[Inside Chodong]A Fight Where Both Sides Lose: Will We Just Watch Medical Accidents Happen?

원본보기 아이콘

In the end, the president reaffirmed his determination to push forward medical reform through a national address. Since the core conflict?the increase of medical school quotas by 2,000?has not been reversed, dialogue may have become even more difficult. Ultimately, medical school professors nationwide have decided to reduce both outpatient consultations and surgeries starting today. They say fatigue has accumulated from filling the gaps left by residents who have left. This absence has lasted for over six weeks, resulting in repeated outpatient and on-call duties. In some places, professors’ working hours have exceeded 90 hours per week, raising concerns that medical accidents could occur beyond just medical service gaps.

It is clear that this is an unavoidable choice aimed at ensuring patient safety. Considering the reality of the medical field, which differs from general industries where employers are penalized for employee overwork, protecting hospitals and the remaining doctors must be prioritized.

The conflict between the government and doctors caused by the expansion of medical school quotas seems to have lost any chance of resolution. Although this issue was initially triggered by the behavior of some doctors who held patients’ lives and public health hostage rather than a policy dispute, even the policy rationale that remained on the surface can no longer be found.

The medical reform initiative announced by President Yoon Suk-yeol today appears difficult to proceed smoothly. Even the last card held until the end?the 'establishment of the rule of law'?seems to have been laid down. Recently, administrative sanctions against residents who have not returned to the medical field were postponed, leaving only the number '2,000 medical school quotas.' In fact, the number '2,000' has now become meaningless. The next administration, as well as the forces that will take the lead depending on the general election results in two weeks, have witnessed the strong empowerment of doctors and will likely be reluctant to touch this issue again.

However, the biggest problem lies with certain groups within the medical community who are exploiting this situation. Han Dong-hoon, the Emergency Response Committee Chairman of the People Power Party, stepped in to mediate, but these groups continue to resist. Former Korean Medical Association President Roh Hwan-gyu, who once said, "The government cannot defeat doctors," has now mocked the government, saying, "It’s laughable now. Didn’t you say you couldn’t punish residents?" and dismissed the government’s determination to impose sanctions as mere bluffs used in gambling.

What is their next step? Im Hyun-taek, the president-elect of the Korean Medical Association whose term begins in May, has already been making inflammatory remarks, saying, "Our country has a history of impeaching presidents, but we must be very cautious," and "We will give President Yoon one more chance." He also revealed plans for doctors to unite and show political colors in the upcoming general election. "We will conduct an election campaign that can deliver a devastating blow to the party that insulted doctors the most and wielded the knife," he said, adding, "We have a strategy where the Korean Medical Association’s influence could decide the fate of 20 to 30 seats in the National Assembly."

At this point, the Korean Medical Association appears to be nothing more than an organization mobilizing its power for political struggle. If the increase of 2,000 quotas was wrong, they should actively propose alternatives and engage in logical debate at the dialogue table offered by the government. The stance that the medical reform must be scrapped and that the Minister and Vice Minister of Health and Welfare be dismissed as conditions for dialogue is nothing but intimidation.

If the government is attempting a last-minute shift in position as a trump card unfavorable to the ruling party in the upcoming general election, it must stop further calculations. A flexible approach is also needed toward the attitude of excluding the most contentious issues from the agenda after inviting parties to the dialogue table.

Starting today, even private practitioners will begin 'law-abiding medical practice' limited to 40 hours per week. Although participation rates may not be high due to reduced or suspended consultation hours leading to decreased income, public anxiety will inevitably spread. The spark for another conflict, where responsibility for deaths of critically ill patients due to medical service gaps is shifted back and forth, is not far off. There is no need to further fuel public anger in a fight that will inevitably record both sides as losers after losing the trust of the people. Baek Gyeong-hwan Deputy Head of Social Affairs Department

© The Asia Business Daily(www.asiae.co.kr). All rights reserved.