"High Emergency Room Mortality Rate Appears Due to Decreased Number of Patients (Update)"

Ministry of Health and Welfare Explains in Daily Emergency Medical Briefing
Number of Deaths from January to July Decreased to 27,176 Compared to Last Year

The government recently stated that the increase in emergency room mortality rates is due to an overall decrease in the number of people visiting emergency rooms, and that the number of deaths has actually slightly decreased compared to last year. Regarding the posts on online communities used by doctors and medical students that said "more people need to die," the government expressed that it is "very regrettable and unfortunate."

[Image source=Yonhap News]

On the 11th, Jeong Yoon-soon, Director of Medical Policy at the Ministry of Health and Welfare, explained during a briefing on emergency medical and urgent care response, "The emergency room mortality rate is calculated by the number of deaths among all emergency room visitors. Although the number of deaths among emergency room visitors this year has hardly changed, the mortality rate appears to have increased because, with the cooperation of the public, the use of emergency rooms by patients with moderate and mild symptoms has decreased, reducing the denominator of emergency room visitors."

Director Jeong added, "According to Statistics Korea, the number of deaths in the second quarter of this year increased by 1.1% compared to the same period last year, but the academic community considers this not to be statistically significant, which I hope you will take into account."

According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, the number of deaths among emergency room visitors up to the end of July this year was 27,176, a slight decrease (947 people, 3.4%) from 28,123 during the same period last year. Deaths among mild patients also decreased from 553 last year to 484 this year during the same period.

Director Jeong explained, "The number of severe patients, among whom many deaths occur in emergency room visitors, has remained almost constant this year. However, the number of moderate and mild patients has decreased significantly."

The Ministry of Health and Welfare also announced that it will strengthen inter-ministerial cooperation to firmly respond to the malicious distribution of lists of doctors currently providing medical care in the field.

Director Jeong stated, "Following the Ministry of Health and Welfare's request for investigation, the National Police Agency has been investigating acts such as publicly disclosing the list of doctors who want to work on-site from the early stages of doctors' collective actions to obstruct their return to medical care or to insult or threaten them. So far, 42 cases have been investigated, 45 people related to the incidents have been questioned, and 32 have been sent to the prosecution, taking swift and strict measures." He continued, "Maliciously disclosing the list of doctors engaged in medical care is a clear criminal act. The government will strengthen inter-ministerial cooperation and firmly deal with serious offenders."

Regarding the posts on online boards known to be used by doctors and medical students, he said, "The wrong perceptions and behaviors are very regrettable and unfortunate," and added, "I hope senior and fellow doctors will correct the inappropriate behavior of some doctors so that the efforts of medical staff who stay by patients' sides can be respected."

The government also asked for the public's cooperation regarding emergency room use on this day. Director Jeong emphasized, "For the emergency medical system to operate smoothly during the upcoming Chuseok holiday period, the cooperation of the public is more important than anything else," and urged, "If symptoms are not severe, please first use local clinics or nearby small and medium hospital emergency rooms that are open."