The Nation's First Short-Term Care Facility for Severely Ill Children, 'Dotori House,' Opens Its Doors

Seoul National University Hospital Opens 'Nexsu Children's Integrated Care Center'
First Independent Pediatric Short-Term Care Medical Facility in Korea
Nickname 'Dotori House'... Accommodates Up to 16 Children
Pediatric Specialists on Standby 24 Hours

"My eldest child hasn't been able to visit an amusement park yet, so I want to take him there. He also said he wants to go camping, so although the time is short, I want to make it meaningful."

Yoon Young-joo (pseudonym), a mother of two sons, always feels sorry for her children. This year, her eldest son, Jun-su (pseudonym), who is ten years old, has never been to an amusement park. Her younger son, Min-su (pseudonym), suffers from hypoxic brain injury and requires 24-hour care, so even a brief outing was not allowed. It was a daily routine to endure by drinking energy drinks while taking care of Min-su all day long. However, Yoon’s family now has the leisure to create memories. This happened when Seoul National University Hospital opened the 'Nexon Integrated Pediatric Care Center.' Shortly after its opening, Min-su was admitted to the center for short-term care, giving the family a moment of respite.

Entrance view of the Seoul National University Hospital Nexu Children's Integrated Care Center.
[Photo by Seoul National University Hospital]

Seoul National University Hospital announced on the 1st that it held an opening ceremony for the Nexon Integrated Pediatric Care Center (nicknamed Dotori House), which provides short-term hospitalization and care treatment for severely ill pediatric and adolescent patients requiring 24-hour care. Key attendees at the ceremony included Cho Kyu-hong, Minister of Health and Welfare; Choi Jae-hyung, Member of the National Assembly; Kim Young-tae, Director of Seoul National University Hospital; Kim Jung-wook, Chairman of the Nexon Foundation; Lee Jae-kyo, CEO of NXC; and Lee Jung-heon, CEO of Nexon Korea.

Dotori House is the first short-term care facility in South Korea for severely ill pediatric and adolescent patients. Severely ill pediatric and adolescent patients who depend on machines such as ventilators require 24-hour nursing and care. However, until now, there has been no specialized short-term pediatric care medical facility in the country. As a result, families of severely ill pediatric and adolescent patients had to provide 24-hour medical care at home after discharge. These families needed even just one day to entrust their children and have time for recovery, but that was not the reality. It is estimated that there are about 4,000 severely ill pediatric and adolescent patients in South Korea who require such care.

Dotori House, built near Seoul National University Hospital, covers an area of 997㎡ (approximately 302 pyeong) and is a building with one basement floor and four above-ground floors. A total of 12.5 billion KRW in donations was used for the center's opening. The Nexon Foundation, which had been cooperating with Seoul National University Hospital since the initial planning stage, donated 10 billion KRW, and the Ministry of Health and Welfare provided 2.5 billion KRW in government funds. The donations were used for construction costs and medical equipment purchases, and will also be used for operating expenses and personnel costs.

Ward view of the Nexsu Children's Integrated Care Center at Seoul National University Hospital.
Photo by Myunghwan Lee

During a visit on the 30th of last month, the various areas of Dotori House showed thoughtful consideration for pediatric and adolescent patients. The hospital rooms, consisting of two-person and four-person rooms, secured ample space, and all necessary medical equipment for the patients was provided. The rooms were decorated in bright tones, and character dolls from Nexon's flagship game 'MapleStory' were placed on each bed. For severely ill patients who spend much time lying down, a projector that displays natural scenery on the ceiling of the rooms will also be installed. A Dotori House official explained, "We tried our best to decorate the rooms so they do not look like hospital rooms for the children."

Various play therapy programs will also be conducted for children staying at the center. Social workers will operate programs such as music and art therapy for the patients, and a dedicated space for these activities has been separately prepared on the second floor of the center. There is also a counseling room where patients' families and medical staff can consult. The center is equipped with a dedicated bathing facility for severely ill patients who have difficulty controlling their bodies.

Immediate response is possible even if a patient's condition worsens. Pediatric specialists are on duty 24 hours a day in the 'Dotori Guardian Duty Room.' Five clinical professors have been hired to operate the center. Medical personnel, including nurses, are assigned as specialized staff with experience in caring for pediatric and adolescent patients. They work in three shifts and provide integrated nursing and care services without guardians. If a patient's condition deteriorates, medical staff promptly diagnose and treat the patient, and if necessary, immediate transfer to the intensive care unit of Seoul National University Children's Hospital is possible. Since the center is located outside the Seoul National University Hospital campus, patients are transported by ambulance to the hospital. The center plans to complete a connecting passageway linking the hospital building by next spring.

Medical staff at Nexu Children's Integrated Care Center are caring for a hospitalized child.
[Photo by Seoul National University Hospital]

To be admitted to the center, pediatric and adolescent patients under 24 years old must meet three criteria: ▲difficulty with voluntary movement ▲medical needs (ventilator, oxygen inhalation, airway suction, enteral nutrition, self-catheterization, home parenteral nutrition) ▲stable condition without acute illness. Only patients who have received admission orders through prior outpatient visits can make reservations and use the center via the Seoul National University Children's Hospital website. Admission is limited to a maximum of 7 nights and 8 days per stay, with a total annual limit of 20 nights and 21 days. Health insurance applies to the cost of admission, as the Health Insurance Review & Assessment Service has set fees for the 'Severe Pediatric Short-term Hospitalization Service Pilot Project.'

The center has a total of 16 beds: four two-person rooms and two four-person rooms. Assuming an 80% bed occupancy rate and that patients use the full 20 nights, 234 patients can be served annually. However, as the center is in its early operational stage, it plans to operate a maximum of 13 beds for the time being.

Members of Dotori House hope that this short-term care facility model will spread nationwide. A center official said, "We must succeed in establishing a short-term care facility model for severely ill pediatric and adolescent patients. If the center receives positive responses and improves the quality of life for guardians, there will be demand from relevant authorities to expand such projects, advancing welfare to a higher level." It is reported that several hospitals are considering operating care beds similar to Dotori House.

Kim Jung-wook, Chairman of the Nexon Foundation, said, "We hope the opening of the center will become a reliable support for families exhausted by continuous care for severely ill children nationwide. We will continue to sincerely support children and families in medical blind spots, who are the future of our society."

Kim Young-tae, Director of Seoul National University Hospital, said, "Through the opening of the Nexon Integrated Pediatric Care Center, we expect that severely ill pediatric and adolescent patients and their families, who have faced many difficulties due to the lack of medical care facilities, will have opportunities for rest and recharging. Seoul National University Hospital will continue to do its best as a national central hospital to strengthen holistic treatment for pediatric and adolescent patients and medical services for severe diseases through the operation of the Nexon Integrated Pediatric Care Center, and to broaden the horizon of public healthcare."

Seoul National University Hospital held a press conference on the 30th of last month to mark the opening of the "Nexsu Children's Integrated Care Center." Kim Young-tae, Director of Seoul National University Hospital (center), Kim Min-seon, Director of Nexsu Children's Integrated Care Center (left), and Choi Eun-hwa, Deputy Director of Pediatric Care (right), are answering reporters' questions.
[Photo by Seoul National University Hospital]

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