'Carrot and Stick' Government... "Judicial Action for Non-Returnees by the End of This Month, Accelerating the Medical Accident Special Act" (Comprehensive)

"Legal Action from March if Not Returned by 29th"
PA Nurse Pilot Project Starts Today
Accelerating Enactment of 'Medical Accident Handling Special Act' to Reduce Legal Risks for Healthcare Workers

The government has simultaneously offered both incentives and penalties to residents opposing the increase in medical school admissions.

On the 27th, the Ministry of Health and Welfare reiterated its stance that residents engaging in collective action against the increase in medical school admissions must return by the end of this month, or face legal action starting in March. The ministry also announced that the pilot project for 'Physician Assistant (PA) nurses,' which the medical community opposes, will officially begin on the 27th to minimize medical service gaps caused by the residents' collective action. However, the government also stated it will accelerate the enactment of the 'Medical Accident Handling Special Act' to alleviate legal risks for medical professionals, showing a simultaneous effort to appease doctors.

On the 27th, as collective actions by residents increased nationwide medical service gaps and inconveniences, Cho Kyu-hong, Minister of Health and Welfare, attended and spoke at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters video meeting on doctors' collective actions held at the Government Seoul Office in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jo Yong-jun jun21@

Cho Kyu-hong, First Deputy Head of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters for Medical Collective Action (Minister of Health and Welfare), said at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters meeting held at the Government Seoul Office on the same day, "We will continue to respond to illegal collective actions in accordance with laws and principles," adding, "From March, license suspension and related legal procedures for those who do not return will be unavoidable."

The government plans to conduct on-site inspections of 50 training hospitals this week to check the status of residents leaving their workplaces.

Minister Cho stated, "We plan to complete on-site inspections of 50 training hospitals ranked 51st to 100th by the number of residents within this week to identify those who have left their workplaces," and added, "We strongly request that residents who have left their workplaces return by the 29th." He emphasized, "If they return to the hospital by the 29th, we will not hold them accountable for past actions."

He continued, "The government is always ready for dialogue," and urged, "Please stop the illegal collective action, return to the patients' side, and engage in dialogue with the government."

The government decided to start the pilot project for physician assistant nurses from this day.

Minister Cho explained, "In general hospitals where residents have left, nurses are handling a significant portion of the medical service gap." Through the pilot project, the scope of work that nurses can perform will be decided under the responsibility of the medical institution's director by establishing an internal committee or consulting with the head nurse. Since residents began collective action, nurses have been deployed to perform residents' duties in medical settings, but such physician assistant nurses performing some doctors' tasks are currently illegal under existing law, prompting calls for legal protection measures. Minister Cho said, "(This pilot project) is implemented under the Framework Act on Health and Medical Services, allowing nurses to be legally protected for acts performed within medical institutions."

Regarding the incident on the 23rd in Daejeon, where an elderly patient in his 80s with impaired consciousness and cardiac arrest wandered around the emergency room and died, he said, "A joint on-site investigation by related agencies is underway," and added, "If any serious harm occurs due to the doctors' collective action, we will immediately establish and operate a response team at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters for on-site verification and prompt action."

On the 27th, as collective actions by residents increased nationwide inconvenience due to medical service gaps, Cho Kyu-hong, Minister of Health and Welfare, attended and spoke at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters video meeting on doctors' collective actions held at the Government Seoul Office in Jongno-gu, Seoul. Photo by Jo Yong-jun jun21@

The government plans to strengthen not only penalties but also policies to appease doctors. To resolve the avoidance of essential medical services by medical staff and reduce the burden of medical disputes, it intends to accelerate the enactment and revision of laws related to medical accident handling.

Minister Cho said, "At the 'Essential Medical Innovation Strategy Meeting' held on October 19 last year, the need to alleviate legal risks for medical professionals was raised, and as a follow-up, the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Health and Welfare have been actively discussing the 'Medical Accident Handling Special Act' since October last year," adding, "Through the enactment of the Medical Accident Handling Special Act, special criminal penalties will be applied to medical professionals who have subscribed to liability and comprehensive insurance and mutual aid."

He also said, "We will revise the Act on Medical Accident Victim Relief and Medical Dispute Mediation to mandate liability insurance subscription and establish a Medical Institution Safety Mutual Aid Association," and added, "Through the enactment of the Medical Accident Handling Special Act, which is unprecedented in other countries, patients will receive prompt and sufficient relief, and medical professionals will be able to focus on treatment."

The government plans to hold a public hearing on the related bill on the 29th to gather additional opinions and aims to expedite its legislation.

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