The utilization of virtual healthcare is experiencing a notable surge, marked by a substantial increase in accessibility and extended service hours. (Image courtesy of Yonhap)
SEOUL, Dec. 20 (Korea Bizwire) – The utilization of virtual healthcare is experiencing a notable surge, marked by a substantial increase in accessibility and extended service hours.
A key factor contributing to this surge is the comprehensive approval of non-face-to-face medical consultations during nighttime and holidays, playing a pivotal role in the growing user base.
Notably, legislative efforts have been observed, with policymakers taking the lead in encouraging the utilization of these services during weekday nighttime hours.
Recent data released by the online medical platform Doctor Now indicates a significant uptick in medical treatment requests since the implementation of the supplementary plan for the non-face-to-face medical treatment pilot project on December 15. The total number of requests exceeded 4,000 on the weekend of December 16 and 17.
This represents a more than 20-fold increase compared to the week preceding the implementation of the complementary plan, during which the daily average requests stood at 190.
Similarly, My Doctor reported a substantial surge in medical treatment requests, soaring from around 10 per day to a total of over 2,000 over the three days spanning December 15-17. Another platform, Olla Care, highlighted that the user count on December 15 and 16 surpassed nine times the average for the September-to-November three-month period.
Industry analysts attribute the surge in medical visits during these times to the unrestricted nature of medical consultations, particularly during weekday nights after 6 p.m. and on holidays, irrespective of age and residence.
Doctor Now reported that only 1.8% of weekend users were returning patients, with merely 6.4% residing in medically vulnerable areas. The majority consisted of first-time visitors seeking non-face-to-face care, primarily driven by the convenience of holiday access.
In contrast, concerns have been raised about certain medical centers actively promoting virtual appointments during the day, which contradicts the intended purpose of allowing non-contact medical treatment for returning patients and permitting night and holiday medical services for urgent cases outside of regular medical clinic operating hours.
The government has consistently emphasized the supplementary role of non-face-to-face care in conjunction with traditional face-to-face care. Despite the significant increase in virtual care usage, tension has escalated between the government and the medical community, particularly led by practicing doctors, who strongly oppose this expansion.
The Korean Association of General Practitioners and the Korean Association of Obstetricians and Gynecologists have reportedly initiated boycotts against non-contact medical visits, reflecting the ongoing resistance within the medical community.
Kevin Lee (kevinlee@koreabizwire.com)
