by Jeong Ilwoong
Published 12 Apr.2023 17:31(KST)
The transfer rate of emergency medical institutions in the Daejeon area recorded the lowest nationwide. The transfer rate refers to the proportion of patients who move from the initially visited medical institution to another medical institution. Considering the urgency of treatment for emergency patients, a higher transfer rate increases the possibility of missing the golden time. This highlights the significance of Daejeon's low emergency patient transfer rate.
According to an analysis of statistical data from the National Emergency Medical Information Network (National Emergency Medical Institution Treatment Information System·NEDIS) by Daejeon City on the 12th, the transfer rate of the three major severe emergency patients?cardiovascular disease, cerebrovascular disease, and severe trauma patients?after visiting local emergency medical institutions was 1.8% in 2021.
This figure is 0.3 percentage points lower than the previous year (2.1%) and 3.8 percentage points lower than the national average transfer rate of 5.6% in the same year (2021).
Based on these figures, the city analyzes that medical consultations by the 119 Ambulance Situation Management Center and ambulance transport were appropriately conducted in the region, and emergency medical institutions effectively responded within their own emergency rooms without transfers before missing the golden time.
The Emergency Medical Service Act (Article 11) states, "If it is judged that appropriate emergency medical care for emergency patients is not possible with the capability of the relevant medical institution, the patient must be transferred to another medical institution without delay to enable appropriate emergency medical care."
However, considering that transferred patients are more exposed to risks such as a higher likelihood of missing the golden time compared to non-transferred patients, opinions from the medical field emphasize that receiving prompt and appropriate treatment at the initial medical institution is of utmost importance.
In particular, it is also difficult to overlook that the transfer of emergency patients mainly occurs due to external factors such as the lack of facilities and personnel at emergency medical institutions.
For example, according to the "Status of Severe Emergency Patient Transfers at Regional Emergency Medical Centers in the Last 5 Years" submitted by the Ministry of Health and Welfare to Kim Won-i, a member of the Democratic Party of Korea, during last year's National Assembly audit, among 22,561 severe emergency patients who visited 40 regional emergency medical centers nationwide from 2018 to 2022, 6,460 patients (28.6%) were transferred due to reasons such as lack of hospital beds, inability to perform emergency surgery or treatment, and the need for specialized emergency medical care.
Even if there are complex reasons for transfers, rather than efficiently selecting emergency medical institutions based on the severity of the patient's condition, there were many situations where patients had to inevitably move hospitals due to on-site circumstances.
In the same context, the call to prevent transfers from leading to missed golden time for severe patients gains credibility.
Jung Jae-yong, Director of the Citizen Sports and Health Bureau of Daejeon City, said, "For appropriate treatment of emergency patients, it is important to minimize unnecessary transfers between hospitals along with policy efforts such as expanding emergency room facilities and personnel and resolving emergency room overcrowding." He added, "The city will strengthen the severe emergency medical response system to ensure that Daejeon citizens receive appropriate treatment within the golden time in emergency medical situations."
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