[News Today] ER STAFF SHORTAGE SPARKS CRISIS

[LEAD]
KBS recently reported that a two-year-old child fell into a coma after 11 emergency rooms denied care, a stark revelation of the healthcare system’s current state. The government launched a thorough investigation. But the solution to such issues remains deeply divided between the government and the healthcare sector.

[REPORT]
A two-year-old girl suffered brain damage after being denied treatment by 11 emergency rooms during a one-hour search.

The government immediately launched an investigation to find out if anything can be done to improve urgent care response.
However, it once again stressed it's not an emergency medical service collapse.

The government says the patients being rejected at ERs is a result of structural issues, such as the lack of essential health care doctors. It stressed that preventing such incidents is a key goal of healthcare reform.

Park Min-soo / 2nd Vice Minister of Health and Welfare
The media calls it ‘ER redirection’ but we call it ‘non-acceptance by ER’. It is the result of structural problems, which the medical reform seeks to address.

However, the medical community blames the situation on difficulties in getting follow-up treatment from specialists due to trainee doctors' mass resignations.

It says it's more important for patients who have received emergency help to receive further treatment from specialists.

Choi Anna / Spokesperson, Korean Medical Association
The final treatment is follow-up treatment. With its collapse, ER doctors are held responsible if something goes wrong after openly accepting patients.

So far, five university hospitals have announced plans to either cut ER operation hours or shorten health care services due to the lack of doctors.

Yeouido St. Mary's Hospital is also said to be considering shortening nighttime hours.

The government has decided to dispatch some 230 military and public health doctors to badly affected university hospital ERs from Wednesday.

It is also urging people with mild symptoms to seek treatment at local clinics so that critically ill and emergency patients can get help on time at larger hospitals.