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🇰🇷 South Korea /Health & Science

Korean Hospital Association President: Navigating Healthcare's Turning Point

From Hankyoreh · () Korean

Translated from Korean, summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

Interview Named sources Context piece
  • Yoo Kyung-ha, the newly elected president of the Korean Hospital Association, emphasizes the organization's role as a policy partner aware of healthcare realities.
  • He views the current medical crisis as an opportunity for positive change, stressing the need for sustainable structures and collaboration between government and hospitals.
  • Yoo highlights the urgency of addressing the sustainability of essential medical services, advocating for fair compensation, increased investment, and strengthened regional training systems.

Yoo Kyung-ha, the newly elected president of the Korean Hospital Association (KHA) and the executive vice president and medical center director of Ewha Womans University Medical Center, stressed the association's crucial role as a policy partner deeply attuned to the realities of the medical field. He believes the profound transition the Korean medical sector is undergoing since the 2024 doctor-patient dispute presents an opportunity for positive transformation.

The problems that were previously hidden are now surfacing, prompting both the government and the medical community to seek solutions.

— Yoo Kyung-haCommenting on the current state of the medical crisis.

"The problems that were previously hidden are now surfacing, prompting both the government and the medical community to seek solutions," Yoo stated in an interview at Ewha Seoul Hospital. "With the challenges clearly defined, it's time to focus on building a sustainable structure for Korean healthcare rather than assigning blame."

With the challenges clearly defined, it's time to focus on building a sustainable structure for Korean healthcare rather than assigning blame.

— Yoo Kyung-haAdvocating for a forward-looking approach to healthcare reform.

Yoo outlined three core principles for the KHA: safeguarding public life and safety, ensuring the sustainability of medical practices, and fostering mutual trust. He emphasized that policies, however well-intentioned, are meaningless if they cannot be implemented effectively on the ground. For instance, he noted that increasing medical school enrollment requires simultaneous discussions on who will teach, the availability of training facilities, and the maintenance of educational quality. Without adequate preparation, rapid systemic changes will inevitably lead to greater confusion.

The KHA must become a policy partner that best understands reality.

— Yoo Kyung-haDefining the role of the Korean Hospital Association.

Addressing the crisis in essential medical services, Yoo identified "sustainability" as the most pressing issue. He argued that without hospitals being able to sustain essential services like emergency care, pediatrics, and obstetrics, regional healthcare systems will collapse. These fields, while vital, face challenges in securing medical personnel, maintaining 24-hour operations, and generating sufficient revenue. Yoo called for a reform of the compensation system to ensure appropriate remuneration and significant financial investment, alongside strengthening regional training programs to build trust among young doctors. He also stressed the importance of role differentiation and cooperation among hospitals, with tertiary hospitals focusing on severe cases and smaller regional hospitals handling recovery and chronic disease management.

Sustainability is the most urgent task for essential medical services.

— Yoo Kyung-haHighlighting the critical need for financial viability in essential medical fields.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Hankyoreh in Korean. Translated, summarized, and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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