Bangudae Hospital Accused of Inadequate Diagnoses and Forced Admissions

A Ulsan hospital, Bangudae Hospital, is under scrutiny following repeated patient deaths and a subsequent decision for emergency closure. A report submitted to Ulsan City reveals that 56% of the hospital's 184 patients, totaling 103 individuals, are intellectually disabled. This figure rises to 58% when including five patients diagnosed with autism, highlighting a significant concentration of individuals with developmental disabilities.

However, the reliability of the hospital's diagnoses is being questioned. Critics point to the use of outdated and offensive terminology, such as 'mental retardation,' which was officially replaced by 'intellectual disability' in 2007. The hospital also used terms like 'severe mental developmental support' and 'pervasive developmental disorder,' which are no longer recognized in official classifications. This inconsistent and outdated diagnostic language raises doubts about the hospital's understanding of developmental disabilities and its ability to provide appropriate care.

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The hospital's patient records show numerous expressions that do not meet current standards or are inappropriate. It is questionable whether the hospital correctly recognized the rights and characteristics of people with developmental disabilities and provided appropriate convenience and protection. An investigation is needed to determine if a lack of understanding of disability characteristics led to a lack of proper support, exposing individuals to serious human rights violations and tragic incidents.

Further concerns surround the high number of involuntary admissions. Out of 184 patients, only 47 admitted themselves voluntarily, while 90 were admitted by guardians, 43 under administrative orders, and 4 with consent. This suggests that a majority of patients were admitted against their will. Lawmaker Kim Ye-ji emphasized the need for an investigation into whether the hospital's practices led to human rights violations and tragic incidents, particularly given the potential lack of understanding of patients' rights and specific needs.

As the hospital prepares to transfer its patients by September 3rd, calls are being made to avoid blanket transfers. Advocates argue that each patient's need for hospitalization should be re-evaluated individually, and immediate support for independent living should be provided. The hospital, known as the 'last resort' for severe developmental disability patients rejected by other facilities, faces allegations of gross negligence in patient safety management, leading to its emergency closure after another in-hospital death.

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In a situation where the proportion of non-voluntary admissions against the patient's will is overwhelmingly high, blanket transfers to other psychiatric medical institutions solely due to the hospital's closure would infringe upon their right to self-determination. Therefore, Ulsan City and the Ulju-gun Public Health Center should refrain from unconditional transfers, re-examine the necessity of hospitalization for each individual, and promptly conduct support for independent living.