Government to Utilize 4,000 Senior Doctors, Dispatch Additional 200 Military and Public Health Doctors

The government announced on the 22nd measures to minimize the medical service gaps in essential healthcare fields caused by the departure of residents, by utilizing over 4,000 senior doctors and dispatching additional military doctors and public health doctors.

Park Min-su, the 2nd Vice Minister of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, stated at a briefing of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters (CDSCH) held at the Government Seoul Office that "Starting from the 25th, 100 military doctors and 100 public health doctors, totaling 200 personnel, will be additionally dispatched to about 60 medical institutions." The dispatch period is four weeks, with training within the medical institutions until the 26th, and work commencing from the 27th.

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The Ministry of Health and Welfare first dispatched 166 military doctors and public health doctors to 20 medical institutions on the 11th, and from the 21st, an additional 47 public health doctors were dispatched to 18 medical institutions according to the demand from local governments. Including this deployment, the total number of personnel dispatched is 413.

Vice Minister Park said, "We will continue to closely monitor the situation on the ground and pursue additional personnel deployment, such as allowing military doctors scheduled for discharge to return early to tertiary hospitals."

On the same day, the CDSCH also discussed the 'Support Measures for Utilizing Senior Doctors to Minimize Medical Service Gaps in Essential Healthcare Fields.'

The government plans to support medical institutions in newly hiring senior doctors and to strengthen support so that doctors scheduled for retirement can continue to be employed.

According to the Ministry of Health and Welfare, as of December last year, about 4,166 doctors aged between 50 and 79 are inactive. By age group, there are 1,368 in their 50s, 1,394 in their 60s, and 1,404 in their 70s. Additionally, over the past five years, an average of 230 medical school professors retire annually nationwide, totaling 1,269. The government intends to utilize this workforce to fill the prolonged medical service gaps.

To this end, a 'Senior Doctor Support Center' will be established within the National Medical Center and will begin operations in April. The Senior Doctor Support Center will recruit doctors wishing to provide medical services, build a talent pool, conduct training, and connect hospitals with senior doctors.

Vice Minister Park said, "We will do our best to ensure that the emergency medical system operates stably by strengthening cooperation and linkage between medical institutions and expanding substitute personnel."

Regarding cooperation and linkage between medical institutions, the plan is to strengthen the medical cooperation system between hospitals so that tertiary hospitals can maintain a treatment system focused on severe and emergency patients.

Accordingly, from next week (the 25th), the Ministry of Health and Welfare will provide a 'Medical Cooperation Support Fund' of up to 90,000 KRW per treatment for cases where patients are transferred from tertiary hospitals to cooperating hospitals for treatment.

Vice Minister Park said, "Starting from the 25th, when patients are transferred from tertiary hospitals, information on the treatment capabilities of cooperating hospitals will be provided to connect patients to the most appropriate hospital based on their condition." The information provided includes the types of beds, medical departments, procedures, tests, rehabilitation, chemotherapy, dialysis, transfusion, treatment, and nursing care available at the hospital. From April, when the computer system is revamped, the capability information of cooperating hospitals will be accessible in real time.

Vice Minister Park added, "Since the 11th, the patient transfer fee has already been increased by 150%, and the government is fully covering ambulance transport fees that patients previously bore. We expect that this support will further strengthen cooperation between hospitals."

On the same day, Vice Minister Park once again urged the departing residents to return promptly.

He said, "I hope you return to the patients as soon as possible and fulfill your calling as doctors. Regarding violations of the work commencement order, disciplinary actions are scheduled to begin next week, but if you express your intention to return and continue working during the opinion submission process before the disciplinary action, this will be fully considered."

He requested unconditional dialogue with medical school professors. Vice Minister Park said, "The government has been in contact with the National Medical School Professors Emergency Committee and the National Medical School Professors Association (Jeon-ui-gyo-hyeop) to open channels for dialogue, and I exchanged opinions with the chairman of the Seoul National University Medical School Emergency Committee just yesterday. We propose unconditional dialogue with the Medical School Emergency Committee and Jeon-ui-gyo-hyeop," adding, "Dialogue can take place anytime and anywhere regardless of time or place. We ask you to stop the fruitless disputes and come to the dialogue table unconditionally."

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