Ministry of Health and Welfare Consults with Ministry of National Defense on Disciplinary Actions for Workplace Order Violations
Medical Institutions Enroll in Group Insurance Covering 200 Million Won Compensation per Case
The government announced that it is considering disciplinary action against some military doctors who were dispatched to hospitals experiencing disruptions in emergency room operations but refused to work due to concerns over medical malpractice liability. Hospitals receiving military doctors are enrolled in group insurance that covers up to 200 million KRW per case, and if a medical accident occurs due to the military doctor's negligence, the hospital must bear a deductible of 20 million KRW.
According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare on the 8th, when a medical accident occurs due to negligence by 250 military doctors and public health doctors deployed to emergency medical sites since the 4th, the medical institution receiving these personnel is held liable for compensation. The ministry explained that as of April, 65 institutions had already submitted liability consent forms requiring the medical institutions to bear responsibility for compensation arising from the negligence of substitute personnel.
The ministry stated, "To alleviate the burden of medical accident compensation on hospitals, we have also enrolled in group insurance that guarantees liability coverage, and accordingly, contracts have been completed to allow compensation of up to 200 million KRW per claim (with a total compensation limit of 2 billion KRW). In cases where liability arises from the dispatched personnel's negligence, the medical institution will bear a deductible of 20 million KRW."
However, as some military doctors dispatched to certain hospitals have complained of difficulties in emergency room treatment and either returned or were reassigned to intensive care units, some have criticized the government's substitute personnel deployment measures as ineffective.
In response, the ministry said, "The Central Accident Response Headquarters (CARH) dispatches military doctors to hospitals with issues in treating severe and emergency patients, and on-site, hospital directors utilize them to maintain necessary functions such as emergency or backup treatment. When the medical institution head decides to assign them to areas other than the emergency room, the original staff can work in the emergency room, so the dispatch of military doctors remains meaningful," rebutting the criticism.
The ministry also stated, "We have not received any official letters requesting the return of military doctors. Even if military doctors are sent to other hospitals, similar problems may arise, so we will continue education and persuasion, and in cooperation with the Ministry of National Defense, discuss disciplinary measures for violations of military duty orders."
According to the manual, if a military doctor dispatched to the emergency room requests to return, the local government in charge confirms the hospital's intention and sends an official return request letter to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, which then notifies the Ministry of National Defense to order the military doctor to return to their unit. The ministry explained that this process did not occur.
The ministry also claims that the scope of duties for dispatched military doctors was notified in advance. It explained, "When CARH requested the Ministry of National Defense to dispatch military doctors, the official letter specified that they would perform duties related to inpatient and emergency patients. It also stated that the medical institutions receiving the personnel would implement specific work instructions and service management for the dispatched personnel."
Regarding military doctors specialized in emergency medicine who say they cannot work in the emergency room, the ministry said, "Emergency medicine specialists are professionals providing emergency medical care and are personnel assigned by military duty orders. We will request persuasion and education through the Ministry of National Defense to ensure they faithfully fulfill the duties assigned by the state."
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