South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol has a reputation for being tough on doctors, and it’s not unwarranted. He has clashed with the medical community in the past.
Before 2000, doctors in South Korea had the authority to both prescribe and sell medication, raising concerns about conflicts of interest and potential overprescription of drugs. By the 1990s, drug expenses accounted for a significant portion of the country’s total medical spending.
In 2000, a law was passed mandating the separation of prescription and dispensing of medication, limiting the sale of drugs to pharmacists only. In response, many doctors closed their hospitals.
Under the Medical Service Act, which requires doctors to comply with government orders in times of public health emergencies, two doctors who encouraged strikes were prosecuted, leading to the revocation of their medical licenses.
During the COVID-19 crisis, Yoon took action to address the shortage of doctors by increasing the number of medical students and expanding medical education capacity.
However, the increase in medical students led to protests from doctors, resulting in staffing shortages, preventable deaths, and delayed treatments.
Despite the protests, South Korea continues to face a shortage of doctors compared to other OECD countries, mainly due to the fee-for-service model incentivizing doctors to prioritize high-margin services.
The high income of South Korean doctors and the focus on profitable specialties have created imbalances in the healthcare system, leading to shortages in critical fields.
Concerns about the aging population and future healthcare demands highlight the need for reforms in medical education and doctor distribution.
The resistance to increasing medical school enrollments stems from issues like uneven education capacity and concerns about the oversaturation of popular specialties.
Efforts to improve the distribution of doctors include financial incentives for rural practice, increasing government-mandated fees for essential services, and boosting the percentage of students from rural areas in medical colleges.
The insular nature of medical school admissions in South Korea has contributed to the imbalance in doctor demographics and specialties, raising challenges in achieving a more equitable healthcare system.
While the government has faced pushback from doctors on reforms, there is a growing recognition of the need for changes to address the healthcare challenges in South Korea.
Despite the ongoing disputes, there is a need for collaboration between the government and the medical community to ensure a sustainable and effective healthcare system in South Korea.