency medical system so that there is no disruption in the treatment of severe and emergency patients.

Lee Sang-min, the 2nd Deputy Head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (CDSCH) and Minister of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety, chaired a meeting at the Government Sejong Complex on the morning of the 3rd, stating, "It is very important to foster regional general hospitals and specialized hospitals as excellent regional base hospitals."

Sang-min Lee, the 2nd Deputy Head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (Minister of the Ministry of the Interior and Safety), is presiding over the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters meeting on doctors' collective action and delivering opening remarks on the morning of the 3rd at the Government Sejong Complex in Sejong City.
[Photo by Ministry of the Interior and Safety]

In particular, Minister Lee pointed to Bucheon Sejong Hospital, which President Yoon Seok-yeol visited last month, saying, "As the only heart specialty hospital in the country, it plays a role in essential cardiac medical fields including pediatric cardiology." He proposed, "The government will strengthen compensation for specialized hospitals treating severe patients to the level of tertiary general hospitals, and improve the designation and evaluation criteria for specialized hospitals to foster specialized hospitals in areas such as cardiology, pediatrics, and obstetrics."

He continued, "As of May 1, 31 medical schools have submitted a revised university admission plan to the Korea Council for University Education to increase the number of new students by a total of 1,469 for the next academic year," promising necessary support such as increasing full-time professors at national universities and expanding clinical practice facilities to ensure high-quality education for medical students.

He also expressed concern about the public's suffering due to the medical community's collective action continuing for three months. Minister Lee urged those involved to return to the field, saying, "Some medical school professors have announced their participation in collective actions such as reducing outpatient care and closing clinics once a week, which is increasing concerns among patients and the public."

Minister Lee added, "Recently, some residents have returned to patient care, and the contract rate for full-time doctors is gradually increasing," and urged, "Residents who have not yet returned to the field should come back to the patients waiting for you before it is too late and engage in dialogue in your original positions." He pledged, "The government will listen to the voices from the medical field and communicate more actively with the medical community to normalize healthcare," and vowed, "We will unwaveringly complete medical reform for both the public and healthcare professionals."