Five Regional Emergency Centers to Be Added Next Month... Expansion of Paramedic Work Scope

Ministry of Health and Welfare Holds 'Central Emergency Medical Committee' Meeting

Minister of Health and Welfare Cho Kyu-hong is speaking at the Central Emergency Medical Committee on the 2nd.
[Photo by Ministry of Health and Welfare]

Five new regional emergency medical centers will be additionally designated in five regions, and the scope of work for emergency medical technicians (EMTs) working at ambulance and medical sites during emergencies will be expanded. On the 2nd, the Ministry of Health and Welfare held the '2023 1st Central Emergency Medical Committee' and deliberated and approved these agenda items.

First, the Ministry of Health and Welfare will promote the additional designation of regional emergency medical centers in emergency medical regions lacking such centers. The five regions currently unmet are Seoul Northwest, Busan, Gyeonggi Northwest, Gyeonggi Southwest, and Chungnam Cheonan. Detailed procedures will be guided through a call for applications for additional designation within this month, followed by application reception and designation evaluation, with the designation expected to be completed next month.

The committee also decided to expand the scope of work for EMTs working at ambulance sites and hospital emergency rooms to improve patient survival rates and outcomes through timely emergency treatment during emergencies. This is the first change in the scope of EMT work in 24 years since 1999. According to this decision, the following tasks will be newly added to EMT duties: ▲administration of epinephrine in case of cardiac arrest ▲administration of epinephrine in anaphylactic shock ▲venous blood sampling during securing of intravenous access ▲electrocardiogram measurement and transmission ▲clamping and cutting of the umbilical cord during emergency delivery. These additional tasks will apply to Level 1 EMTs and are to be performed under the guidance and supervision of a physician.

Additionally, a report and related discussions on the 4th Basic Emergency Medical Plan (2023?2027) were conducted. The Ministry of Health and Welfare establishes a five-year Basic Emergency Medical Plan to protect the lives and health of emergency patients and to provide effective emergency medical services. The Ministry plans to finalize and announce the basic plan within this month.

Minister of Health and Welfare Cho Kyu-hong stated, "Emergency medical care is a representative essential medical field that protects the lives of emergency patients by providing appropriate treatment within the golden time anytime and anywhere," and added, "We will strive to build an emergency medical system responsible for final treatment nationwide in connection with essential medical support measures."

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