The Ministry of Health and Welfare said the National Assembly on Dec. 2 passed an amendment to the Medical Service Act to officially adopt noncontact medical treatment. Shown is a senior citizen receiving treatment using a noncontact medical system at a geriatric welfare center in Namwon, Jeollabuk-do Province. (Namwon City Hall)
By Charles Audouin
The country's official adoption of noncontact medical treatment could come as early as late next year, mainly at hospital level-designated medical institutions.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare said the National Assembly in a Dec. 2 plenary session passed a revision to the Medical Service Act for such treatment.
The amendment will take effect a year later after promulgation following its presentation to and approval by the Cabinet.
Noncontact medical service underwent pilot operations for five years and nine months starting from the COVID-19 pandemic. This amendment sets the legal basis for such treatment and the basis for advances in primary care.
The revision explicitly said noncontact treatment is a supplementary method of in-person care primarily for patients who received face-to-face service for a certain period for the same symptoms at a medical center. The scope of coverage and range of prescriptions will be limited if a patient has no record of in-person treatment.
For patient safety, the prescription of medications like controlled substances through remote consultations is prohibited. Further restrictions can apply to pharmaceutical types and the number of prescription days if patient information is deemed insufficient.
For raising accessibility by vulnerable groups, delivery of medications prescribed through remote consultations will be allowed for patients residing on remote islands or mountainous areas, long-term care recipients, registered people with disabilities, or those confirmed to have infectious or rare diseases.
Depending on traits of the target population, the designated regions for prescription delivery can be flexibly set.
Minister of Health and Welfare Jeong Eun Kyeong said, "Since this alternative was designed to place the highest priority on treatment quality and patient safety, we will strive to ensure safe and convenient use of nontact medical care even after the amendment takes effect."
caudouin@korea.kr