Telemedicine rules pre-announced — first visits within the same city or province, prescriptions in principle up to 7 days (amended Medical Service Act takes effect December 24)
Source material is a Korean government announcement (in Korean).
Under the draft amendment, first-visit telemedicine is available when the patient's address and the medical institution are in the same city or province, and prescriptions are in principle limited to 7 days (pre-announcement under way, with opinions accepted until November 9).
Key facts
| General telemedicine | Patients who received in-person care for the same symptoms at the same medical institution within six months |
|---|---|
| First-visit telemedicine | Registered resident address (actual residence, if registered) and medical institution in the same city or province |
| First-visit prescription length | In principle up to 7 days (up to 30 days at a time if continuation of existing treatment is needed) |
| Prohibited prescriptions | Narcotics and psychotropic drugs, drugs with risk of misuse or abuse, obesity treatments (in principle) |
| Schedule | Pre-announcement October 19 to November 9; amended Medical Service Act takes effect December 24 |
Last checked:
In line with the amended Medical Service Act taking effect on December 24, Korea's Ministry of Health and Welfare is pre-announcing, from October 19 to November 9, partial amendments to the Enforcement Rules of the Medical Service Act and the Rules on Administrative Dispositions in Medical Affairs that set out eligible patients and prescription standards for telemedicine. General telemedicine is for patients who received in-person care for the same symptoms at the same medical institution within six months; even without in-person care history, a first-visit telemedicine consultation is possible if the person's registered address and the medical institution are in the same city or province. Prescriptions at a first visit are in principle limited to 7 days, and prescriptions of narcotics and psychotropic drugs, drugs with risk of misuse or abuse, and obesity treatments are in principle prohibited.
Summaries below are factual notes based on government announcements and primary sources — not evaluations or opinions.
FAQ
Are there cases where I can have a first-visit telemedicine consultation with a medical institution in another city or province?
Patients specified by law, such as people with rare diseases, type 1 diabetes patients, registered persons with disabilities and long-term care recipients, can have first-visit telemedicine consultations with medical institutions in other cities or provinces.
How can I submit an opinion on the draft amendments?
Opinions on the draft amendments to the enforcement rules and the administrative disposition rules can be submitted until November 9 to the Ministry of Health and Welfare's Medical Information Policy Division (the Pharmaceutical Policy Division for matters related to drug delivery) or via the National Participatory Legislation Center. The deadline for opinions on the draft amendment to the enforcement decree is November 2.