Prime Minister Kim Meets Local Clinic Directors to Discuss Transition of COVID-19 Treatment System

[Asia Economy Reporter Kim Hyewon] On the 26th, Prime Minister Kim Boo-kyum met with directors of local clinics and hospitals to explore medical response measures related to the transition of the COVID-19 testing and treatment system.

At the meeting, they reviewed the current status of the 'Seoul-type Home Treatment' model, in which local clinic-level medical institutions closely manage home-confirmed patients, and discussed the direction of reorganizing the treatment system centered on local clinics and hospitals.

Prime Minister Kim first visited the Seoul Medical Association Home Treatment Support Center to check its operation status and listened to the current status and difficulties of COVID-19 medical response from the directors of medical institutions participating in the Seoul-type clinic-level home treatment, including Director Han Dong-woo of Yonsei Orthopedics, exchanging opinions.

Prime Minister Kim explained, "First, in the four regions of Gwangju, Jeonnam, Pyeongtaek, and Anseong, where Omicron has become dominant, we will start reorganizing the system from today, where local clinics and hospitals take responsibility from diagnostic testing to treatment of confirmed patients, and from the 29th, this will be expanded nationwide." He added, "Considering the Lunar New Year holiday, the testing system at screening clinics will be reorganized first, and local clinics and hospitals will participate in earnest right after the Lunar New Year holiday after a preparation process."

At the meeting, directors of medical institutions raised issues such as shortages of personnel and space experienced on-site while participating in COVID-19 patient treatment, management of irregular duty hours (after 6 p.m. and holidays), and the need to improve the diagnostic testing fee system.