Government Begins Daily Emergency Medical Briefings Starting Today
The government will deploy more than 200 military doctors and public health doctors to hospitals with restricted emergency room operations starting from the 4th. It also emphasized that although some emergency rooms are currently facing operational difficulties, there is no situation warranting concern about collapse.
On the 2nd, Park Min-su, the 2nd Vice Minister of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, stated at a daily briefing on emergency medical care and emergency response held at the Government Complex Sejong, "The government will begin daily briefings on emergency medical care starting today to provide the public with more detailed information about emergency medical services," adding, "Although concerns have been raised about the reduced operation of emergency medical institutions in some regions recently, the government plans to respond swiftly with additional measures."
Vice Minister Park explained, "Due to the absence of residents and other factors, the capacity of emergency rooms and follow-up care has decreased to about 70-80% of normal levels, creating difficult conditions," but clarified, "However, it is not true that the number of emergency room staff has dropped to less than half, as some claim." He continued, "The government will meticulously minimize disruptions in the treatment of severe and emergency patients by selectively deploying personnel such as military doctors and public health doctors to institutions facing operational difficulties and utilizing emergency centers in nearby regions."
Accordingly, a total of 15 military doctors will be deployed to medical institutions with partially restricted emergency room operations on the 4th of this month, and approximately 235 military doctors and public health doctors will be concentrated in high-risk institutions in eight dispatch phases starting from the 9th.
Additionally, medical personnel capable of emergency or follow-up care will be shared regionally, and the scope of the rotating duty system will be expanded to promptly meet regional emergency medical demands. From the 11th to the 25th, about two weeks will be designated as the Chuseok holiday emergency response period, during which all efforts will be made to minimize disruptions in the treatment of severe and emergency patients. Vice Minister Park urged, "We ask the public to refrain from using large hospitals and instead utilize local clinics and hospitals for the sake of patients who are more urgent and severely ill."
The government also plans to promptly improve health insurance fees to prevent the outflow of emergency medical personnel and strengthen follow-up care capabilities. The 250% additional fee for emergency room specialist consultations and the 200% additional fee for follow-up care procedures such as surgery, treatment, and anesthesia will be finalized promptly after review by the Health Insurance Policy Deliberation Committee scheduled for this week.
A supply and demand forecasting organization for medical personnel will also be launched soon, with committee member recommendations beginning this month. Vice Minister Park stated, "Although the medical school quota for the 2026 academic year has already been reflected in the university entrance examination implementation plan, if the medical community proposes reasonable measures, we are open to discussions."
© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.
