Korean Stroke Society: "Stroke Patients May Not Receive Treatment at Tertiary Hospitals"

"Stroke Should Be Revised as a Specialized Medical Disease Group"

The Korean Stroke Society (the Society) expressed concerns that if the current patient classification system for stroke (KDRG) is not changed, most stroke patients may not be able to receive treatment at tertiary general hospitals.

[Image source=Korean Stroke Society]

On the 15th, the Society stated in a press release, "Before the pilot project for the structural transformation of tertiary general hospitals is implemented, the patient classification system for stroke, currently classified under general medical disease groups, must urgently be changed to specialized medical disease groups," adding, "According to the current patient classification system, most stroke patients, who represent a critical severe emergency disease, may not be able to receive treatment at tertiary general hospitals."

The Presidential Committee on Medical Reform (PCMR) held a meeting on the 11th and announced a pilot project plan for the structural transformation of tertiary general hospitals starting in September. The plan aims to reduce general beds by up to 15% and increase the proportion of intensive care patients to over 50%, allowing tertiary general hospitals to focus on treating and researching severe emergency patients.

Stroke is one of the four major severe diseases, along with cancer, heart disease, and rare/severe intractable diseases. It is a cerebrovascular disease caused by sudden blockage (ischemic stroke, 80% of cases) or rupture (hemorrhagic stroke, 20% of cases) of cerebral blood vessels. Timely treatment within the golden hour directly affects patient prognosis, making it an essential severe emergency disease.

The Society pointed out, "Although 80% of acute stroke patients, an essential severe emergency disease, receive ultra-early intravenous thrombolysis or treatment in stroke intensive care units, stroke is currently classified under general medical disease groups alongside conditions such as headaches, allergies, and urticaria," adding, "Therefore, if the proportion of intensive care treatment at tertiary general hospitals is increased to 50%, stroke patients currently classified under general medical disease groups may not be able to receive treatment at tertiary general hospitals."

Jae-Kwan Cha, Vice President of the Korean Stroke Society and Professor of Neurology at Dong-A University College of Medicine, said, "If the current disease group classification is maintained, stroke treatment at tertiary general hospitals, which are responsible for final treatment, will be restricted, making it difficult to build stroke treatment personnel and infrastructure," adding, "Ultimately, this could transfer harm to the public, so revising stroke to a specialized medical disease group is an urgent and important task that can no longer be delayed."

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