No More Endless Hospital Searches! ... Gyeongnam Province to Expand 'Dalbit Children's Hospital'

Strengthening a 24-Hour Continuous Pediatric Emergency Medical System

Gyeongsangnam-do announced that it will efficiently utilize pediatric medical resources to support parents in receiving optimal treatment for their sick children without having to wander around hospitals.

Gyeongnam Province plans to gradually expand the ‘Dalbit Children’s Hospital,’ where pediatric specialists provide outpatient care during nights and weekends.

The plan is to designate and operate a total of 8 locations by 2025, up from the current 5, targeting areas with more than 20,000 children and adolescents in the province.

Starting in September, the province will support the personnel expenses for hiring pediatric and adolescent specialist doctors dedicated to treatment at emergency medical institutions equipped with pediatric patient treatment infrastructure such as inpatient beds and neonatal intensive care units.

The designated institutions are Gyeongsang National University Hospital, Changwon Gyeongsang National University Hospital, and Samsung Changwon Hospital.

To compensate for the shortage of doctors due to the decreasing number of pediatric residents, these specialists will enable 24-hour specialized treatment for pediatric emergency patients in emergency rooms, and help alleviate overcrowding of emergency patients at Yangsan Pusan National University Hospital, which was designated as a pediatric specialized emergency medical center last year.

They will also implement coordinated and integrated treatment in connection with the Yangsan Pusan National University Hospital Children’s Public Specialized Medical Center to fulfill the role of the final medical institution for severe pediatric patients.

Lee Do-wan, Director of the Welfare and Health Bureau, stated, “We will secure medical institutions categorized by severity of symptoms to ensure timely treatment according to the urgency of emergencies, establishing a 24-hour pediatric emergency medical system where children and parents can receive treatment with peace of mind.” He added, “We will continuously communicate with stakeholders and listen to their opinions to improve the pediatric emergency medical system.”