 ▲ 윤석열 정부 용산 대통령실 청사 <사진:뉴시스> |
대통령실이 22일 "연 2000명 증원은 오히려 부족한 수준이며 증원 인력은 지역·필수 의료 인력으로 양성하겠다"고 밝혔다.
대통령실은 이날 홈페이지에 '의료개혁에 대한 오해와 진실 Q&A' 제목으로 총 5개 부분에 대한 설명에 나서면서 증원 당위성을 펼친 가운데 의대 정원 확대가 정부의 일방 결정이 아니라고 강조했다.
대통령실은 우선 "정부는 대한의사협회(의협)와의 공식소통 채널을 구성해 28차례 논의를 진행했다"며 "의료계를 비롯 전문가·소비자단체 등 사회 각계각층과 다양한 방식으로 130차례 이상 충분히 소통했다"고 강조했다.
또 "정부는 의협에 증원 규모에 대한 의견을 요청했으나 의협은 끝까지 답하지 않았다고 밝혔다.
이어 "보건사회연구원·한국개발연구원·서울대 등 전문가 추계결과 2035년 기준으로 현재 대비 1만명이 부족한 것으로 추계 됐고, 현재도 의료취약지역 의사가 5000명이 부족하다"며 "2000명 규모 증원 없이는 미래 의료 수요를 감당할 수 없다"고 전했다.
그러면서 "증원해도 의학 교육 질은 개선 가능하다"며 "1980년대와 비교했을 때 의대생 수는 줄어든 반면 교수 채용은 크게 늘어난 상태"라고 전했다.
더불어 해외 사례와 비교하며 "외국 의과대학은 평균 정원이 100명 이상으로 우리나라 의과대학에 비해 교육 운영 규모 경제 효과가 있다"고 강조했다.
대통령실은 "의사협회 의료정책연구소도 의사 근무지역 선택에 출신·의대 졸업·전문의 수련 지역에 따라 지역 근무 가능성이 높다고 분석했다"며 "2017년 전문의 자격 취득자의 2020년 근무지역 분석 결과 비수도권 의대를 졸업하고 수련하는 경우 비수도권에 남는 비율은 82%나 된다"고 전했다.
또 "필수 의료분야 의사를 양성하기 위해 이들이 진료에만 전념할 수 있도록 보상을 높이고 의료사고 민·형사 부담을 줄일 것"이라며 "의사가 증가해도 의료비 부담은 늘지 않는다"고 전했다.
그러면서 "의사 수가 늘면 소위 '응급실 뺑뺑이' 같은 미충족된 필수 의료를 골든타임 내 제공할 수 있어 의료비 등 사회·경제적 비용이 절감된다"며 "오히려 의사가 부족하면 인건비가 상승하고 건강보험 의료가격(수가)도 높아지고 의사 구인난이 심한 지방일수록 인건비가 높다"고 강조했다.
*아래는 위 기사를 '구글 번역'으로 번역한 영문 기사의 [전문]입니다. '구글번역'은 이해도 높이기를 위해 노력하고 있습니다. 영문 번역에 오류가 있을 수 있음을 전제로 합니다.<*The following is [the full text] of the English article translated by 'Google Translate'. 'Google Translate' is working hard to improve understanding. It is assumed that there may be errors in the English translation
President's Office "Even 2,000 additional medical students are not enough...Increased manpower, training essential local medical personnel."
On the homepage, a total of 5 parts of the justification for increased personnel are explained under the title ‘Q&A on misunderstandings and truths about medical reform’
-kihong Kim reporter
The President's Office announced on the 22nd, "The annual increase of 2,000 personnel is insufficient, and the increased personnel will be trained as local and essential medical personnel."
On this day, the President's Office explained a total of five parts on its website under the title 'Misunderstandings and Truths about Medical Reform Q&A' and emphasized the justification for increasing the number of students, while emphasizing that expanding the number of medical school students was not a unilateral decision by the government.
First, the President's Office said, "The government established an official communication channel with the Korean Medical Association and held discussions 28 times," and added, "We sufficiently communicated more than 130 times in various ways with all walks of life, including the medical community, experts, and consumer groups." He emphasized.
He also said, “The government requested the Korean Medical Association’s opinion on the scale of the increase, but the Korean Medical Association did not respond until the end.”
He continued, “As a result of estimates by experts such as the Korea Institute for Health and Social Affairs, the Korea Development Institute, and Seoul National University, it is estimated that there will be a shortage of 10,000 doctors in 2035 compared to the present, and there is currently a shortage of 5,000 doctors in medically underserved areas,” adding, “Without an increase of 2,000 people, future medical care will not be possible.” “We can’t keep up with the demand,” he said.
He said, “The quality of medical education can be improved even if the number of students increases,” and “Compared to the 1980s, the number of medical students has decreased, while the hiring of professors has increased significantly.”
In addition, comparing with overseas cases, he emphasized, "Foreign medical schools have an average number of students of more than 100, so there is an economy of scale in educational operation compared to Korean medical schools."
The President's Office said, "The Medical Policy Research Institute of the Medical Association also analyzed that the possibility of working in a region is high depending on the region of origin, medical school graduation, and specialist training region when selecting a doctor's work region," and "As a result of the analysis of the 2020 work region of those who received qualifications as a specialist in 2017, non-metropolitan areas were the most likely to work." “If you graduate from medical school and train, the rate of remaining in a non-metropolitan area is as high as 82%,” he said.
He also said, “In order to train doctors in essential medical fields, we will increase compensation so that they can focus on medical treatment and reduce the civil and criminal burden of medical accidents,” and added, “Even if the number of doctors increases, the burden of medical expenses will not increase.”
At the same time, he said, "If the number of doctors increases, unmet essential medical care, such as the so-called 'emergency room hit and run', can be provided within golden time, thereby reducing social and economic costs such as medical expenses." He added, "If there is a shortage of doctors, labor costs will rise and health insurance medical prices (costs) will decrease." ) is higher, and labor costs are higher in regions where there is a severe shortage of doctors.”
