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Welcome Message
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As the unusually cold winter of last year has turned into a new spring, new sprouts are popping up everywhere and cherry blossoms are in full bloom. Particularly at the beginning of this year, our country had the honor of hosting the very successful Pyeongchang Winter Olympic Games. I hope this year will be even better, bringing greater prosperity and the fulfillment of our dreams.
This year, The Korean Society of Coloproctology ushers in its 51st anniversary since its founding in 1967. I am deeply grateful to the members of the Society for entrusting me with the society¡¯s chairmanship at this grave moment when it is preparing for the next 50 years.
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Thanks to the dedication and devotion of former chairpersons and chief directors, the Society has been able to make great strides toward establishing itself as one of the most prestigious academic societies in South Korea, both in name and reality. Furthermore, the chairpersons of the Society¡¯s 15 committees and the members of its board directors continue to work relentlessly for the further development of our Society, and the Society¡¯s eight research groups continue to pursue academic development in various fields. In addition to its regular academic activities, including training programs and symposia, the Society has been actively promoting academic exchange and development in terms of international efforts to attract international scholars and academic societies and by holding international symposia.
Although the members of our Society come from a diverse range of backgrounds, including private clinics, specialized hospitals, general hospitals and university hospitals, all are willing to exchange opinions and share ideas for the development of the Society. Our members always show a deep understanding of common issues and eagerly cooperate in efforts to achieve the Society¡¯s goals. Because of this, our Society has been able to achieve many successes, including hosting academic symposia and addressing problems with the national health insurance program. This spirit has made The Korean Society of Coloproctology an excellent academic society.
However, now is not the time to rest on our laurels, the medical sector in Korea is currently facing various difficulties. As the special act on medical residents takes effect, I understand that many members will subsequently have difficulties, such as a possible vacuum in the area of medical treatment and rising costs. Although we have been treating patients with great pride and conviction as surgeons, I believe that recent legal disputes and public opinions have discouraged many doctors from actively engaging in treatment and surgery. Furthermore, due to the current government¡¯s healthcare and medical policies, including the conversion of non-benefit medical care to benefit medical care, the establishment of a healthcare delivery system, and the expansion of medical insurance coverage, many doctors are expressing their concerns and fears. Furthermore, we are currently facing many new policies whose impacts are still to be felt: the revision of relative values, the establishment of a comprehensive health insurance plan, safety and infection, and compensation when non-covered medical treatments and procedures are converted to covered benefits. Above all, the most serious problem in the healthcare system is a lack of investment in the fundamentals. We should deal with these issues with planning and continuity. I sincerely ask the Society¡¯s members to continue to share their various opinions and to address the many issues currently facing the medical field; The Korean Society of Coloproctology must continue to play a leading role in solving problems and devising measures that ensure continued development.
Distinguished members! A challenge comes with an opportunity for new momentum for development. Let us make concerted efforts to overcome the current challenges and pursue further development. One of the most important roles of The Korean Society of Coloproctology is to share new information with its members and to build a support system to help its members in responding to social changes. I will do my best to fulfill such roles faithfully for the remaining period of my tenure, and I humbly request your support.
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Respectfully yours,
Jung Gu Kang (Department of Surgery, NHIS Ilsan Hospital)
President
Korean Society of Coloproctology
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I would like to thank the members of our society for allowing me to fill the important position of Chairman, The Korean Society of Coloproctology, in the year of our 50th anniversary.
As many of our members are aware, through their participation, we successfully completed the 50th Anniversary Conference of The Korean Society of Coloproctology, as well as international conferences such as the APFCP, ECTA, ASSR, and ASPOA. Over 1,000 people, including around 250 foreigners from 27 countries, attended the 50th Anniversary Conference, and I believe it was a turning point through which we could clearly make known the academic excellence and development of The Korean Society of Coloproctology. I am certain that the development of our society would not have been |
possible without the efforts of our advisory committee members who established and guided our society, the former chairmen, including former Chairman Kyu Joo Park, and above all, the many members who actively participated in the Society¡¯s affairs. I fully feel the great weight of the responsibility I have as the chairman of The Korean Society of Coloproctology as we reach our fiftieth year.
Our society started on October 27, 1967, with around ten members, with the name, the Korean Coloproctology Society. In the present day of March 2017, it is called The Korean Society of Coloproctology and has around 2,011 members. Not only has it expanded in size, but it has also become the international leader in laparoscopic and robot surgery for the treatment of patients with colorectal cancer, introduced the idea of a specialist hospital and created hospitals of coloproctology in Korea, introduced a coloproctology medical specialist system, and achieved certification for coloanal endoscopic examination. The society has made major leaps in both quantity and quality.
However, our medical environment, particularly the environment of the surgery department, is not easy. At the moment, we are experiencing many problems, including external elements such as chronic low medical fees, particularly surgery fees that are less than 70 percent of the cost, forced mediation of medical disputes without the consent of physicians, various restraints regarding the operation room, and other elements such as intense competition between departments as boundaries fall, the opposite problem of departments trying to raise walls so certain surgery techniques cannot be shared, and the saturation of coloproctology practices in the market.
Despite such difficulties, I believe The Korean Society of Coloproctology has what is needed to overcome it all. As we celebrate fifty years and prepare for the future, we are boldly declaring a new mission and vision. We have announced the mission ¡°Healthy Life Through Full Recovery from Coloanal Diseases¡± and the vision ¡°A Society that Conducts Future Medicine Through Evidence-Based Treatment and Creative Research.¡± In order to reach this vision, we have decided on the core values of ¡°academic activities focusing on future-oriented research, globalization through active international exchange, and a society whose members work together in harmony.¡±
Keeping with the new mission, vision, and core values, I would like to make my two years as chairman ¡°two years spent preparing for the next fifty years.¡± Instead of focusing on short-term accomplishments, I will make preparations for more valuable fruits in the future. I will start long-term projects, including securing a foundation for international research by establishing a colorectal cancer database for the society, activation of our new Neighborhood Coloproctology Family Doctor Project, development of policies to improve medical systems and insurance systems that are irrational particularly for the surgery department and in major medical organizations, and training young researchers to lead the next generation.
However, I am aware that none of this will be possible without the participation and interest of our members. I ask that over my next two years as the chairman, you show your support for any positive results, encourage me to do better when necessary, and offer constructive criticism on any errors. Thank you.
Sincerely,
Woo Yong Lee (Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine)
Chairman, Board of Regent
Korean Society of Coloproctology
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