Impact of Mass Resignation of Junior Doctors in Korea on Major Interventions: Interrupted Time Series Analysis
- 1Department of Preventive Medicine and Public Health, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea .
- 2Korea Cancer Patients Rights Council, Seoul, Korea .
- 3Division of Nephrology, Department of Internal Medicine, Eunpyeong St. Mary’s Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul, Korea .
Abstract
Background: On February 19, 2024, approximately 10,000 junior doctors in Republic of Korea (= South Korea) resigned en masse, in protest of newly announced government healthcare policies. This abrupt reduction in the medical workforce may have compromised healthcare accessibility and caused delays in major surgical procedures and critical care. This study aimed to assess the nationwide impact of the resignation on the provision of medical services in Korea.
Methods: Monthly intervention volumes for Diseases & Practices of National Interest (DPNI) were obtained from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service for the period from January 2019 to August 2024. The impact of the mass resignation on intervention volumes was evaluated using interrupted time series segmented regression analysis, by level of medical institution.
Results: Of the 20 DPNIs, 16 met the inclusion criteria. Thirteen DPNIs exhibited immediate reductions in intervention volumes at tertiary hospitals following the mass resignation, with decreases ranging from 18.7% to 62.9% relative to pre-resignation monthly averages. In contrast, no immediate decline was observed for hemodialysis for chronic renal failure, cerebral thrombectomy, and liver cancer surgery. No immediate changes were observed in non-tertiary general hospitals. Long-term effects could not be reliably assessed due to the limited number of post-resignation data points.
Conclusion: The mass resignation of junior doctors was associated with substantial and immediate reductions in healthcare service provision across multiple clinical specialties, particularly in tertiary hospitals. The absence of immediate effects for certain DPNIs likely reflects their lower reliance on junior doctors, as well as the urgency or structural characteristics of these interventions. These findings highlight the need for health policies that address unmet healthcare needs and mitigate potential adverse health outcomes resulting from delayed or foregone medical services.
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BibTeX
@article{kim2026impact,
title = {{Impact of Mass Resignation of Junior Doctors in Korea on Major Interventions: Interrupted Time Series Analysis}},
author = {Youngjin Kim and Sung Ju Kim and Tae Hyun Ban and Sukil Kim},
journal = {Journal of Korean medical science},
year = {2026},
month = jul,
doi = {10.3346/jkms.2026.41.e282},
url = {https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13730652},
note = {CC BY-NC},
}
RIS
TY - JOUR
TI - Impact of Mass Resignation of Junior Doctors in Korea on Major Interventions: Interrupted Time Series Analysis
AU - Youngjin Kim
AU - Sung Ju Kim
AU - Tae Hyun Ban
AU - Sukil Kim
PY - 2026
DA - 2026/07/14
JO - Journal of Korean medical science
DO - 10.3346/jkms.2026.41.e282
UR - https://europepmc.org/article/PMC/PMC13730652
AB - Background: On February 19, 2024, approximately 10,000 junior doctors in Republic of Korea (= South Korea) resigned en masse, in protest of newly announced government healthcare policies. This abrupt reduction in the medical workforce may have compromised healthcare accessibility and caused delays in major surgical procedures and critical care. This study aimed to assess the nationwide impact of the resignation on the provision of medical services in Korea. Methods: Monthly intervention volumes for Diseases & Practices of National Interest (DPNI) were obtained from the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service for the period from January 2019 to August 2024. The impact of the mass resignation on intervention volumes was evaluated using interrupted time series segmented regression analysis, by level of medical institution. Results: Of the 20 DPNIs, 16 met the inclusion criteria. Thirteen DPNIs exhibited immediate reductions in intervention volumes at tertiary hospitals following the mass resignation, with decreases ranging from 18.7% to 62.9% relative to pre-resignation monthly averages. In contrast, no immediate decline was observed for hemodialysis for chronic renal failure, cerebral thrombectomy, and liver cancer surgery. No immediate changes were observed in non-tertiary general hospitals. Long-term effects could not be reliably assessed due to the limited number of post-resignation data points. Conclusion: The mass resignation of junior doctors was associated with substantial and immediate reductions in healthcare service provision across multiple clinical specialties, particularly in tertiary hospitals. The absence of immediate effects for certain DPNIs likely reflects their lower reliance on junior doctors, as well as the urgency or structural characteristics of these interventions. These findings highlight the need for health policies that address unmet healthcare needs and mitigate potential adverse health outcomes resulting from delayed or foregone medical services.
SN - 1598-6357
SN - 1011-8934
ER -