In her 60s, Ms. A was diagnosed with cerebral infarction at 4:08 a.m. in the emergency room of a hospital last July. The hospital was unable to provide treatment due to a lack of facilities and equipment. The doctor shared Ms. A's condition on the 'rapid decision-making platform' at 5:48 a.m. to find another hospital. This platform is a type of group chat where doctors participate. A specialist from another hospital accepted the consultation at 5:50 a.m. Ms. A was immediately transferred to another hospital and underwent surgery within an hour of arrival.
On the 2nd, the Ministry of Health and Welfare held the third commissioner meeting on cardiovascular disease management. They deliberated and decided on the evaluation results of the 'first-year pilot project for the cardiovascular disease network' and the post-support fund payment plan. Cardiovascular diseases occur in the heart and cerebral blood vessels. The ministry is conducting a pilot project to establish a network between medical institutions and 119 emergency rescue teams. When a cardiovascular patient occurs, they are quickly transported to the hospital within the golden time, reducing the time taken until the final treatment.
The pilot project consists mainly of a human network and an institutional network. The human network rapidly shares information among specialists in case of emergencies requiring the transfer of patients with acute myocardial infarction or stroke. Currently, 1,374 specialists are participating. By uploading information such as the patient's age, disease, and blood pressure to the rapid decision-making platform, other specialists capable of treating the patient accept the consultation.
Ninety-seven point eight percent of patients referred on the rapid decision-making platform found medical personnel to treat them. On average, medical personnel accepted the referrals within 4 minutes and 36 seconds. The rate of patients starting their final treatment at an appropriate time after arriving at the medical institution is an average of 93.9%.
The institutional network connects regional cardiovascular disease centers with local medical institutions and 119 emergency rescue teams. When a patient is identified, the hospital is decided quickly. In the first half of this year, 13,319 patients were treated. The time taken from when the emergency team arrives on the scene to when the final treatment begins is an average of 10 hours and 36 minutes for hemorrhagic stroke, 2 hours and 48 minutes for ischemic stroke, and 2 hours and 6 minutes for acute myocardial infarction.
Lee Hyung-hoon, the second deputy minister of the Ministry of Health and Welfare, noted, 'Cardiovascular diseases are one of the essential medical fields that are serious and urgent, and it is important to receive treatment within the golden time,' and added, 'We will diligently pursue the pilot project and improve areas that need enhancement.'