Telemedicine stays after healthcare crisis, but key restrictions return

The healthcare crisis alert level has been lifted following the doctors' collective action, but telemedicine services will continue.

However, restrictions on telemedicine at hospital-level medical institutions and the 30 percent cap on telemedicine’s proportion within total consultations will be reinstated.

Although telemedicine will continue after the healthcare crisis alert level has been lifted, restrictions such as those on hospital-level medical institutions will likely be reapplied. (Credit: Getty Images)

The Ministry of Health and Welfare announced on Monday that telemedicine services will continue even after the lifting of the healthcare crisis alert level.

To minimize public inconvenience caused by the conflict between doctors and the government, the ministry expanded the scope of its telemedicine pilot program starting in late February 2024.

As a result, broad telemedicine services are now possible, such as allowing remote care at hospital-level and higher medical institutions; exempting the rule prohibiting telemedicine from exceeding 30 percent of total consultations per institution; and permitting telemedicine for initial consultations among eligible patients.

The ministry has operated the telemedicine pilot program for about five years and eight months since the Covid-19 pandemic. Considering that seven amendments to the Medical Service Act aimed at institutionalization are currently proposed and under discussion in the National Assembly, the ministry plans to continue operating the program to ensure citizens experience no inconvenience in using telemedicine.

However, considering the potential lifting of the severe health crisis level, the ministry plans to prioritize reinstating the following rules by restricting telemedicine at hospital-level facilities and applying a 30 percent cap on the proportion of telemedicine within total consultations. On the other hand, the scope of patients eligible for telemedicine will be changed gradually, aligned with the discussions on the Medical Service Act amendments currently underway in the National Assembly.

“Specific details will be decided after gathering opinions from patient groups, the Korean Medical Association, the Korean Pharmaceutical Association, and others during meetings of the telemedicine pilot project advisory group. Until then, the current standards will remain in place until the pilot project is restructured.”

To prevent confusion in the field, the government plans to clarify the implementation timing and other details before revising and applying the telemedicine pilot project guidelines, it added.