"Electronic Cigarette 'Ppeokkeum' on Patient's Face During Sedation Endoscopy"...Doctor Admits "Unethical Act to Quit Smoking"

An Employee Who Underwent Endoscopy Together Filmed Smoking

A doctor holding an electronic cigarette while performing a sleep endoscopy examination.
Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Reporter Na Yeeun] It has been confirmed that an internal medicine doctor in Seongnam was fined after it was revealed that he smoked an electronic cigarette during a sedation endoscopy.

According to Yonhap News on the 23rd, Dr. A, the director of an internal medicine clinic in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province, smoked an electronic cigarette while performing a gastroscopy on a sleeping patient. In the released video, Dr. A is seen holding the endoscope with his left hand and an electronic cigarette in his right hand while conducting the examination, occasionally taking deep drags from the electronic cigarette.

The video was recorded in March last year by employee B, who assisted the clinic director during the endoscopy, and was recently reported to health authorities and the media.

B said, "During my one year working at the clinic, I continuously witnessed the director smoking. The thoughtless medical practice of cigarette smoke being blown onto the patient's face through the director’s breath occurred. Smoking inside the hospital room can potentially have fatal effects on patients."

He added, "I also heard that the director’s smoking in the hospital room had been going on even before I started working. The hospital room was poorly ventilated, and the lingering smell of cigarette smoke was overwhelming. It was very shocking."

Meanwhile, Dr. A admitted to smoking in the hospital room and said it was an unethical act as a medical professional. He stated, "I smoked electronic cigarettes to quit smoking. Regardless, smoking electronic cigarettes itself was wrong. I no longer smoke electronic cigarettes while performing endoscopies."

Regarding the claim that "smoking in the hospital room had been going on for a long time," he explained, "I rarely smoked electronic cigarettes in the past. The main reason I took out the electronic cigarette was due to several months of conflict with B at work. After B left, I did not smoke electronic cigarettes."

Subsequently, on the 15th, Dr. A was fined 80,000 won by health authorities for smoking in the hospital room.

However, B’s side reported the matter to Seongnam City Hall the day before, arguing that the punishment was too lenient compared to the doctor’s unethical behavior.

A health center official emphasized, "There are no penalty regulations under the Medical Service Act regarding smoking and drinking during medical treatment, so a fine was imposed for smoking in a smoke-free hospital building. From September next year, the installation of CC (closed-circuit) TVs in hospital rooms will be mandatory, which is expected to eliminate such unethical behavior." The official added, "If serious harm to a patient’s health occurs due to smoking, it should be resolved through civil and criminal lawsuits."

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