Introduction Medical dispute cases have increased worldwide as patients become more aware and able to access medical information. The aim of this survey was assessing the frequency and resolution of medical dispute cases involving traditional Korean medicine (TKM). Methods A total of 501 TKM clinics were randomly selected from throughout South Korea, and stratified by region and contacted by mail. The clinics were asked about the frequency and resolution of any medical dispute cases between June 1 and December 9, 2008. Results Response rates were 4.0% for TKM private clinics and 40.1% for TKM hospitals. Out of a total of 501 clinics, 64 (12.7%) reported having at least one medical dispute case. The rates of medical disputes for each TKM therapy in proportion to the 112 respondents were as follows: acupuncture, 38 (34%); herbal medicine, 31 (28%); moxibustion, 13 (17%); physical therapy, 11 (10%); herbal medicine injection, 7 (6%); chiropractic, 7 (6%); and misdiagnosis, 5 (4%). Of the 97 disputes, 71 (73%) were resolved by mutual agreement, 15 (15%) were resolved by insurance claims, 3 (3%) went to civil suits, and 8 cases (8%) were resolved using other methods. Conclusions A method to record medical disputes would be necessary to further clarify this process if accurate information on frequency and resolution is to be achieved. The standardisation of TKM and the establishment of evidence-based medicine should continue to improve this situation. Furthermore, legal guidelines and regulations of TKM should be established for the resolution of medical disputes. This article belongs to the Special Issue: Ensuring and Improving Patients’ Safety in Integrative Health Care.
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