Nearly 13,000 Pediatric Patients Visited Woori Children’s Hospital’s Nighttime Clinic in Four Months

"Proving the Need for a 24-Hour Pediatric Care System"
Presented at the Korean Pediatric Society Conference

Woori Children’s Medical Foundation announced on the 24th that nearly 13,000 pediatric patients visited during medically underserved hours in the four months since it began operating its nighttime clinic in April.

At 8:40 a.m. on the 19th, more than a dozen children with colds and their guardians were waiting for medical treatment in the outpatient waiting room of Seongbuk Woori Children’s Hospital in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul. Photo by Choi Taewon

According to Woori Children’s Medical Foundation, approximately 12,600 patients visited the dedicated “24-Hour Friend Clinic” established at Woori Children’s Hospital in Guro-gu, Seoul, and Seongbuk Woori Children’s Hospital in Seongbuk-gu, Seoul, between 7 p.m. and 8 a.m.-the medically underserved hours-from April 1. Jeong Seonggwan, Chairman of Woori Children’s Medical Foundation, stated, “The number of patients using the Friend Clinic continues to increase over time. This demonstrates that the demand for nighttime and early morning care among children with mild to moderate illnesses is much higher than expected, and proves the necessity of a 24-hour pediatric care system.”

The main symptoms among children visiting the clinic were fever (56%), cough and runny nose (39%), vomiting, diarrhea, and abdominal pain (28%). Other reasons for nighttime visits included urticaria and rash (5%), parental concern such as irritability (6%), trauma (2%), and convulsions or febrile seizures (1%). Treatment most frequently involved intravenous fluids and tests (58%), followed by hospitalization (14%) and referrals to higher-level hospitals (5%). In 77% of cases, active intervention beyond oral medication prescriptions (23%) was required.

At Woori Children’s Hospital, about 6,400 pediatric patients received care through the Friend Clinic from 7 p.m. to 9 a.m. The proportion of new patients between 7 p.m. and 10 p.m. was 23%, but this rose significantly to 41% between 10 p.m. and 9 a.m. Similarly, at Seongbuk Woori Children’s Hospital, of the approximately 6,200 total visits, the proportion of new patients was 16% from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m., but increased to 48% from 10 p.m. to 9 a.m., confirming that more new guardians are seeking care at the hospital during late-night hours.

Chairman Jeong emphasized, “The fact that the number of ‘first-time guardians’ increases as the night progresses is highly significant. This shows that the Friend Clinic is not simply an extension of regular hours, but is functioning as a real safety net that fills the gap in nighttime pediatric care accessibility.”

It was also confirmed that the Friend Clinic is serving as an “alternative care hub” across regions with insufficient nighttime pediatric care accessibility, rather than merely extending hours for existing patients. Repeat visits to Woori Children’s Hospital mainly came from existing residential areas such as Guro, Yeongdeungpo, and Yangcheon, but the proportion of new patients increased from outlying areas such as Yeongdeungpo, Gwangmyeong, and Bucheon. At Seongbuk Woori Children’s Hospital, repeat visits were concentrated in nearby areas such as Seongbuk, Gangbuk, and Nowon, but new patient visits expanded noticeably beyond adjacent residential areas like Nowon, Dongdaemun, Dobong, and Gangbuk to include more distant regions such as Namyangju and Uijeongbu.

Meanwhile, medical staff from Woori Children’s Medical Foundation presented the results of their analysis of Friend Clinic operational data at the 75th Annual Fall Conference of the Korean Pediatric Society, held at COEX Magok in Gangseo-gu, Seoul, on the 6th and 7th. The research team stated, “The fact that new patient inflow increases during underserved hours highlights the blind spots in essential pediatric care in the community. Institutional support from the government and a realistic redesign of the essential care system are needed.”

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