South Korean hospitals report 548 patient suicide and self-harm incidents

Data from the Korea Institute for Healthcare Accreditation reveals that 548 incidents of patient suicide and self-harm occurred in South Korean medical facilities between 2022 and May 2024. Approximately 25.4 percent of these incidents, totaling 139 cases, resulted in death.

Patient rooms were the most frequent location for these incidents, accounting for 66.1 percent of cases. Other locations included bathrooms and rest areas. The highest number of incidents involved patients aged 80 and older, followed by those under 19. In terms of facility types, nursing hospitals recorded the highest frequency of incidents, followed by tertiary general hospitals and general hospitals.

Representative Han Zee-a highlighted critical gaps in the current system, noting that existing patient-safety reporting forms do not include information on whether patients were previously identified as high-risk. While the accreditation institute is set to take on new investigative roles next year, concerns remain regarding a lack of dedicated personnel to manage these responsibilities.