Due to the Prolonged COVID-19 Pandemic... Government Pushes for Introduction of 'Respiratory Clinic' (Comprehensive)

Stepwise Establishment of Respiratory Clinics... Separation of Routes for General Patients
Deterioration of Medical Institution Management... Extension of Advance Payment Period for Long-term Care Benefits

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Cho Hyun-ui] As the quarantine system to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19) transitions to everyday social distancing (생활방역) starting from the 6th, the government announced on the 4th that it will promote the introduction of 'respiratory dedicated clinics' in preparation for the prolonged COVID-19 situation.

Kim Kang-lip, the 1st General Coordinator of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters (Vice Minister of Health and Welfare), said at the COVID-19 Medical Volunteer Council held at Conference House Dalgaebi in Jung-gu, Seoul, "We have decided to accept the medical community's proposal to ensure the safety of medical treatment for respiratory disease patients while guaranteeing medical care for non-respiratory disease patients and non-COVID-19 patients."

◆ Respiratory patients to dedicated clinics, general patients to hospitals and clinics = The respiratory dedicated clinics aim to gradually introduce a medical system in the community that specializes in treating respiratory disease patients. Respiratory disease patients will use dedicated clinics operated in cooperation between public health centers and local doctors, while general patients will use primary medical institutions, thereby separating their movement paths to prevent the spread of infection.

Coordinator Kim said, "It may be difficult to implement all at once, but we plan to gradually establish a community medical system centered on dedicated clinics for respiratory patients through cooperation with local medical associations and the regional medical community." He added, "Since the medical community may face additional burdens such as securing facilities for clinic setup, the government will provide related support without hesitation and cooperate so that medical staff can provide treatment with peace of mind on site."

The medical community welcomed the respiratory dedicated clinics. Choi Dae-jip, President of the Korean Medical Association, said, "The respiratory dedicated clinics were proposed by the medical community from the early stages of the COVID-19 outbreak," and added, "We fully agree with the purpose and basic method and will actively cooperate." He continued, "While gradually securing respiratory dedicated clinics, we must simultaneously establish a system where all hospitals and clinics can safely treat respiratory patients," and said, "This system can also be used for responding to new infectious diseases in the future, not just COVID-19."

At the same time, the medical community demanded that the government prepare specific treatment guidelines. President Choi said, "It cannot be said that respiratory disease patients will not visit general hospitals and clinics after the introduction of respiratory clinics," and urged, "Clinical data from home and abroad should be compiled as quickly as possible to provide appropriate treatment guidelines not only to primary medical institutions but also to medical staff in higher-level medical institutions."

Jung Young-ho, the newly appointed president of the Korean Hospital Association, said, "Hospitals must take the lead in quarantine efforts," and added, "We must detect COVID-19 early and participate in quarantine more meticulously and thoroughly, considering even the smallest details."

◆ Advance payment of medical care benefits extended from one month to two months = The government also announced that it is considering expanding the advance payment amount of health insurance medical care benefits from the current one month to two months to support medical institutions facing financial difficulties due to COVID-19. Coordinator Kim said, "We judge that there are quite a few medical institutions experiencing financial difficulties, especially in securing funds."

He explained, "To facilitate smooth funding for medical institutions, we are reviewing measures such as extending the existing advance payment of health insurance medical care benefits by one month," and added, "The government plans to expand the estimated health insurance amount paid at the beginning of the month to cover two months."

President Jung said, "Many medical institutions are facing financial difficulties due to huge losses," and added, "There is a strong voice that hospital operations will be difficult unless restructuring is done soon." He continued, "While thoroughly implementing quarantine, there is also great concern about how to treat critically ill patients other than COVID-19," and said, "We will resolve these issues one by one through consultations with the government."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.