Health Ministry to select 50 lawyers for mediation support service
Beginning in May, a new patient advocacy service will offer legal and medical support to help patients navigate serious medical disputes and guide them through the mediation process in the aftermath of medical accidents.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare said Monday the initiative is part of the government’s medical reform plan announced last year, which was established to offer a comprehensive safety net for victims of medical accidents. The new service will facilitate the resolution of medical disputes through mediation, rather than litigation, they added.
Under the new program, legal representatives will assist victims of serious medical incidents — such as cases involving death or prolonged unconsciousness lasting over a month — providing expert support throughout the mediation process, from medical assessments to legal proceedings.
The ministry said the recruitment of legal professionals to serve in such a role began on Monday and applications will be accepted until the end of April. Some 50 qualified lawyers will be selected and offered compensation on a per-case basis. Approximately 300 million won ($220,000) in government funding has been allocated for the program this year. Those interested must apply to the Korea Medical Dispute Mediation and Arbitration Agency by April 30.
Since 2012, the Health Ministry has operated a medical dispute mediation system to encourage settlements without lawsuits, but patients have often faced challenges due to a lack of medical and legal expertise relative to healthcare providers.
“Starting with this new service, the ministry aims to minimize the burden on patients stemming from unnecessary litigation, while pushing ahead to build a public compensation system for unavoidable medical accidents and establishing a specialized criminal justice system for medical accidents,” said an official from the Health Ministry.
ddd@heraldcorp.com
