Incheon City Expands to One More Children's Hospital Available for Night and Holiday Treatment

New Moonlight Children's Hospital Newly Designated in Geomdan for Second Half of the Year... Total of 3 Facilities Operating

Children's hospitals in Incheon that provide medical care during nighttime and holidays will be expanded.

Incheon City announced on the 6th that it plans to designate one more "Dalbit Children's Hospital" in the Geomdan area of Seo-gu in the second half of this year, operating a total of three such hospitals in the city.

Dalbit Children's Hospitals provide outpatient care for mild pediatric patients during weekday nights (9 PM to 11 PM), weekends, and public holidays. Currently, Yonsei Pediatrics in Michuhol-gu and Cheongna Yonsei Children's Hospital in Seo-gu are designated as such.

As the population in Seo-gu continues to increase, the city plans to newly designate a Dalbit Children's Hospital in Geomdan in the second half of this year.

In Incheon, to treat severe pediatric emergency patients, Inha University Hospital was designated as a pediatric specialized emergency medical center in April following Gil Hospital, making a total of two such centers in operation.

There are 10 pediatric specialized emergency medical centers nationwide, which operate separate pediatric emergency rooms distinct from adult emergency rooms. They provide specialized care with age-specific medical equipment for children and 24-hour pediatric emergency specialists.

However, due to the special nature of emergency medical centers and the decrease in pediatric and adolescent hospitals, mild pediatric patients continue to flock to pediatric specialized emergency medical centers, raising concerns that severe pediatric patients may miss the critical time for emergency treatment.

Accordingly, the city has expanded the operation of Dalbit Children's Hospitals to distribute mild pediatric patients who tend to concentrate at pediatric specialized emergency medical centers, enabling severe pediatric patients to receive prompt treatment.

An official from Incheon City stated, "Currently, Incheon’s facilities such as pediatric emergency hospitals are relatively stable compared to the metropolitan area, but we will continue to expand the pediatric and adolescent emergency medical system."

Meanwhile, since April, the Children's Public Specialized Medical Center has been operating at Inha University Hospital to treat severe pediatric patients who find it difficult to receive treatment at primary and secondary hospitals and clinics.