Medical staff. Yonhap News. 

It has been pointed out that the public's right to know and safety are being threatened due to the complete lack of legal and institutional mechanisms for patients to directly verify a doctor's qualifications.

Unlike other professionals such as lawyers, and major overseas countries like the United States and the United Kingdom, in Korea, even minimal information such as a doctor's disciplinary history or specialty is not disclosed, raising concerns about harm caused by "blind medical treatment." Critics are strongly urging the government to implement a system, which has been delayed due to opposition from the medical community, thereby leaving patients at risk.

According to the National Assembly Research Service on the 24th, South Korea completely lacks legal measures for patients to verify a doctor's license information or treatment history. Unless a doctor voluntarily discloses this information, patients are compelled to entrust their well-being to inaccurate sources such as profiles displayed on hospital walls, online reviews, or recommendations from acquaintances.

Although the Ministry of Health and Welfare operates a "Healthcare Professional License Management System," it is designed for the administrative convenience of healthcare professionals and does not provide information to patients.

This lack of information has sometimes led to tragic consequences. In 2014, the doctor who caused the death of the late singer Shin Hae-chul due to medical malpractice continued to practice medicine even while undergoing criminal proceedings, and during this period, another suspected case of medical malpractice occurred.

It is argued that if patients had been able to know about the doctor's legal disputes or past history, further harm could have been prevented. While current laws provide penalties for practicing medicine without a license, this is a post-incident measure and does not serve as a preventative measure allowing patients to recognize and avoid risks beforehand.

Major developed countries already disclose basic information about medical professionals to the public. In most U.S. states, anyone can search for a doctor's license validity and disciplinary actions through an online system.

Issues of fairness with other professions in Korea are also being raised. Lawyers, certified public accountants, and tax accountants disclose disciplinary information on their respective association websites based on relevant laws, ensuring consumer choice and market transparency. It appears that a uniquely restrictive standard is applied solely to medical services, which are directly related to life.

The government's passive stance is cited as a problem. The Consumer Policy Committee had already recommended improvements to disclose disciplinary information of medical professionals in July 2018, but there has been no progress for several years. While the reason given is the protection of medical professionals' personal information, a phased disclosure of essential information such as license status, specialty, and affiliated hospital is entirely feasible.

Experts point out that it is time for the government to clarify its stance on system improvement, if only to avoid criticism for prioritizing the medical community's interests over the public's life and safety.

Yonhap News