42% of Obstetricians and Gynecologists Practice Outside Their Specialty... Only 12% Perform Deliveries

Seo Young-seok: 8.5% of Clinics Did Not File Any Health Insurance Claims

It has been revealed that only 1 out of 10 clinics with a signboard indicating 'Obstetrics and Gynecology' actually perform deliveries. Additionally, 4 out of 10 obstetricians and gynecologists are operating as general clinics or under different medical departments without even using the name ‘Obstetrics and Gynecology.’

According to a study commissioned by Assemblyman Seo Young-seok, a member of the National Assembly’s Health and Welfare Committee, to Ubuntu Health Policy Lab and released on March 30, 2026, as of 2024, there were a total of 2,291 clinic-level healthcare institutions established and staffed by obstetricians and gynecologists working full-time (at least 32 hours per week).

Of these, 57.6% (1,320 institutions) were registered as 'Obstetrics and Gynecology Clinics,' while the remaining 42.4% (971 institutions) were operated by specialists but did not use the name ‘Obstetrics and Gynecology,’ instead opening as other medical departments or general clinics.

Even among the 1,320 clinics registered as obstetrics and gynecology clinics, only 11.6% (153 institutions) filed at least one delivery-related health insurance claim in 2024. This demonstrates that a significant number of obstetricians and gynecologists are shifting to areas outside their specialty due to structural difficulties such as low reimbursement rates and the risk of medical malpractice.

Notably, among the clinics operated by obstetricians and gynecologists but not registered as obstetrics and gynecology clinics, 8.5% (83 institutions) did not file a single health insurance claim in 2024. These institutions are likely focused on the non-reimbursed market, highlighting the need for a policy response from the government regarding the allocation of healthcare resources.

Assemblyman Seo Young-seok stated, “This phenomenon is the result of a combination of factors, including low reimbursement rates, the risk of medical malpractice, and the concentration of 24-hour delivery standby duties on a small workforce,” emphasizing, “There is an urgent need to improve the delivery system and the overall reimbursement structure for maternity services.”

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