Professors from the five largest hospitals (Seoul National University, Severance, Seoul Asan, Samsung Seoul, and Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital) have all decided to participate in the ‘once a week closure’. In addition, the National Medical University Faculty Emergency Response Committee (Jeon Medical University), in which 19 medical schools nationwide participate, held a general meeting and resolved to suspend non-emergency surgeries and outpatient treatment once a week.
The Catholic University College of Medicine Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital Faculty Council announced on the 26th that it has decided to suspend non-emergency surgeries and outpatient treatment every Friday starting next month. Previously, other large hospitals, including Seoul National University Hospital, also decided to close once a week.
As 10 weeks have passed since the departure of residents (interns, residents), the movement to take a break once a week is becoming increasingly widespread among professors who are exhausted. Korea University Medical School professors also decided on the 26th to close once a week from the 30th.
This afternoon, the National Medical Association held a general meeting, and 51 hospitals affiliated with 19 medical schools across the country decided to stop providing non-emergency surgery and treatment once a week. “In May, even the last chance for residents and students to return will disappear,” Jeon said. “We will maintain working hours within 60 hours per week and adjust outpatient treatment, surgery, and examination schedules to ensure long-term sustainable treatment.” revealed. In addition, it was decided to take a break once a week to ensure 24-hour rest after duty, and to maintain an appropriate number of patients per professor by referring patients with mild symptoms. A Jeonuibi official explained, “If medical students are repeated or an increase in the number of medical students is confirmed, the period of absence may be extended from once a week.”
However, it is unclear how realistic the closure will be. There were no actual disruptions in treatment at Chungnam National University Hospital, Sejong Chungnam National University Hospital, Wonkwang University Hospital, and Wonkwang University Sanbon Hospital, which had announced mass closures on the 26th. Since medical treatment and surgery schedules scheduled several months ago cannot be suddenly changed, it appears that work has been normal.
An official at Chungnam National University Hospital said, “Both the main hospital and Sejong Hospital underwent normal treatment. “No scheduled treatment has been canceled,” he said. Wonkwang University Hospital, which had decided to suspend surgeries every Friday, has now opened its operating room normally.
There are predictions in the medical community that the 30th, which is the deadline for next year’s medical school quota submission requested by each university by the Ministry of Education, and when professors at major medical schools such as Seoul National University, Korea University, and Yonsei University declared closure, will be a watershed moment. A professor at a national university hospital in a non-metropolitan area said, “There are still many professors who are watching the situation,” but added, “Once the college entrance exam implementation plan is confirmed and the increase in staff becomes a fait accompli, the number of professors leaving the hospital will increase.”
The Ministry of Health and Welfare announced on this day, “Of the 19,000 specialists, less than 10% have submitted letters of resignation, and there have been no cases of resignation from 88 university hospitals.” An official from the Ministry of Health and Welfare said, “There will not be a significant increase in the number of professors submitting resignation letters or taking regular leave after the 30th,” and added, “We are reviewing whether (the mass leave) violated medical laws, etc.” Prime Minister Han Deok-soo said in his opening remarks at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasures Headquarters meeting that day, “The movement of some full-time doctors to return has become clear, and the contract rate of full-time doctors at large hospitals is approaching 60%.”
Reporter Cho Yu-ra [email protected]
Daejeon = Reporter Kim Tae-young [email protected]
Iksan = Reporter Park Young-min [email protected]
