[Inside Chodong] The Emergency Medical Crisis Is Not Over Yet

Although there were some cases of "emergency room rounds," where patients were sent from hospital to hospital, the government self-assessed that there was no emergency room crisis or major chaos at the level feared during last Chuseok holiday. Thanks to the public following the emergency room usage guidelines, which were announced daily through briefings advising, "If symptoms are mild, first visit local clinics or hospitals, and for urgent serious illnesses, call 119 to be transported to an appropriate hospital," the situation was managed well. The government also did not forget to express gratitude to the doctors and nurses who protected the medical field, as well as the dedicated firefighters and police officers who fulfilled their respective roles. At the same time, it reiterated its commitment to revitalize essential and regional medical services through medical reform, as the current inconveniences stem from accumulated problems in the healthcare system.

On the other hand, the medical community argues that it was only thanks to the doctors who struggled hard in emergency rooms that the crisis was barely overcome, and that the actual chaos on the ground was worse than last Chuseok. From September 14 to 18 during the Chuseok holiday, the number of "treatment restriction" messages reported to the Central Emergency Medical Center from emergency rooms nationwide averaged 376 per day, which is 48% higher than the 254 daily average during last year’s Chuseok holiday (September 28 to October 3, 2023). Treatment restriction refers to a state where follow-up treatment cannot be provided after emergency room care.

It has been exactly seven months since the "emergency medical system" was activated following the collective resignation of residents in February, and the fatigue of the remaining medical staff in hospitals has reached its limit. When the Korean Association of Medical School Professors surveyed 89 emergency medicine specialists from 34 training hospitals, 69.7% (62 respondents) reported working more than 12 consecutive hours between September 13 and 20, which included the Chuseok holiday. Among them, 16.9% (15 respondents) worked more than 16 hours, and 3.3% (3 respondents) worked over 36 consecutive hours.

Despite pushing their bodies to such extremes to protect the frontlines, doctors are worried that the number of critically ill patients may increase in the upcoming fall and winter. The influenza season is approaching, and COVID-19, which seemed to have subsided temporarily, could flare up again at any time. In early winter, when temperatures drop, there is also an increase in severe emergency patients such as those with stroke or cerebral hemorrhage. Under an abnormal medical system, if infectious diseases spread or life-threatening accidents occur that require urgent response, there is a heightened risk of losing the "golden time" due to chaotic handling, resulting in tragic casualties.

Not only emergency rooms but also various departments in tertiary hospitals are already experiencing disruptions. Particularly, patients with rare diseases and critically ill patients who require treatment only available at large hospitals are being pushed to the brink. Due to a shortage of doctors, surgery schedules are delayed, and opportunities for additional chemotherapy clinical trials for terminal cancer patients are also decreasing. Psychological anxiety among critically ill patients, who should focus solely on treatment with hope for recovery, about possibly missing treatment opportunities only worsens their condition. A representative of a patient group lamented, "If we include patients whose quality of life deteriorates due to delayed treatment or who suffer without even a chance to extend their lives, the damage is beyond imagination."

Amid the tangled and worsening conflict between the medical community and the government, innocent patients have become hostages, and the public watching on is anxious, not knowing when it will be their turn. The collapse of the healthcare system did not end with surviving the Chuseok holiday; it is expected to worsen further this winter and beyond. Who will ultimately take responsibility for the end of this battle, which is being fought at the expense of the health and lives of the people?