Vice Minister Park Min-soo noted, "Last month, the registration deadline for 39 medical schools closed, and fortunately, it has been confirmed that most students have registered for school," but he added, "However, there are reports of movements to refuse classes again, which is concerning."
Vice Minister Park said during a meeting of the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters for the collective action of doctors on the morning of the 3rd, "I hope medical students will reflect on their initial desire to become doctors who treat sick patients and actively exercise their right to participate in classes and learn on their own."
Vice Minister Park emphasized, "It is an important time for students to return to classes normally and for classes at each university to operate regularly," and he said, "The government will continue to communicate and actively support the normalization of medical education to ensure it proceeds without disruption," urging medical students to participate in classes.
He also said he would faithfully implement the first execution plan for medical reform aimed at resolving the essential and regional healthcare crisis, and promised additional measures.
Vice Minister Park explained, "The support project for the structural transformation of advanced general hospitals has led to an increase of about 10,000 critical surgeries, and we are implementing a transition to focus on severe and emergency cases," adding, "We are encouraging patients with mild cases to use local clinics, and operating a fast track for immediate treatment when advanced general hospital care is needed."
He added that the selection of local governments to participate in the pilot project for the essential physician system, which supports long-term employment of doctors in essential subjects at local healthcare institutions, has been completed and is expected to be implemented from July.
Regarding the second execution plan for medical reform announced last month, he stated that it would support the structural transformation of advanced general hospitals through the development of regional secondary hospitals; however, he noted that he would gather opinions from the medical community regarding the controversial measures for health insurance reforms and strengthening medical accident safety nets to prepare specific plans in the future.
The project to expand the 'emergency medical centers in major areas' started in December last year will continue to be operated, and regarding the 'winter emergency medical countermeasures,' he stated that 53.1 billion won would be paid as compensation to excellent institutions.
Vice Minister Park stated, "After the designation of emergency medical centers in major areas, it has been shown that healthcare indicators have improved and the role of complementing the treatment capacity for critical emergency patients has been fulfilled," adding, "However, as a result of the evaluation, one center that underperformed will be revoked, and it will continue to operate until the end of the emergency medical service."
He added, "The evaluation results for the contribution of winter emergency medical services confirmed that the acceptance rates for critical emergency patients, severe trauma patients, and pediatric emergency patients increased, and performance improved, contributing to the maintenance of the emergency medical system," stating that the project would be continued and contributions would be evaluated every three months for compensation payments.