Seongnam City Tells National Assembly Forum: "University Hospital Consignment Operation Needed for City Medical Center"

Seongnam City Explains the Need for University Hospital Consignment
and Requests Cooperation from National Assembly Members
Mayor Shin Sangjin Emphasizes "Good Deficits" for High-Quality Public Medical Services

On April 21, the city of Seongnam (Mayor: Shin Sang-jin) actively explained to National Assembly members and related officials visiting Seongnam Medical Center the necessity of entrusting the operation of the medical center to a university hospital in order to provide high-quality medical services and expand public healthcare, and requested their cooperation.

A Seongnam city official is explaining the necessity of entrusting the hospital's operation to a university hospital to a National Assembly research group during a meeting held at Seongnam Medical Center on the 21st. Provided by Seongnam City

This meeting was organized at the request of the National Assembly research group "Forum for Health, Care, and Human Rights."

At the meeting, a Seongnam city official provided a detailed explanation of the background and current status of the plan to entrust Seongnam Medical Center to a university hospital, emphasizing that a vicious cycle has become entrenched due to several factors: difficulties in securing medical staff (specialists), inability to secure residents in specialties other than family medicine, gaps in medical services, weakening of essential and critical care functions, declining public trust, and a decrease in patients and increase in medical losses. The official stressed the urgent need to establish a metropolitan advanced general hospital-local medical center cooperation model to resolve these issues.

In addition, Seongnam Medical Center stated, "By strengthening cooperation with regional secondary hospitals in line with the Ministry of Health and Welfare's push to restructure advanced general hospitals, and by linking with policies to expand essential medical services at regional public hospitals, university hospital consignment operations can become a new standard for public healthcare," adding, "Seongnam Medical Center is optimally positioned to realize this."

Meanwhile, the forum asserted in a press release that "the focus on profitability through private consignment of Seongnam Medical Center should be halted, and a normalization plan should be sought."

Mayor Shin Sang-jin said, "Deficits in public hospitals should be 'good deficits' that reflect the provision of high-quality medical services," and strongly urged the Ministry of Health and Welfare to promptly approve the university hospital consignment operation, which involves university hospital medical staff providing the highest level of care, rather than simple private consignment, so that citizens can receive the best medical services."

Regarding concerns raised by some, such as increased medical fees and a reduction in public health projects, Mayor Shin reiterated that the city plans to further strengthen public healthcare for vulnerable groups and faithfully fulfill its role as a local medical center. This will be achieved through measures such as operating a "Non-insured Fee Review Committee" directly under the mayor, expanding the application of standard treatment guidelines, and operating a base hospital and behavioral development center for people with developmental disabilities.

In accordance with Mayor Shin Sang-jin's pledge for the 8th popularly elected administration, Seongnam City conducted a public awareness survey and a feasibility study, and in November 2023 requested approval from the Ministry of Health and Welfare for the university hospital consignment operation of Seongnam Medical Center. However, as of 1 year and 5 months later, the city has not yet received any notification from the Ministry regarding approval.

Currently, Seongnam City is independently covering annual medical losses of 40 to 50 billion won at Seongnam Medical Center and continues to provide the highest level of financial support among local medical centers nationwide. In fact, the city contributed 26.5 billion won in 2022, 21.5 billion won in 2023, 41.3 billion won in 2024, and is expected to contribute 48.4 billion won in 2025. The cumulative deficit is projected to reach 100 billion won in the future. Nevertheless, the city continues to face difficulties in providing high-quality medical services to its citizens.

Mayor Shin Sang-jin stated, "The recent visit by some National Assembly members must not distort the facts to pressure the Ministry of Health and Welfare or hinder the university hospital consignment operation, which is the earnest wish of Seongnam citizens."

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