The Korean Medical Association and self-regulation

ABSTRACT

According to the World Medical Association Declaration of Madrid on Professionally-led Regulation, physicians have been granted a high degree of professional autonomy, which is an essential component of high quality medical care. As a result, physicians have a continuing responsibility to be self-regulating. Historically, credible self-regulation has required maintaining professional competence, identifying problem physicians and conflicts of interest, and taking appropriate action. Recently, our society had two incidents that gave patients strong doubts about the professional expertise of physicians. The Korean Medical Association should consider the following in promoting its self-regulatory policies. First, if the structure of the self-regulation of lawyers is instructive, self-regulation completely independent from the government is unlikely to be realized. KMA or independent bodies should exercise primary authority and responsibility for self-regulation, and if this is not implemented well, it is reasonable that the Department of Health and Human Services should intervene. Second, the Ethics Committee of KMA should avoid political disputes between members and devote itself solely to establishing the core ethics of the medical profession. Third, KMA should inform its members that the ultimate beneficiaries of self-regulation are physicians and patients. KMA must determine the objectives it has in common with the Department of Health and Human Services and create a model of self-regulation.