Mortality, Health Care Use, and Spending Patterns During South Korea’s Trainee Physicians’ Walkout

Was the 18-month nationwide walkout by South Korean trainee physicians in 2024 and 2025 associated with changes in mortality, health care use, and spending patterns at teaching hospitals?In this cohort study of 200 teaching hospitals in South Korea, the 2024 to 2025 trainee physician walkout was associated with marginal mortality increases, substantial declines in utilization, and higher spending per encounter in 2024, largely driven by patients admitted with general conditions. Mortality, utilization, and spending for patients admitted with complex conditions did not change, and little evidence indicated care shifted to nonteaching hospitals.These findings suggest that workforce disruptions may necessitate the prioritization of high-acuity care, potentially constraining general inpatient services, while simultaneously demonstrating both the resilience and vulnerabilities of South Korea’s health system.

Corresponding Author: Sungchul Park, PhD, Department of Health Policy and Management, BK21 FOUR Rsungchul_park@korea.ac.kr).

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