Government: "Posting 'List of Returning Residents' Unacceptable... Medical Community Must Engage in Dialogue"

"Strict Response to Illegal Activities According to Principles"
Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters Discusses 'Strengthening Compensation for High-Risk Medical Procedures for Children and Fetuses'

The government stated that it cannot tolerate actions such as distributing the list of returning residents within the medical community and will respond firmly according to principles.

Minister of Health and Welfare Cho Kyoo-hong is presiding over the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters meeting on doctors' collective action held at the Government Seoul Office in Jongno-gu, Seoul, on the 2nd. [Image source=Yonhap News]

On the 2nd, Kwon Byung-gi, the Essential Medical Support Officer of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, made this statement during a briefing after the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (CDSCH) meeting on doctors' collective action held at the Government Seoul Office in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Officer Kwon said, "Within the medical community, there are also ongoing acts of disclosing personal information of residents and fellows who have returned to hospitals to obstruct their return," adding, "In March, the government referred for investigation a resident who disclosed the list of returnees with the intent to incite collective action and obstruct hospital return, and the investigation is currently underway. Regarding this recent matter, a prompt investigation request was also made yesterday."

He continued, "Illegal acts that unjustly interfere with individuals' free exercise of rights will never be tolerated, and the government will continue to respond firmly to illegal acts according to principles," emphasizing, "We will do our best to protect residents who have returned to medical sites until the end so that they can continue their training normally in a better environment."

On the same day, the CDSCH also discussed the 'Status of Promotion for Strengthening Compensation for High-Difficulty Pediatric and Fetal Medical Procedures.' He said, "Since May 1, the government has significantly increased the pediatric age surcharge for 281 surgical procedures designated as high-risk and high-difficulty surgeries, including associated anesthesia fees," adding, "On June 27, the Health Insurance Policy Deliberation Committee approved measures to strengthen compensation for fetal treatment."

Regarding fetal treatment, a representative field of avoidance, he stated, "compensation for five fetal treatment procedures, including intrauterine fetal transfusion, has been significantly increased from 3.75 to 5 times the previous rates," and added, "We will expedite the revision process of the reimbursement criteria notification so that these improvements can be applied on-site within July."

He also urged to stop the collective strike and engage in medical-government dialogue. Officer Kwon said, "Recently, the Ulsan University College of Medicine professors' emergency committee announced that they will begin an indefinite collective strike for one week starting from the 4th, and the emergency committees of Korea University and Chungbuk National University Colleges of Medicine announced indefinite strikes starting from the 12th and 26th, respectively," adding, "The medical community is urged to stop collective actions and resolve issues through dialogue for the sake of the public, patients, and the medical community itself."