Medical professors at Yonsei-affiliated hospitals begin indefinite strike

Medical professors at Yonsei University’s Severance Hospital started their indefinite strike on Thursday, spearheading faculty-level resistance against the government's health policies.

A digital screen inside Severance Hospital in western Seoul informs visitors and patients of normal operations on Thursday. [YONHAP]

Medical professors at Yonsei University’s Severance Hospital started their indefinite strike on Thursday, spearheading faculty-level resistance against the government's health policies.

Treatments for outpatients and non-emergency surgeries will be delayed or rescheduled, an emergency committee representing the faculty said in a statement released Wednesday.

Essential medical services at inpatient wards, emergency rooms and intensive care units will be provided as usual.

Medical services at four hospitals affiliated with the university — Severance Hospital in Sinchon, western Seoul, Gangnam Severance Hospital in Gangnam, southern Seoul and Yongin Severance Hospital in Gyeonggi — are likely to be affected.

The main Severance Hospital in western Seoul saw an "approximately 10 percent decrease in the number of outpatient treatments and appointments compared to the same period in the previous year," a spokesperson from the hospital’s labor union said Thursday.

The spokesperson added that it is “less chaotic than expected,” noting that he has not seen any cases in which patients were rejected for treatment.

The hospital said it is “difficult” to precisely count the number of striking doctors, as some used leaves of absence or sick leaves. Also, the committee did not oblige its professors to join the strike.

The committee said it would "end the strike when the government takes visible measures to resolve the conflict over medical education.”

“Although the strike does not start as a full-scale hospital-wide service shutdown, the professors do not doubt that it will guide the Korean medical system in a right and reasonable direction,” the committee said in the statement. It also added that “politicians could be enlightened” through its strike.

The committee’s remarks suggest that professors will return to their posts if the government’s attitude changes.

Yet, the hospital is "officially" against the professorial collective actions, announcing the hospital "remains open and operates as usual" on its website on Thursday. Prof. Lee Kang-young, chief of Severance Hospital, asked the professors “to continue patient care” through written messages on Tuesday.

An empty waiting area at Severance Hospital in western Seoul on Thursday, when the medical professors started their indefinite strike [NEWS1]

On Thursday, the government delivered its message to the professors, asking them to “stay beside patients” despite the committee’s instruction.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare said it would continue its “utmost effort to solve medical chaos through dialogue instead of [making professors resort to] striking” during a briefing at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters.

Three of the nation’s five largest tertiary hospitals — Seoul National University Hospital, Samsung Medical Center and Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital — have revoked their plans to launch or go on an indefinite strike.

The remaining two — Severance Hospital and Asan Medical Center — will be striking to protest against the government. Medical professors at Asan Medical Center said they will go on an indefinite strike starting July 4.

BY LEE SOO-JUNG [lee.soojung1@joongang.co.kr]