Chungnam Strengthens Emergency Medical System in Southwestern Region... "Securing Golden Time"

[Asia Economy (Hongseong) Reporter Jeong Il-woong] Chungnam Province is strengthening the emergency medical system in the southwestern region. This is to alleviate the significant disparity in regional emergency medical services caused by the concentration of severe emergency disease treatment institutions in Cheonan and to secure the golden time for emergency patients in the southwestern region.

According to the province on the 25th, since the launch of the 8th local government, the level of emergency medical institutions in the southwestern region has been evaluated since August last year.

As a result, Boryeong Asan Hospital and Konyang University Buyeo Hospital were rated at the semi-severe treatment level, while Seocheon Seohae Hospital and Cheongyang County Health and Medical Center were rated at the mild treatment level.

The concentration of advanced hospitals in Cheonan has created a blind spot in emergency medical care in the southwestern region.

Accordingly, the province has prepared and is implementing plans to strengthen the emergency medical system in the southwestern region, including ▲ reinforcing the functions of emergency medical institutions within the region ▲ establishing a remote and transfer cooperative system with regional centers ▲ and establishing a helicopter and ambulance transport system by emergency medical region (Chungnam region and Jeonbuk region) focused on access to treatment for severe emergency patients.

First, this year, to upgrade Boryeong Asan Hospital from an institution-level emergency treatment center to a treatment-focused center-level facility, the emergency room will be expanded from 277.91㎡ to 556.94㎡, and emergency medical equipment such as radiology devices will be reinforced. A budget of 4 billion KRW will be invested in facility and equipment enhancement.

Additionally, 2.4 billion KRW will be invested to strengthen specialized personnel such as emergency medicine and surgery specialists dedicated to the emergency room, and nurses, to expand treatment for semi-severe emergency patients at Boryeong Asan Hospital, Konyang University Buyeo Hospital, and Cheongyang County Health and Medical Center.

In particular, by strengthening the helicopter and ambulance transport system by region, it will be possible to transport patients from Boryeong to Wonkwang University Hospital within 32 minutes (52 km), from Seocheon within 22 minutes (28 km), and from Cheongyang to Dankook University Hospital within 33 minutes (54 km), and from Buyeo within 37 minutes (65 km).

Earlier, in December last year, the province signed a remote cooperative agreement among Dankook University Hospital, the Chungnam regional center, Cheongyang Health and Medical Center, and Konyang University Buyeo Hospital to establish a regional transport system focused on access to emergency patient treatment, and decided to operate a remote cooperative system that transmits and shares images, voice, and basic information such as computed tomography (CT) in real time.

They also signed a transfer cooperative agreement (operating a direct emergency room phone line) among Wonkwang University Hospital, the Jeonbuk regional center, Boryeong Asan Hospital, and Seocheon Seohae Hospital.

The province expects that, based on these agreements, treatment within the golden time for major severe emergency diseases will be possible: 1 hour for severe trauma after symptom onset, 2 hours for acute myocardial infarction, and 3 hours for stroke.

A provincial official said, “Strengthening the emergency medical system in the southwestern region will reduce regional disparities and improve the level of regional emergency medical institutions. In particular, with the signing of remote and transfer cooperative agreements, treatment access such as helicopter transport between vulnerable area hospitals and institutions like Dankook University Hospital and Wonkwang University Hospital will be facilitated, enabling treatment within the golden time when emergency patients occur in the region.”