Jeon Jin-sook: "Psychiatric Hospital Evaluation Certification System is Ineffective"

Passed Certification Despite Repeated Patient Deaths
"Patient Safety Neglected, Evaluation System Must Be Fully Improved"

Jeon Jin-sook Assembly Member

Recently, a series of deaths caused by isolation and restraint in psychiatric hospitals has raised questions about the effectiveness of the legally mandated psychiatric medical institution evaluation and certification system. In particular, loopholes have been exposed as some psychiatric hospitals maintained certification without intermediate on-site inspections or repeatedly experienced fatal accidents yet still passed evaluations, leading to criticism that the system is ineffective.

On the 17th, Jeon Jin-sook, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea representing Gwangju Buk-gu Eul, analyzed National Assembly audit data submitted by the Korea Institute for Healthcare Accreditation. The analysis revealed that Haesang Hospital, where a death occurred in 2016, passed the evaluation in 2021, and another death occurred this year. The passing evaluation report even showed that the hospital received an “Excellent” grade in categories such as “Regulations on isolation and restraint exist, are safely implemented, and recorded.”

The same applies to WJin Hospital, where a death occurred in May. This hospital received certification in 2021 with a result of “Fully Achieved” in the category “Appropriate and safe isolation and restraint regulations exist and are followed,” yet in May of this year, a 33-year-old patient who was isolated and restrained died.

There are also cases where hospitals that experienced fatal accidents after passing evaluations outright refused to undergo evaluation. Chuncheon Yehyeon Hospital, where a death occurred in 2022, refused evaluation the following year.

Psychiatric medical institution evaluation is a legal obligation stipulated in the “Act on the Promotion of Mental Health and the Support for Welfare Services for Mental Patients.” However, it can be substituted by certification under the Medical Service Act, which, according to the Korea Institute for Healthcare Accreditation, requires meeting stricter conditions than evaluation.

However, the Korea Institute for Healthcare Accreditation does not conduct intermediate on-site inspections for psychiatric hospital certification institutions. While other medical institutions such as dental hospitals and Korean medicine hospitals undergo on-site inspections for post-certification management, psychiatric hospitals maintain certification based solely on self-assessment.

Furthermore, the Korea Institute for Healthcare Accreditation does not mandate re-evaluation for hospitals that refuse evaluation or fail. Re-evaluation is conducted only for hospitals that request it, and among a total of 353 medical institutions that failed, only five underwent re-evaluation within one year, raising concerns about insufficient follow-up measures. In addition, for hospitals that fail, the Institute merely publishes the results on its website, with virtually no follow-up actions taken.

Rep. Jeon stated, “Since psychiatric medical institutions are places where physical restraint is possible, meticulous management and supervision are essential. A comprehensive plan is needed to strengthen the evaluation and certification system.” She added, “We will work to enhance the effectiveness of evaluations through amendments to the Medical Service Act and the Mental Health Welfare Act to ensure patient safety.”

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