Yoon: "Medical Reform, Winning in the Details... Tell Me What Needs Support"

President Yoon Suk-yeol stated on the 1st, "Medical reform cannot be achieved by just principles and ideals; the outcome is determined by the details."

On the same day, President Yoon visited Yuseong Sun Hospital, a secondary hospital in the Daejeon area, met with medical staff, and listened to their suggestions, according to a written briefing by Kim Soo-kyung, spokesperson for the Presidential Office. This visit to the hospital site came immediately after delivering a public address on medical reform and increasing the number of doctors earlier that morning.

President Yoon particularly emphasized, "One approach could be for officials from the Ministry of Health and Welfare, such as section chiefs and managers responsible for medical policy, to actually work in medical institutions to gain firsthand administrative experience," urging his aides to prepare meticulous policies.

He also reiterated the necessity and support for medical reform. President Yoon pointed out, "Medical care should be supported on the same level as national defense and public safety because it protects the safety of the people," and criticized, "Previous administrations left the medical sector solely to health insurance finances without making proper investments."

He added, "We will boldly invest national finances to support policy fees," and "Doctors will not leave if infrastructure investment is made in their fields."

Furthermore, President Yoon said, "We have tried to engage in dialogue with the medical community, but it has been difficult because medical associations such as private practitioners, residents, and professors are divided into different sectors," and requested, "Please speak frankly about what the government should support for secondary hospitals like Sun Hospital to play a significant role and what needs to be done to maintain the emergency medical system."

President Yoon Suk-yeol is holding a meeting with medical staff during his visit to Yuseong Sun Hospital in Yuseong District, Daejeon on the 1st. [Image source=Yonhap News]

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In response, a medical staff member mentioned that Sun Hospital performs many nighttime emergency surgeries for acute patients, but it is very difficult to recruit doctors due to the risk of criminal liability from medical accidents. President Yoon replied, "We will promote the enactment of the Medical Accident Handling Special Act to minimize judicial risks and support subscribing to liability insurance."

Another medical staff member pointed out that patients can go directly from primary hospitals to tertiary hospitals, causing an abnormal division of roles between secondary and tertiary hospitals, and requested structural reforms to establish a sound medical delivery system. In response, the President instructed Minister of Health and Welfare Cho Kyu-hong, "Ensure sufficient financial investment so that regional secondary hospitals can maintain high-level medical capabilities, and consider institutionalizing measures so that university hospitals can focus on medical research."

Another medical staff member suggested that while university hospitals sent nursing staff on unpaid leave due to abnormal hospital operations caused by resident doctor departures, regional hospitals require nurses to forgo their leave and continue working. They requested permission for nurses on unpaid leave at tertiary hospitals to work at regional secondary hospitals.

President Yoon instructed Minister Cho Kyu-hong, "Review relevant regulations to allow nurses on unpaid leave to work at other hospitals."

Earlier, President Yoon visited the hospital's nursing station and encouraged the medical staff by saying, "Hello, you are working very hard." He then moved to the surgery observation room, where he viewed the operating room through a glass window and received an explanation from the hospital director about the excellent facilities of the regional hospital, where specialists from various departments collaborate on surgeries.

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