"Closing Doors Due to Malicious Complaints from Guardians" Pediatric Clinic with 20 Years of History Closes

Mother of 4-Year-Old Files Complaint to HIRA
"Medical Services for Guardians, Not Patients, Are Difficult"

Amid worsening low birth rates, low medical fees, and the triple burden of malicious complaints, pediatricians are facing increasing difficulties. A pediatric clinic director with over 20 years of experience in a provincial area announced the closure of his clinic due to malicious false complaints from a guardian.

On the 6th, according to Yonhap News and the Korean Pediatric Society, the A Pediatric Clinic located in Gwangju announced, "The past 20 years living as a pediatrician with children like flowers has been a fortune and joy for me, but due to malicious false complaints from the guardian of ○○○ (born in 2019), we will close the clinic as of August 5, 2023."

Closure Notice of a Pediatric Clinic in Gwangju
[Image Source=Yonhap News]

Director A revealed the circumstances leading to the closure in a notice, stating, "A 4-year-old child who was brought by the mother with swollen skin, pus, and discharge that did not improve with treatment at other hospitals. On the second visit, the guardian said the child had improved significantly. However, the guardian filed false and malicious complaints, citing insufficient nurse service." He expressed his feelings by saying, "I came to think that it is difficult to continue medical care for guardians rather than patients."

He added, "In the future, to devote myself sincerely to treating sick patients rather than guardians, I will close the pediatric clinic and live as a doctor treating (chronic) pain and internal medicine-related diseases," and "I would like to thank the guardian of ○○○ once again for giving me the courage not to continue working as a pediatric specialist."

On the same day, Director A told Yonhap News in a phone call with Lim Hyuntaek, president of the Korean Pediatric Society, that during the treatment of the patient, some non-reimbursable items occurred. The director explained and obtained consent from the guardian, but later the guardian requested a refund of 2,000 won, claiming the explanation was insufficient. Although the guardian was immediately refunded, they subsequently filed a complaint with the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service (HIRA).

President Lim told Yonhap News, "I don't mind not making much money, and I have been happy doing this (pediatric care). I am not a person with a lot of energy, but I want to focus my energy on treatment, not on proving facts that do not exist," quoting Director A. He added, "(This) is a problem all pediatricians in our country are facing today."

While local clinics increase... Pediatric clinics decrease by 53 over 10 years

According to the HIRA Health Care Big Data Open System, the number of local clinics nationwide has increased by nearly 7,000 over the past 10 years, but pediatric clinics have decreased from 2,200 in 2013 to 2,147 as of the first quarter of this year. In addition, the Korean Pediatric Society held a press conference last March, stating, "Over the past 10 years, pediatricians' income has decreased by 28%, reaching a situation where it is no longer possible to operate hospitals," and announced, "We will no longer operate hospitals and will take down the pediatric clinic signs."

At that time, the society pointed to lawsuits against pediatricians as one of the causes exacerbating hospital management difficulties. The society claimed, "Courts have ordered unimaginable compensation to doctors who tried to save children, and some medical specialist lawyers have encouraged unwinnable lawsuits like hyenas. Some guardians also threaten pediatricians with verbal abuse, malicious comments, criminal complaints, and lawsuits if they are even slightly dissatisfied with the treatment."

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