Minister of Health and Welfare Cho Kyoo-hong is drawing attention by hinting that the government could reinvestigate the death of a nurse at Asan Medical Center (AMC) in July.
The ministry, after a joint investigation of AMC with Songpa-gu Public Health Center on Aug. 4, concluded that the hospital had committed “no legal violations.” However, some observers have pointed out procedural problems, saying the probe ended in just eight hours.
Cho, who took office early this week, agreed with such a criticism.
At the National Assembly Health-Welfare Committee’s administrative inspection of the ministry on Thursday, Rep. Kang Eun-mi of the opposition Justice Party pointed out that the ministry conducted the on-site investigation of AMC quite poorly.
“I met bereaved family members of the dead nurse. Their position was that the incident was a result of the apparent negligence of Asan Medical Center, and the Ministry of Health and Welfare conducted a poor on-site investigation,” Rep. Kang said. “The family members expressed the hope that the government will conduct proper probes and the hospital apologizes, fulfills its responsibilities, and improves the medical system.”
Kang pointed out that the ministry, announcing the result of the on-site inspection, gave the indulgence to AMC by stipulating "no illegality" in the first line. She added that the ministry did not listen to bereaved family members and the hospital where the nurse was transferred but finished the investigation in just eight years based on only materials submitted by AMC and the testimonies of AMC employees. Rep. then asked Minister Cho whether he thinks such an investigation was sufficient.
“AMC, unlike their initial attitude right after the incident, has been avoiding responsibility saying it had committed no wrongs or legal violations since the ministry announced its investigation results,” Kang said.
Besides, the lawmaker from the progressive JP took issue with other problems concerning the AMC nurse’s death incident by, for instance pointing out, that personal medical information, including medical records of the deceased, was leaked recklessly.
Responding to Rep. Kang’s allegations, Minister Cho acknowledged that the on-site investigation of AMC was insufficient.
“I don’t think it sufficient (that the ministry finished the on-site investigation of AMC in eight hours). I also suspect some illegality (that the personal medical information of the deceased was leaked). I think it necessary that the health and welfare ministry, the employment and labor ministry, and investigative authorities should cooperate to find out truth and secure data if needed for that,” Cho said, hinting at the possibility of reinvestigation.
It was July 24 that the AMC nurse collapsed on duty due to cerebral hemorrhage, and was transferred to the Seoul National University Hospital but died. The health and welfare ministry carried out on-site investigation on Aug. 4 and concluded that AMC had committed no legal violations.
It only issued an administrative order to AMC to improve its holiday rules and patient transport system concerning the absence of the two surgeons on the day of the incident.