People waiting at the Incheon Medical Centre in Incheon, South Korea. Thousands of trainee doctors walked off the job in February to protest against plans to lift medical student numbers. - Reuters
SEOUL: South Korea will use 10 trillion won (US$7.59 billion) in health insurance funds over three years to raise fees doctors receive for treating severe illnesses, the health ministry said on Friday (Sept 27), as a walkout by young doctors strains the health system.
The move will incentivise major general hospitals to focus more on treating severe, emergency or rare diseases, and is part of a push to gradually reduce dependence on trainee doctors who should focus on training, the ministry announced at a briefing.
