Doctors to halt ERs at smaller hospitals

The medical circle intends to increase the intensity of its strike, if it chooses to enter into a strike scheduled to start Oct. 6, by shutting down the emergency rooms and the examination of outpatients in small and medium-sized hospitals. Most of the small and medium-sized hospitals were operating normally during the last strike.

The Korean Medical Association in its central administration committee meeting Monday, resolved to stop treating outpatients and emergency patients in small and medium-sized hospitals from Oct. 6 for five days, even at the request from the hospital directors.

The committee also decided to completely shut down emergency rooms at small and medium-sized hospitals with fewer than 80 rooms and place two residents in each of the ERs, while pulling out the real medical teams operated by residents and interns. This means that emergency operations would be done only in polyclinics, and other patients would be moved to regional hospitals designated by the government.

The striking doctors committee under the KMA will discuss in its central committee meeting Tuesday about penalizing doctors who do not participate in the complete strike.

On the other hand, students from the University of Pharmacy nationwide will begin their campaign against the striking doctors and the amendment of the pharmacy law starting Oct. 5.

In the meantime, the government and the medical circle met Monday at the Capital Hotel in the Yongsan district and exchanged ideas on basic medical and health laws, medical insurance and medical polices and measures.

Song Sang-Keun songmoon@donga.com