Joint Statement from Resident Doctors of Korea University, Seoul National University, Asan Medical Center, and Severance Hospital
"Ready to Find Solutions Together"
Calls for Review of Essential Healthcare Policy Package and Other Demands
Resident doctors from four major hospitals, including Asan Medical Center in Seoul, have urged the government to "work together for the normalization of healthcare." This appeal comes immediately after Park Dan, the head of the emergency response committee of the Korean Intern Resident Association (KIRA), who had represented the residents who resigned en masse following the medical-government conflict triggered by last year's increase in medical school admissions, abruptly announced his intention to step down.
On June 24, the emergency response committees of the resident associations at Korea University Medical Center, Seoul National University Hospital, Asan Medical Center, and Severance Hospital issued a joint statement, declaring, "The Lee Jaemyung administration must not repeat the mistakes of the previous Yoon Suk-yeol administration. The lives of the people cannot be protected through unilateral and dogmatic policies."
They asserted, "The grim reality we face is the result of the previous government's misguided policies and oppressive orders. Emergency room wait times are getting longer, treatments and surgeries are being delayed, and the medical gap in the Seoul metropolitan area is widening."
They further pointed out, "The most fundamental function of universities and university hospitals?to educate and train outstanding professionals?is collapsing. The medical reform, which was supposed to expand the healthcare workforce and strengthen regional healthcare, has instead led to the collapse of the medical system."
The residents continued, "We want to restore the healthcare system and are ready to work with the government to find solutions. Please see residents as partners in protecting public health and as professionals responsible for healthcare."
To this end, they demanded three things: a review of the essential healthcare policy package and medical reform implementation plan; an increase and institutionalization of the proportion of physicians in healthcare governance; and improvement of the residency training environment and assurance of training continuity.
Jung Jungil, vice-chair of the emergency response committee of the Asan Medical Center resident association, stated, "We are issuing this statement to propose dialogue with the new administration and to present new demands in order to resolve the healthcare crisis," adding, "The government must rebuild trust and work together with the public and frontline experts to normalize healthcare."
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