Health and Medical Workers' Union: "Clear Criteria Needed for Maintaining or Lifting COVID-19 Dedicated Hospitals"

"Operating at a Deficit Inevitable as Only COVID-19 Patients Are Admitted"
Most Local Dedicated Hospitals Are Public...Concerns Over Gaps in Regional Public Healthcare Services

COVID-19 Medical Staff / Photo by Yonhap News

[Asia Economy Intern Reporter Lim Juhyung] The government designated 'dedicated hospitals' responsible for treating patients with the novel coronavirus infection (COVID-19), but there are criticisms that the lack of clear criteria for maintaining or lifting these hospitals is placing a burden on local public medical services.

The National Health and Medical Industry Labor Union stated in a press release on the 2nd, "There is no clear policy regarding the maintenance or lifting of dedicated hospitals, causing repeated confusion among medical institutions," and added, "Fundamental measures for the operation of dedicated hospitals must be established."

They continued, "As the trend of increasing COVID-19 patients slows and the number of inpatients decreases due to patient discharges, there is deep concern about whether to maintain the operation of dedicated hospitals," pointing out that "some hospitals, such as Tongyeong Red Cross Hospital, are lifting their designation as dedicated hospitals."

They also explained, "One reason for the hesitation to continue maintaining dedicated hospitals is that the gap in essential local medical services and the inconvenience to patients cannot be left unattended," and "transferring general patients to other medical institutions and admitting only COVID-19 patients inevitably leads to deficit operations, which is also a burden."

The Health and Medical Labor Union condemned the government's irresponsible attitude of neglecting the difficulties faced by COVID-19 dedicated hospitals and trying to shift the responsibility for deficit operations onto medical institutions and staff, urging, "Please prepare active measures to resolve the hardships experienced by dedicated hospitals."

Meanwhile, according to the Health and Medical Labor Union, most of the current infectious disease dedicated hospitals are regional public hospitals such as provincial medical centers and Red Cross hospitals, totaling 66 as of the 31st of last month.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.