Korean Job Discussion Forums

[Real Reality]

About 30,000 doctors belonging to the Korean Medical Association and their families held a rally in Yeouido, Seoul, yesterday to urge the government to make major changes to the national health insurance plan and review the strict division between doctors and pharmacists.

"We must do away with our socialistic medical insurance system. It prevents people from going to hospitals and clinics, and it makes doctors seem like thieves," Korean Medical Association Chairman Kim Jae-jung said.

The doctors suggested that the current state-managed health insurance system be turned into "responsibility insurance," where the government offers minimum coverage and patients can apply to private insurance companies for comprehensive coverage.
http://joongangdaily.joins.com/200402/22/200402222320284709900090409041.html

[Real Reality]

Have you ever had the experience of going to a doctor, dentist, or other medical professional asking for something you know would be good for you, and being told you do not need it. ("It is too expensive. You will not need it.") The doctor performs the procedure and guess what? It turned out you did need the stuff (medicine).

If insurance pays or you are willing to pay, why won't the Korean doctor provide it? Why do you have to suffer unnecessarily?

[ulsanchris]

DOctor in this country are theives. THey purposefully give you insufficient medicine so that you have to make repeat visits.

[Real Reality]

Should not getting a second help? However, in Korea, the second opinion is exactly the same as the first. They both describe the same procedure but both exclude some things that would help in treatment and recovery.

What to do? Find out for yourself.

MDAdvice.com, the Reliable Health Information Source!
http://www.mdadvice.com/resources/

Medical Web
http://www.medicalweb.com/

WEBMD
http://my.webmd.com/medical_information/medical_library/default.htm

WEBMD: Newly Diagnosed
http://my.webmd.com/content/article/61/67387.htm?z=1728_00000_1000_nd_01

The Canadian Health Network
http://www.canadian-health-network.ca/servlet/ContentServer?cid=1038611684536&pagename=CHN-RCS/Page/HomePageTemplate&c=Page&lang=En

Health Canada Online
http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/english/index.html

National Institutes of Health
http://health.nih.gov/

[Saxiif]

[Kwangjuchicken]

One of my best friends is also my student and my doctor. He was at the demonstration. Two of the big things they are protesting are:(A) The government telling doctors what drugs they can and can not prescribe and(B) How much they can prescribe at one time.

As for the latter, we all know this three day at a time bit, then you need more medication. Most Korean doctors would love to be able to write a 30 day prescroption etc. but the law says no.

As for the former, I have a very serious nerve condition that I was born with. It causes severe pain all over 24/7. For almost 25 years all doctors in the world (including Korean doctors) have known that for chronic nerve pain, the best medications to use are antidepressants. The drugs are NOT given for depression. These drugs also lower the levels of chemicals in the central nervous system that transmit pain. Every kind of doctor in Korea knows this... general practitioners, internal medicine, neurologists, cardilologist, dentists, psychiatrists etc. I know, because I have had all of these as students.

However, according to Korean law, only a psychiatrist can prescribe them. All the doctors, including the psychiatrists think this is a stupid law. So, what often happens is a doctor who has a friend who is a psychiatrist, has his friend write the prescription without even knowing the patient.

Korean doctors are trying to be better. These protests are good things.