Agree

Song Chaeyeon, Department of Food & Nutrition

Every year, preventable medical errors in operating rooms result in severe injury or death for patients. CCTV cameras are found in schools, restaurants, warehouses, offices, airports, sports stadiums, police stations, cars, and many other places. It is quite astonishing then, that we still do not see cameras in every operating room.

Considering operating rooms often concern matters of life and death, what is the reason for the absence of cameras? In the event of an error that leads to death, a surgeon could watch the recording later and learn from any mistakes had the operation been recorded. In fact, all surgeons could watch the CCTV footage and learn from any mistakes. This could also provide transparency and closure to the family of the patient, allowing them to understand the details of the procedure and the cause of their loved one’s death.

Additionally, there have been cases where medical staff acted inappropriately toward a patient who was under anesthesia. Sometimes, this is verbal abuse, such as insulting the patient. Sometimes, it can even go as far as sexual abuse. If some in the medical profession can act so unprofessionally, isn’t it also possible that some medical professionals are engaging in more serious transgressions, such as being careless or even drunk while performing life-threatening operations?

American police officers have to wear body cameras, as they are armed with guns and deal with members of the public. When the police arrest or shoot someone, footage captured by their body cameras is used as evidence. The recordings are documentation of what happened. Thus, it only makes sense that cameras should also be placed in operating rooms.

The benefits of having cameras in all operating rooms would allow surgeons to enhance their expertise by learning from their own and other surgeons’ mistakes. Consequently, over time, this would reduce risks and complications, saving the lives of many patients. Additionally, it would prevent inappropriate behavior by some workers, such as verbal abuse and sexual assault.

Disagree

Hong Gyuyeon, Department of Asia Business International Studies

While installing CCTV in operating rooms can provide valuable evidence of medical negligence and help monitor illegal activity such as sexual assault, it can also put patients' personal information at risk. Patients’ identities, physical characteristics, and medical information are all considered personal information that must be protected, and leaks of such information can result in serious violations of human rights. Moreover, individuals have little control over the use of leaked information, and there is a high possibility that it could be used for malicious purposes.

In a recent incident at a clinic in Gangnam, patients' faces and bodies were recorded by an IP camera. This footage was then leaked online, quickly going viral, thereby violating the privacy of the patients. The leaked content included information about both celebrities and ordinary people who had visited the clinic.

To ensure that CCTV installation in operating rooms guarantees the rights of patients, we must take measures to protect their personal information from being leaked. While Korea's operating room CCTV installation bill requires medical staff to obtain consent from patients and outlines minimum storage and destruction requirements for collected images, the previous case of personal information leakage has highlighted the need for clearer standards for data storage and protection. Therefore, it is necessary to clarify the purpose and scope of CCTV installation and establish stricter guidelines for the storage and protection of data. Patients should also ensure that these standards are enforced to prevent operating room CCTV footage from being used for any purpose other than its original intended use. Through further consultation between stakeholders, experts, and governments, I hope that we can find effective solutions to these issues.