Patient Group "Medical Associations Must Apologize to the Public"... Urges Government for Recurrence Prevention Measures

Concerns Raised Over Agreement Signed by Ministry of Health and Medical Association

On the 7th, as the return of residents to medical sites was delayed, a patient was being transferred to the Emergency Medical Center at Seoul National University Hospital in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Seo So-jeong] As the collective strike of medical residents has ended, the Korea Patient Organization Federation has stated that medical associations should apologize to the public and patients who suffered damage and harm.

The Patient Organization Federation issued a statement on the 10th, saying, "Leaving emergency and critically ill patients who require essential medical care such as intensive care units for 19 days cannot be justified for any reason." The collective strike by doctors, residents, and fellows lasted 19 days from the 21st of last month to the 9th of this month, during which emergency patients could not find hospitals for treatment, resulting in deaths and ongoing damage and inconvenience.

They continued, "It is fortunate that the 19-day doctors' collective action has ended and the medical field is returning to normal," but emphasized, "We must not forget that this doctors' collective action caused the tragic result that patients can no longer trust the doctors entrusted with their lives and treatment."

In particular, the Patient Organization Federation stated, "Medical associations must apologize to the public and patients who suffered damage and harm, and the National Assembly and government must establish strong measures to prevent recurrence so that such incidents never happen again," adding, "Strong institutional and legislative measures are required to render any collective action by medical provider organizations that use patients' lives as leverage in government negotiations completely ineffective."

They also requested that the operation of the Collective Strike Damage Reporting Support Center be continued for the time being. The Patient Organization Federation said, "The Collective Strike Damage Reporting Support Center, which has been operating since the 31st of last month, should not be dismantled immediately after the doctors' collective action ended on the 9th, but should continue to receive reports from patients and bereaved families who suffered damage for a certain period," and added, "The government must fulfill its responsibility for medical support and legal aid for the approximately 180 cases reported so far."

Furthermore, they expressed concerns about the agreement signed on the 4th between the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Korean Medical Association. The Patient Organization Federation stated, "Major medical issues such as expanding the number of medical students, establishing public medical schools, fostering and supporting essential medical care, improving the structure of the Health Insurance Policy Deliberation Committee, and establishing a medical delivery system affect not only doctors but also other medical providers, patients, consumers, and citizens," and added, "These are not matters that can be decided independently by the medical-government consultative body involving only the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Medical Association, but must go through a decision-making process again within governance structures involving all stakeholders such as the Health Insurance Policy Deliberation Committee."

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