Ttunteun Children's Hospital to Operate Three-Bed Pediatric Intensive Care Unit with State-of-the-Art Equipment Starting Next Month
"No Signs of Recovery for the Collapsed Pediatric Healthcare System"
One night last December, a 5-month-old baby having difficulty breathing was brought to Ttunteun Children's Hospital in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi Province. Since this hospital does not have an intensive care unit, the medical staff, judging that immediate treatment was difficult, made emergency interventions while making dozens of phone calls to find a hospital that could provide treatment.
However, hospitals willing to accept emergency and severe pediatric patients were not easily found, and after a delay of about two hours, the baby was finally transferred to a tertiary general hospital in southern Gyeonggi past midnight.
On the 13th, at Ttuntun Children's Hospital located in Uijeongbu, Gyeonggi, Director Choi Yong-jae is explaining the functions of medical equipment to be installed in the pediatric intensive care unit. Photo by Choi Tae-won
"There is at least one incident every week or two where a pediatric critical patient arrives at a hospital but cannot be transferred in time. I feared that a patient who missed the golden hour might eventually die," said Director Choi Yong-jae, recalling the situation when we met at the hospital on the 13th. Amid the reality where residents in tertiary general hospitals have stopped applying to pediatrics and even existing pediatric specialists are leaving, Director Choi decided after much deliberation to build an emergency treatment facility at his own hospital.
Director Choi carefully introduced the intensive care unit and emergency treatment equipment, which are gradually taking shape, to the reporter. He explained that operations are scheduled to begin around mid-next month.
The pediatric intensive care unit at Ttunteun Children's Hospital will operate with three beds. State-of-the-art medical devices and equipment have also been introduced. In particular, the high-flow oxygen therapy device supplies a larger amount of oxygen more stably than general oxygen supply. It is a treatment device dedicated to moderate to severe respiratory diseases that effectively alleviates breathing difficulties caused by pneumonia, asthma, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections.
The heat exchange type air purification system effectively blocks viruses and harmful substances to reduce infection risks for patient safety. Director Choi also established a Precision Medicine Center to enable final treatment not only for acute diseases but also for pediatric patients suffering from adult-type chronic diseases such as obesity, hyperlipidemia, and type 2 diabetes.
The investment for this amounts to tens of billions of won, all personally funded by Director Choi.
Director Choi pointed out, "The pediatric medical system continues to collapse with no signs of recovery. Unless special measures are taken, difficulties are expected to persist, so the government authorities and the medical community must urgently come together to normalize pediatric healthcare."
He also emphasized, "Operating an intensive care unit inevitably runs at a deficit, and entrusting young lives solely to the goodwill of individual doctors is too irresponsible for society. Responsible adults must create a system for children."
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