Korean Medicine Association promotes night clinics in response to doctors' full-day strike on the 18th

The patient has become a hostage.

On the morning of the 13th, patient organization representatives, including the Korea Patients' Organization Federation, held a joint press conference in front of the National Assembly in Yeouido, Seoul, urging the withdrawal of the medical industry's collective strike that threatens patients' lives and health.

The Korea Oriental Medicine Doctors Association announced on the 13th that in order to minimize public inconvenience caused by the general strike of Western medicine practitioners, they will promote nighttime treatments at nationwide Korean medicine clinics and hospitals on the 18th, the scheduled strike day.

Korean medicine clinics and traditional Korean medicine hospitals participating in nighttime treatment will extend their consultation hours to provide primary care for common illnesses such as colds and indigestion, as well as to facilitate efficient coordination and treatment in case of emergency patients.

According to the statistics for the first half of 2023, among the most common outpatient diseases in the Yang's department, musculoskeletal disorders, allergic rhinitis, various respiratory infections, and gastrointestinal-related diseases are all conditions that can be adequately treated at Korean medicine clinics. It is expected that the medical gap in primary care can be minimized through Korean medicine clinics.

The Korean Medicine Association stated, "To prevent unfortunate incidents where patients do not receive proper treatment, we will ensure that basic consultation hours are maintained, including nighttime hours, at clinics and traditional medicine hospitals to care for the health of the public," and explained, "Patients can receive the best traditional medical services by visiting nearby clinics and traditional medicine hospitals."

He also added, "In preparation for future collective actions such as closures by the veterinary community, the government needs to improve the system so that traditional Korean medicine clinics can play a more central role in primary healthcare."