Government: "Full-scale Medical Reform Discussions... Increasing Medical School Quotas is the First Step to Correct Healthcare System Distortion"

10il, Medical Reform Special Committee 2nd Meeting

The Ministry of Health and Welfare announced on the 10th that it held the 2nd meeting of the Special Committee on Medical Reform and will intensify social discussions on medical reform.

At the 43rd meeting of the Central Accident Response Headquarters (CARH) for the doctors' collective action held that day, Minister of Health and Welfare Cho Kyu-hong said, "We are intensifying social discussions on medical reform by holding the 2nd meeting of the Medical Reform Special Committee tomorrow," adding, "Medical reform, including increasing the number of doctors, is the first step to correcting the distortions in the healthcare system that have been stagnant for a long time."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

Minister Cho stated, "In a situation where the prolonged emergency medical system is increasing the fatigue of frontline medical staff, we are closely examining the treatment capabilities of medical institutions," and added, "The government will strengthen necessary support to maintain the emergency medical system while simultaneously normalizing the medical supply and utilization system so that tertiary general hospitals operate focusing on critically ill patients through medical reform." He also said, "We will complete medical reform to protect the lives and health of the people and to ensure that medical personnel engaged in essential medical services can work with pride."

As a result of checking the emergency medical system at the CARH meeting that day, the average number of inpatients at tertiary general hospitals on the 8th of this month was 24,235, an increase of 9.4% compared to the previous week's average. This is 73% of the level in the first week of February before the collective resignation of residents.

The number of inpatients in all general hospitals, including tertiary general hospitals, increased by 4.6% from the previous week to 90,258, which is 94% of the level in the first week of February.

The number of patients admitted to intensive care units (ICUs) in tertiary general hospitals was 2,867, an increase of 0.8% from the previous week, which is 86% of the normal level. The number of ICU inpatients in all general hospitals increased by 0.6% to 7,004, which is 95% of the normal level.

Among the total 408 emergency rooms, 393 (96%) operated without reducing beds. Fourteen regional emergency medical centers displayed messages restricting treatment for some of the 27 severe emergency diseases.

As of the 7th, the number of severe and emergency patients visiting emergency medical centers increased by 5.3% compared to the previous week, and moderate severity (between severe and mild) patients increased by 4.2%. Mild patients decreased by 8.5%. Compared to the first week of February, which was a normal period, severe and emergency patients decreased by 4.3%, and mild patients decreased by 18.3%. Moderate severity patients increased by 3.3% compared to normal times.

The government is dispatching 427 military doctors and public health doctors to minimize disruptions in severe and emergency medical care and is supporting 11,165 physician assistant (PA) nurses participating in the pilot project for medical support to work with legal stability.