Korean government telemedicine initiative faces opposition in medical circles

 01-Nov-16, The Korea Bizwire

The Korean government has been spearheading the implementation of telemedicine since 2014, an initiative that faced strong resistance from opposition parties and those in medical circles, who worry about a lack of effectiveness and safety vulnerabilities, in addition to patients potentially flocking to larger medical institutions, leading to the demise of smaller clinics.

Image: KobizMedia / Korea Bizwire

The controversy resurfaced recently when the Ministry of Health & Welfare announced the start of a pilot project for telemedicine at senior nursing facilities across the country. Some 680 facilities with at least 70 in-patients qualify for the program, 150 of which have applied so far for participation.

“Medical treatment begins with a face-to-face encounter (between a doctor and a patient),” said an official from the Gwangju Medical Association. “Elderly patients often have difficulty fully explaining their opinions or symptoms, which makes it difficult for a medical professional to arrive at an accurate diagnosis through a monitor screen.”

 Read the full article 

 Insights