Medical System Also Moves to 'With Corona'... Reducing Moderate-Severe Beds and Residential Treatment Centers

Medical staff are caring for a patient in the intensive care unit of Pakae Hospital, a COVID-19 dedicated hospital in Pyeongtaek-si, Gyeonggi Province. Photo by Moon Honam munonam@

[Asia Economy Reporter Chunhee Lee] The government-designated infectious disease hospitals with low utilization rates for moderate-severity beds and residential treatment centers will be gradually phased out or closed. The medical personnel dispatched by the government, who become available through this process, will be reassigned to intensive care units or nursing hospitals.

On the morning of the 8th, Son Young-rae, head of the Social Strategy Division at the Central Disaster and Safety Countermeasure Headquarters (CDSCH) of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, announced this bed adjustment plan during a briefing held at the Government Complex Sejong, stating, "The surplus capacity of moderate-severity inpatient beds and residential treatment centers has become too large, reducing efficiency compared to maintenance costs and resources invested," and "there is a need to convert these surplus resources to more important areas such as general medical care." He announced this bed adjustment plan accordingly.

Recently, with the full expansion of home treatment for COVID-19 confirmed cases, the utilization rates of various medical facilities have been declining. As of this day, the utilization rate of moderate-severity beds has dropped to 35.0%, and that of residential treatment centers to 18.4%.

Accordingly, starting from the 18th, the government plans to establish adjustment plans by each city and province to reduce about 7,000 beds, which is approximately 30% of the total 24,618 moderate-severity beds. The reduced beds will be converted into general isolation beds and will be available for general patients as well.

Residential treatment centers will be gradually reduced considering utilization rates, bed status, and admission demand. Director Son stated, "Until the full transition to the general medical system, some centers will operate for socially high-risk groups such as those vulnerable in housing," and "after transitioning to the general medical system, they will be completely closed to improve the efficiency of medical and administrative resources."

The personnel made available through the reduction measures are expected to be reassigned according to the situation. Director Son said, "For hospital’s own staff, adjustments will be made based on the hospital’s judgment," and "there are about 5,000 personnel dispatched and supported by the CDSCH, and some reductions in this area may also occur. The reduced personnel are expected to be concentrated more on areas with high current demand, such as intensive care treatment or nursing hospitals."

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