Medical leaders urge unity, dialogue with new government on health reform

The medical community emphasized the need for internal integration to resolve the government-doctor conflict.

“It has been 10 days since the new government took office, and it has said that it will expand public healthcare by establishing public medical schools and resolve the medical crisis through a public consultation committee,” said Lee Jin-woo, president of the Korean Academy of Medical Sciences, at a conference organized by the academy and held at the Catholic University of Korea Seoul St. Mary's Hospital on Friday.

"The new government and the medical community need to prioritize public health and make efforts to expand mutual trust through sincere dialogue,” Lee said. "To this end, the medical community should do its best to develop an agreed and unified plan. It must respect and recognize individual opinions and acknowledge differences of thought."

Lee Jong-tae, president of the Korea Association of Medical Colleges, said. “The new government’s healthcare policy team will be formed soon, and we must be ready to unite as one. I hope the congress will be a place to exchange academic achievements and a starting point for communication and empathy to draw the future of Korean healthcare by gathering our wisdom and strength.”

The Korean Medical Association (KMA) vowed to increase its negotiating power with the government and political sphere to establish policies that reflect the realities of the medical field.

A new government has been elected. We need to solve the medical school enrollment quota issue and decades-old healthcare policy problems together,” KMA President Kim Taek-woo said in a congratulatory speech. “The problem of medical students and trainee doctors is a critical issue that needs to be resolved soon. Medical academies and associations must work together to improve the dysfunctional training environment, healthcare system, and educational environment frustrating young doctors."

The KMA will do its best to promote policies that improve national health and medical quality to establish rational and sustainable medical policies that reflect the realities of the medical field,” Kim said. "It is time for the medical community to join forces to bring about real policy change. We will persuade the government and the political circles and enhance practical bargaining power."

There were also voices of self-reflection that senior doctors did not actively take the initiative to correct wrong healthcare policies and the collapsing healthcare delivery system.

““Like a frog in a slowly boiling pot, we have become numb and have adapted to reality by turning a blind eye to reality,” said Han Sang-won, president of the National Academy of Medicine of Korea. "Under the guise of public healthcare, we have complied with the medical fee policy that each sector should share the national finances. We should be ashamed of the past and abandon the selfish idea of looking the other way when the healthcare system is falling apart."

He said doctors from various areas should constantly present evidence-based problem solutions to the government and the National Assembly, which are planning healthcare policies.

"Only that can rebuild Korean healthcare, which has been destroyed to the point of no return. We can't leave it to the next generation. It's up to us, the older generation," Han added.