Amidst a dispute between the medical community and the police over an "overzealous investigation" regarding the seizure and search of a pediatric emergency room, the Korean Medical Association (KMA) has condemned the action, stating, "We can never overlook this unprecedented situation where a clinical site was turned into a forced investigation site."
In a press release, the KMA stated, "Subjecting an emergency room where treatments are underway to a forced investigation must be dealt with separately from the establishment of facts.
Conducting a search and seizure in an emergency room while patients are being treated is unacceptable."
Recently, at a pediatric emergency center in a university hospital in the southern Gyeonggi Province region, a child receiving treatment for cyanosis passed away.
On the morning of September 30, about two months after the incident occurred, the Gyeonggi Nambu Provincial Police Agency executed a search and seizure warrant at the pediatric emergency center.
The Korean Society of Pediatric Emergency Medicine criticized that the police suddenly resorted to a search and seizure despite their cooperation with the investigation thus far.
They also pointed out that conducting a search and seizure in an operational emergency room could lead to patient safety accidents.
The police countered that they executed the warrant to the minimum extent possible without disrupting patient care, such as checking empty spaces with the cooperation of the hospital.
The KMA pointed out, "At the time of the search and seizure, there were pediatric patients receiving treatment in the center, including a 6-month-old infant brought in for seizures. Just because the execution time was short and empty spaces were used does not justify a forced investigation into a clinical site."
They added, "Even with the best efforts of medical staff, it is difficult to guarantee outcomes for severe pediatric illnesses due to the speed of disease progression and severity. Whether there was negligence can only be determined by medically reviewing the patient's condition, treatment conditions, and actual procedures at the time, and it is not a problem that can be uncovered through a search and seizure."
The KMA expressed concern, saying, "Hospitals that see many severely ill children cannot completely avoid tragic deaths. If investigative personnel barge into an emergency room under treatment every time that happens, doctors who try to take ultimate responsibility for severely ill children will be the first to leave the field."
The KMA emphasized that it is not taking issue with legitimate investigations by investigative authorities.
At the same time, they demanded that the police explain the reason for applying for a search and seizure warrant targeting the operating pediatric emergency center and why they executed the warrant immediately without other attempts such as voluntary submission of data.
They also urged the establishment of investigation execution standards in a way that does not disrupt medical treatment.
They demanded that the government consult with investigative authorities to ensure that medical evaluations and professional reviews take precedence over forced investigations in medical malpractice probes, and to reflect this in the law.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare has also begun assessing the situation.
An official from the Ministry of Health and Welfare stated, "We are continuing to verify the facts of the time," adding, "We plan to continue discussions with the police."
(Photo: Provided by Yonhap News TV, Yonhap News)
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