A doctor walks in front of the emergency room at Boramae Hospital in Seoul, South Korea. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Apr. 1 (Korea Bizwire) – Several emergency departments in major hospitals faced operational challenges on Monday, with some either turning away patients or reducing procedures due to the strain caused by a prolonged walkout by junior doctors.
Senior medical professors, who play crucial roles in these hospitals, have begun reducing their working hours, citing mounting fatigue.
These professors, responsible for treating seriously ill and emergency patients, have found it necessary to scale back surgeries and services for outpatients.
For instance, Asan Medical Center, one of Seoul’s prominent general hospitals, announced its inability to accommodate stroke patients, while Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital declared its emergency room’s incapacity to handle non-critical cases.
A doctor helps a patient get in an elevator at a hospital in Seoul on March 22, 2024. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
Approximately 12,000 trainee doctors have been on strike, submitting mass resignations since February 20. In solidarity, medical professors have also resigned. The Korean Medical Association, the largest doctors’ group, disclosed that community doctors would limit their work to 40 hours per week for patient care.
However, the extent of participation in this labor action among community doctors remains uncertain.
Concerns are mounting among the public, with one mother expressing worry about potential reductions in appointment availability, particularly on weekends, when she and her child often require medical attention.
Despite little progress in resolving the impasse between the government and the medical community, President Yoon Suk Yeol urged doctors to present a unified proposal regarding the appropriate increase in medical school admissions.
The government, while advocating for a minimum hike of 2,000 admissions, expressed willingness to engage in dialogue.
M. H. Lee (mhlee@koreabizwire.com)
