Gyeongnam Medical Association Opposes 'Medical Technicians Act Amendment' ... "De Facto Legalization of Unlicensed Medical Practices"

"Immediately stop the dangerous legislative attempts that put patients' lives and safety at risk."

The Gyeongsangnam-do Medical Association has expressed strong concerns over the "Medical Technicians Act Amendment" recently being discussed in the National Assembly, calling for an immediate halt to the legislative attempt.

On April 23, the association issued a statement saying, "Immediately abolish the proposed amendment to the Medical Technicians Act, which undermines the foundation of the medical licensing system and threatens patient safety."

They stated, "The amendment to the Medical Technicians Act changes the physician's guidance, which defines the scope of work, to 'prescription' or 'referral.' This effectively allows medical technicians to perform medical procedures based on their own judgment without the direct guidance or supervision of a physician. Such a move fundamentally shakes the foundation of the Republic of Korea's medical licensing system, and it is clear that the resulting harm will ultimately fall upon the public."

The Gyeongnam Medical Association criticized the amendment, calling it a "de facto legalization of unlicensed medical practices that threaten patient safety."

They also pointed out that the proposed amendment would lead to the collapse of the medical licensing system and disorder within the healthcare system, as well as increased harm to the public by making accountability unclear.

They further argued, "Medical practices, from diagnosis to treatment and aftercare, must be carried out organically under the responsibility of a physician. If treatment is performed outside a medical institution based solely on a prescription, without the direct guidance and supervision of a physician, it becomes impossible to respond immediately in emergencies, effectively exposing patients to dangerous blind spots."

Additionally, they emphasized, "Medical technicians are professionals whose qualifications are granted on the premise of physician guidance. Removing the clear legal framework of 'guidance' and replacing it with the ambiguous term 'prescription' would set a harmful precedent, essentially allowing medical technicians to practice independently outside of medical institutions."

They went on to say, "This will dismantle the economic balance between medical specialties and plunge the healthcare system into severe chaos."

They also warned, "If a medical accident were to occur in the absence of direct physician supervision, patients and their families would suffer legal and financial hardship during the process of determining accountability. Moreover, who will be held responsible for accidents that occur when the continuity of care is broken, and who will assess the resulting damages?"

Previously, Assemblywoman Insoon Nam of the Democratic Party of Korea and Assemblywoman Boyoon Choi of the People Power Party jointly sponsored an amendment to the "Act on Medical Technicians, etc.," which aims to change the definition of supervision from "guidance" to "guidance, prescription, or referral."

The current Medical Technicians Act defines medical technicians as "individuals engaged in medical or biochemical testing under the guidance of a physician or dentist." However, the proposed amendment would allow medical technicians to carry out work not only under the "guidance" of a physician, but also based on a "prescription" or "referral."

Last month, the Integrated Care Support Act went into effect, enabling elderly or disabled persons with mobility difficulties to receive medical, nursing, and care services outside of hospitals, such as in their homes or social welfare facilities. According to Assemblywoman Nam, the amendment is necessary to facilitate home rehabilitation by physical therapists and others in these settings.

The Gyeongnam Medical Association stressed, "Politicians must not turn patient safety—the essence of healthcare—into a mere tool under the name of the Integrated Care Support Act. Welfare only has value when it is provided safely within a professional medical system."

Furthermore, the association declared, "Our Gyeongnam Medical Association will use all available means to strongly oppose this amendment until it is withdrawn, in order to protect the right to life of the public. The National Assembly must stop this anti-public legislative attempt and seriously reconsider what is truly in the best interest of patients."

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