National Medical Center's Major Organizational Restructuring... "Strengthening Public Healthcare and Accelerating New Hospital Construction"

[Image source=Yonhap News]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Gwan-ju] The National Medical Center has undertaken a major organizational restructuring and personnel reshuffle to accelerate the strengthening of public health and the construction of new hospitals such as the Central Infectious Disease Hospital.

According to the National Medical Center on the 3rd, as of the 28th of last month, the existing Planning and Coordination Office was promoted to the Planning and Coordination Headquarters, under which the Strategic Planning Center and Future Planning Center were established. They will begin full-scale practical work for the establishment of the National Central Hospital, including architectural planning, design, and groundbreaking, and will promote specific projects aimed at the overall development and strengthening of the public medical system, such as training specialized personnel in public health through the establishment of the National Graduate School of Public Health, business development for the recovery of public hospitals, and plans to establish the National Medical Corporation.

Safety management will also be strengthened in accordance with the enforcement of the Serious Accident Punishment Act. To prevent and manage serious accidents within the institution and to clarify authority and responsibility for safety tasks, a Safety Management Office directly under the Medical Center Director was established. Additionally, the Central Dementia Center, which had been operated on a consignment basis since January 2020, was reorganized as an internal organization of the National Medical Center, taking on the comprehensive role of public health care where essential medical services are concentrated. Furthermore, through teams such as the Talent Recruitment Team, Infectious Disease Hospital Preparation Team, and Policy Statistics Development Team, they will strengthen not only the external aspects for new construction and relocation but also the internal substance.

Along with the organizational restructuring, through personnel appointments, Jin Seong-chan, former head of the Planning and Coordination Office, was appointed as head of the Planning and Coordination Headquarters; Cho Young-jung, former head of the Administration Office, was appointed as Deputy Director of Medical Services; and Cho Jeong-ha, former Emergency Medical Operations Management Team Leader at the Central Emergency Medical Center, was appointed as head of the Administration Office. Within the newly promoted Planning and Coordination Headquarters, Lee Heung-hoon and Seo Ji-woo were appointed as heads of the Strategic Planning Center and Future Planning Center, respectively, taking on key roles connecting medical services and policy.

Joo Young-soo, Director of the National Medical Center, said, “We have implemented an organizational restructuring that diversifies expertise within the limited internal resources and maximizes synergy,” adding, “Through communication and inclusion with internal staff, we will become a flexible yet robust organization and actively carry out the urgent tasks assigned to the Medical Center.”