Police Refer 2 Doctors to Prosecution Over 'ER Shopping' Death of Teenager in Daegu

Two doctors who refused to treat a teenager who died after being shuttled between hospitals in an ambulance—a case known as "ER shopping"—three years ago in Daegu have been referred to the prosecution.

The Daegu Metropolitan Police Agency announced today (June 16) that they have referred two doctors from large local hospitals to the prosecution without detention on charges including violations of the Emergency Medical Service Act.

According to the police, the doctors, identified as A and another, are accused of failing to provide proper initial treatment to a 17-year-old girl, referred to as B, who was brought to their emergency room by a 119 ambulance after falling from a four-story building in March 2023, and instead sending her to another hospital.

Immediately after the accident, the 119 emergency team took B to Daegu Fatima Hospital, a regional emergency medical center. However, an emergency medicine resident there reportedly failed to properly assess the severity of her condition and suggested transferring her to another hospital, claiming she needed care from the psychiatry department.

The 119 ambulance carrying B then requested admission from other hospitals, including Kyungpook National University Hospital and Daegu Catholic University Medical Center, but was turned away with reasons such as "no neurosurgery medical staff available."

Unable to receive proper emergency treatment in the critical moments following the accident, B suffered cardiac arrest during the transfer and eventually passed away.

The police launched an investigation into the hospitals to determine the reasons for avoiding emergency treatment for B. In April, about three years after the incident, the police referred the two doctors to the prosecution.

A police official stated, "We determined that there was no justifiable reason for the suspects to avoid providing emergency medical care at the time, citing the unavailability of specialists such as neurosurgeons," adding, "We also took into account that the government had already imposed administrative penalties, such as suspending subsidies, on the medical institutions that refused to accept B."

(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.