SNU Hospital provides ‘half’ medical treatment

Professors at Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seoul Boramae Hospital, and Seoul National University Hospital Gangnam Center under Seoul National University’s medical school went into an indefinite strike on Monday as announced previously. While the rates of joining the first day of the strike vary between the hospitals, they were between 10 to 50 percent, which is slightly less than the pre-announced level of 55 percent.

At Seoul National University Hospital in Jongno-gu, Seoul on Monday, some older patients who didn’t check the text message about the schedule change had to turn back after visiting the hospital. “I waited six months, and my appointment, which was scheduled for Monday, has been postponed to July 5. I came here just in case as I needed some documents, but I didn’t receive treatment,” said Kim Myeong-seon who received a shoulder rotator surgery two years ago.

Some patients who were worried about the strike came to hospitals earlier than their appointments. “My appointment is scheduled for 1:30 p.m. but I arrived around 8 a.m. and have been waiting. A collective strike holding serious patients as hostages is a shameless act,” said a kidney disease patient surnamed Ahn who came to Seoul National University Bundang Hospital in Seongnam, Gyeonggi Province from Goesan County, North Chungcheong Province.

Some professors expressed their willingness to join the strike but later opened their offices. “It wasn’t easy to suddenly change patients’ appointments when quite many come from rural regions,” said a professor of Seoul National University Hospital.

According to the medical industry, about half of the professors at Seoul National University were expected to join the strike by reducing treatment, etc. Meanwhile, a source at Seoul National University Bundang Hospital said the hospital’s treatment did not get reduced as much as worried. “Boramae Hospital, whose operation is consigned by Seoul National University Hospital, did not take special actions as the strike rate was less than 10 percent,” said a member of the Seoul metropolitan government.

Professors of Seoul National University’s medical school and hospitals had a ceremony to announce the strike on Monday and requested the cancelation of administrative orders against interns and residents and the readjustment of the number of medical students. The professors reportedly changed the schedule for appointments booked until Saturday.


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