Ministry of Health Designates Two Additional 'Pediatric Specialized Emergency Medical Centers'... Inha University Hospital and Sejong Chungnam National University Hospital

The Ministry of Health and Welfare announced on the 7th that Inha University Hospital and Sejong Chungnam National University Hospital have been finally designated as pediatric specialized emergency medical centers.

Accordingly, the number of pediatric specialized emergency medical centers nationwide will increase to 10. Previously, Seoul National University Hospital, Asan Medical Center, Severance Hospital, Gil Medical Center, Chilgok Kyungpook National University Hospital, Bundang CHA Hospital, Soonchunhyang University Cheonan Hospital, and Yangsan Pusan National University Hospital were designated.

Stock photo of Pediatric Specialized Emergency Medical Center. [Photo by Seoul National University Hospital]

Since 2016, the Ministry of Health and Welfare has been promoting a support project for pediatric specialized emergency medical centers, considering the special characteristics of pediatric emergency care. These centers operate separate pediatric emergency rooms distinct from adult emergency rooms, are equipped with age-specific medical devices for children, and provide specialized care through pediatric emergency physicians available 24 hours a day.

The expansion of pediatric specialized emergency medical centers is one of the tasks in the 'Essential Medical Support Measures' and 'Pediatric Medical System Improvement Measures' announced by the government earlier this year. The Ministry plans to designate two additional pediatric specialized emergency medical centers mainly in areas without such facilities by 2024, expanding the total to 12 centers.

Im In-taek, Director of Health and Medical Policy at the Ministry of Health and Welfare, stated, "Pediatric emergency care is a representative essential medical field directly related to the lives of children, and it is a time when full investment is needed to improve the pediatric emergency medical system. We will strive to revitalize pediatric emergency care by expanding pediatric specialized emergency medical centers and strengthening the pediatric emergency patient care functions of emergency medical institutions so that the children, who are the future of Korea, can grow up healthy."

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