Concerns about medical gaps during mid-autumn celebrations... Korean Medical Association: ”If doctors don't rest during the holidays, they won't be able to provide safer medical care” (Korea)

The Korean Medical Association (KMA) has publicly protested against the South Korean government's move to make it mandatory for medical institutions to open their doors to doctors during the mid-autumn festival holiday.
The medical association sent a public document to the hospital, stating that if the hospital does not accept patients during the holiday period despite being designated as a 'medical institution that can open for business,' it may issue an order to suspend operations.
On the afternoon of the 2nd, the medical association urged the hospital to declare that "treatment is impossible." In a press release titled "2024 Mid-Autumn Celebration Holiday Treatment Information," the association stated, "During the Mid-Autumn Celebration holiday, 24-hour treatment is difficult for emergency departments.
Medical institutions and emergency medical facilities are requested to apply to the Association's Membership Interest Center for closure of medical services during the mid-autumn celebration holiday. This should be notified to the public in advance. To avoid confusion regarding the use of emergency medical services, we ask that emergency medical institutions and emergency
"Our association will actively support the complaints of our members who work in medical facilities," he said. "Doctors are also citizens. Only if doctors are healthy can they protect the health of patients.
"For our mid-autumn celebration, we ask all members to prioritize their own health and the health of their families," he wrote. "Accepting emergency patients without the ability to treat them puts patients at greater risk.
Doctors also have rights and families, and if they don't take time off during the holidays, they won't be able to treat patients more safely," the medical association said.
"We strongly warn private medical institutions other than emergency medical facilities against the government forcing them into unfair labor practices, and we will protect our members through all legal measures."
Prior to this, the government designated September 11th to 25th as the Mid-Autumn Celebration Holiday Emergency Response Week to ensure that emergency patient treatment would not be disrupted during the Mid-Autumn Celebration Holiday, when hospitals and clinics are closed.
The government announced that it would support emergency medical care during the holiday period. In the event that hospitals and pharmacies designated to open during the holiday period do not accept patients, the government will suspend operations in accordance with Article 45 of the Emergency Medical Care Act.
The association also teased that administrative measures such as a 15-day suspension are possible, and that administrative guidance will be given to non-emergency and on-call medical institutions.
"I hope that the emergency medical treatment system will be operational," he said, making a sarcastic remark about President Yoon Seok-yeol's statement that the emergency medical treatment system is operating smoothly.