SEOUL: South Korea will allocate $7.59 billion in health insurance funds over three years to increase fees doctors receive for treating severe diseases, the health ministry stated, as a walkout by young doctors strains the health system.
The funding aims to encourage major general hospitals to prioritize the treatment of severe, emergency, or rare diseases and is part of a broader effort to gradually reduce reliance on trainee doctors, who should be focused on their training, the ministry explained during a briefing.
In February, thousands of trainee doctors, including interns and residents, protested against the government’s proposal to increase the number of medical students by 2,000 per year to address an anticipated doctor shortage. As a result, hospitals that previously depended on these trainees have been forced to turn away patients in emergency rooms or reduce their operating hours, while existing doctors have faced increased workloads.
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In response to the young doctors’ walkout, the government has taken measures to alleviate pressure on the medical system, including deploying military doctors to assist in emergency rooms and urging the public to avoid visiting emergency services for non-severe issues.
The health ministry stated that major general hospitals specializing in intensive care will see a 50% increase in fees for operating intensive care units and performing surgical procedures for serious illnesses like cancer. This initiative is expected to raise the percentage of severe illness treatments at these hospitals from 50% to 70% over time.
