Yeungnam University Yeongcheon Hospital Faces Crisis as Yeongcheon's Only Emergency Medical Institution May Cease Operations

A Total of 500 Million Won to Be Allocated for Emergency Room Specialist Personnel Costs

The emergency room of the only emergency medical institution currently operating in Yeongcheon, North Gyeongsang Province, which has been designated as a medically underserved area by the Ministry of Health and Welfare, is now facing the risk of closure.

Yeongcheon City Hall.

Recently, the sharp rise in doctors' salaries due to a shortage of physicians in essential medical fields, the response to COVID-19, and the prolonged collective action by doctors has been identified as the main cause of deficits, highlighting the severity of the shortage of doctors in rural areas.

Yeungnam University Yeongcheon Hospital has been providing medical services to local citizens as a general hospital designated as a regional emergency medical institution since its opening in 1999.

As of the end of May, the city reported that 32.3% of its total population is aged 65 or older (1.6 times higher than the super-aged society standard of 20%), and the number of elderly patients with chronic diseases is expected to continue increasing, making the maintenance of a local general hospital and emergency room essential.

According to audit data disclosed in accordance with the “Act on External Audit of Stock Companies” by Yeungnam University Yeongcheon Hospital, the medical sector recorded a deficit of 6.94 billion won over the past three years (2021?2023).

Upon review, it was found that more than half of the deficit, about 1.2 billion won, is related to the operation of the emergency room.

The Ministry of Health and Welfare has been providing wage support for newly hired emergency medical doctors and nurses at higher-level general hospitals and public medical institutions since last May, but Yeungnam University Yeongcheon Hospital, as a private general hospital, is not eligible for this support.

Yeongcheon City considers financial support for the stable maintenance of the local general hospital and the strengthening of regional emergency medical capabilities indispensable for establishing an essential local medical system.

The city plans to provide a total of 500 million won in support, having applied for 200 million won in the June supplementary budget for the salaries of emergency room specialists at Yeungnam University Yeongcheon Hospital, and will gradually expand the scope of support in the future.

Mayor Choi Kimoon said, "After the closure of St. Bedro Hospital in 1998, there was a seven-month gap in local medical services before Yeungnam University Yeongcheon Hospital opened, causing significant inconvenience to citizens," and added, "We are carefully considering operational support measures together with the city council."