More deaths in ICU following doctors' mass walkout: lawmaker

A sign informing about emergency room treatment being delayed is seen outside the emergency medical center of a major hospital in Seoul, on Oct. 8, amid the ongoing conflict between the medical and political circles over the government's plan to hike the medical school admissions quota. (Yonhap)

The number of intensive care unit patients who died between February and March, the month after medical residents and interns began to resign en masse, rose by 375 from a year earlier, a new report found.

According to an analysis by Rep. Kim Yoon of the National Assembly's Health and Welfare Committee based on data from the Korea Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, a total of 3,548 ICU patients died in February 2024. That was equal to 12.4 percent of the 28,665 admitted.

The mortality rate was 1.1 percentage points higher than in February 2023, when the ICU mortality rate was 11.3 percent, with 3,217 deaths recorded.

The number of deaths recorded in March was 3,644 among the 30,028 admitted patients, making the mortality rate 12.1 percent. That is 0.9 percentage points higher than the previous year, when 3,600 of the 32,062 patients admitted to intensive care died.

In contrast, the previous month's figures showed a decline in the ICU mortality rate, with January's rate dropping from 13.4 percent in 2023 to 12.7 percent this year, reflecting a 0.7 percentage point decrease.

The mass walkout of residents and interns began around Feb. 20, following the government's controversial decision to raise the medical school admissions quota by 2,000.

While this medical void may have contributed to the increase in ICU mortality, other factors, such as seasonal temperature variations and the prevalence of infectious diseases, may have contributed to the change, the report explained.

But Rep. Kim claimed they could have been exacerbated by a shortage of personnel leading to a poorer quality of care. Kim also emphasized the need for structural changes, including increasing the number of specialized ICU staff and improving resources such as equipment and facilities.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare said that ICU mortality rates can be influenced by a wide range of factors, including the severity of patients' conditions and age demographics. The ministry cautioned against drawing definitive conclusions from the limited data presented, noting that ICU death rates fluctuate from year to year.

"While our emergency care capacity has been impacted by the departure of medical professionals, we are committed to maintaining critical care services," the ministry said.

By Choi Jeong-yoon(jychoi@heraldcorp.com)