Gyeonggi-do Designates 32 New Pediatric Clinics... Expected to Resolve Treatment Gaps

Gyeonggi Provincial Government

Gyeonggi Province has newly designated 32 pediatric medical institutions. This measure aims to address the gap in pediatric care caused by the recent decrease in pediatric and adolescent doctors.

On the 6th, Gyeonggi Province announced on its website that a total of 32 pediatric medical institutions have been disclosed, including ▲4 Pediatric Emergency Responsible Medical Institutions ▲21 Dalbit Children’s Hospitals ▲7 Pediatric Nighttime and Holiday Medical Institutions in Vulnerable Areas.

First, in January, Gyeonggi Province selected four institutions?Bundang CHA Hospital, Myongji Hospital, Ajou University Hospital, and Uijeongbu Eulji University Hospital?through a public contest for ‘Pediatric Emergency Responsible Medical Institutions.’ These hospitals will receive a total budget of 4.2 billion KRW to operate emergency rooms for severe pediatric emergency patients 24 hours a day. The hospitals will use the budget to hire dedicated pediatric emergency doctors and improve working conditions for dedicated staff.

Bundang CHA Hospital will begin operations in May, while Myongji Hospital, Ajou University Hospital, and Uijeongbu Eulji University Hospital will start pediatric care in June after additional staff recruitment.

Gyeonggi Province also designated two additional Dalbit Children’s Hospitals in April. Dalbit Children’s Hospitals provide medical services to mild pediatric patients under 18 years old during nighttime and holidays. Patients only need to pay an average consultation fee of 17,000 KRW, which is much cheaper compared to the average emergency room cost of 78,000 KRW. Starting with Pyeongtaek Seongse Children’s Hospital and Goyang Ilsan Wooridle Pediatric and Adolescent Clinic in 2017, two more institutions were added this year, bringing the total to 21 operating hospitals.

Additionally, Gyeonggi Province newly designated seven ‘Pediatric Nighttime and Holiday Medical Institutions in Vulnerable Areas.’ These institutions do not meet the Dalbit Children’s Hospital selection criteria (such as having at least three doctors and operating until midnight on weekdays) but provide nighttime and holiday care from 6 PM to 9 PM on three weekdays and six hours on holidays.

Yu Young-cheol, Director of the Gyeonggi Province Health and Wellness Bureau, stated, "The designation of Pediatric Emergency Responsible Medical Institutions will strengthen the capacity to treat severe pediatric emergency patients, and the expansion of Dalbit Children’s Hospitals and pediatric nighttime and holiday medical institutions will eliminate blind spots in pediatric care. We will continue to improve the pediatric emergency medical system to ensure that both children and parents can always feel safe, meeting the expectations of our residents."