Korea rolls out malpractice insurance support for high-risk surgeons

A doctor is seen walking into the Seoul National University hospital in Gwangjin-gu, southern Seoul. (Im Se-jun/The Korea Herald)

South Korea has launched a new malpractice insurance support program for doctors in essential but high-risk medical fields, the Health Ministry said Wednesday, aiming to build a stronger safety net for both physicians and patients in the event of medical accidents.

The initiative is designed to reduce the financial burden on medical professionals in the event of malpractice lawsuits and to help patients receive timely compensation.

It is also part of broader efforts to address shortages in essential medical specialties and to encourage more young doctors to pursue careers in such high-risk but crucial fields as obstetrics and pediatrics, which have seen declining participation due to heavy workloads and litigation risks.

According to the Health Ministry, the program covers board-certified specialists as well as resident doctors currently training in designated essential care areas.

For specialists, the program applies to obstetrician-gynecologists who perform deliveries at hospitals and clinics as well as specialists in pediatric surgery, pediatric thoracic surgery, pediatric cardiology and pediatric neurosurgery fields working at hospital-level facilities.

In such cases, if a medical accident occurs, the hospital bears up to 200 million won ($136,000) in damages, while the insurer covers amounts exceeding that, up to 1.5 billion won.

The annual insurance premium is set at 1.7 million won per doctor, with the state covering 1.5 million won. Only the remaining 200,000 won needs to be paid by the medical institution.

For resident doctors, the policy covers those training in internal medicine, surgery, obstetrics and gynecology, pediatrics, thoracic and cardiovascular surgery, emergency medicine, neurosurgery and neurology.

Hospitals are responsible for the first 30 million won in damages, with the insurer covering up to 300 million won beyond that.

For each resident doctor, the annual premium is set at 420,000 won, with 250,000 won covered by the government and 170,000 covered by the training hospital. Hospitals with existing insurance coverage for residents may opt to receive a 250,000 won rebate per person.

“With just 200,000 won per year, each specialist can be protected against liability claims of up to 1.5 billion won,” said Health Minister Jeong Eun-kyeong. “The ministry hopes this system will help to build a reliable safety net for both doctors and patients, enabling quick and adequate resolution of medical accidents.”