A plan to adopt a system in which doctors evaluate their colleagues’ performance is under consideration. When a doctor is suffers from a problematic condition such as an illness, colleagues will evaluate whether he or she is fit to practice medicine. (Image : Pixabay)
SEOUL, March 9 (Korea Bizwire) – A plan to adopt a system in which doctors evaluate their colleagues’ performance is under consideration. When a doctor is suffers from a problematic condition such as an illness, colleagues will evaluate whether he or she is fit to practice medicine.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare announced that they drew up a plan to improve the current medical license system, and officials are discussing the matter with those in medical circles.
Doctors suffering from disabilities such as long-term recuperation or dementia, who receive multiple complaints, who have to be looked into based on the content of their registered license, and who reapply for a license after a previous license cancellation are among the subjects being considered under the scope of the new evaluations.
Firstly, a deliberation agency established by the local doctor’s association will evaluate the subject, and the results will be reported to the medical practice deliberation committee. If the results are thought to be problematic, the committee will file a request to cancel his or her license with the Ministry of Health and Welfare.
The colleague evaluation system is being pushed in the wake of a mass infection of hepatitis-C at Dana Hyeondae Clinic. As the head of the hospital was known to be suffering aftereffects of brain damage due to a car accident, the public is suggesting that improvements should be made in the licensing system for doctors.
Other countries are such as the Netherlands, Canada, and Belgium already include ‘evaluation by colleagues’ in their evaluation before renewing medical licenses. Doctors in the Netherlands are evaluated by three colleagues every five years.
About 700 doctors in Canada are evaluated by their colleagues every year. Doctors with more than 35 years of experience, those who have no cooperative activities with hospitals, those practicing medicine in fields other than their profession and doctors who receive more than three complaints over a period of five years are the subjects of the evaluation.
However, the ‘colleague evaluation system’ is causing controversy among doctors. The Korean Medical Association is in favor of adopting the system, but some are concerned that it would promote distrust among fellow doctors that could lead to legal action.
By M.H.Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
