The government will expand secondary general hospitals so people can receive sufficient treatment in their regions without traveling to large hospitals in the greater Seoul area. The goal is for regional secondary general hospitals, which serve as a backbone between neighborhood clinics and tertiary general hospitals, to take responsibility for essential care.
The Ministry of Health and Welfare said on the 30th that it has additionally selected 20 comprehensive secondary general hospitals. Busan Yeongdo Hospital, Naju Bitgaram General Hospital in South Jeolla, and Jungang Hospital in Seosan, South Chungcheong, are among them. Naju previously had no comprehensive secondary general hospital. With the new designation, residents are expected to receive needed care in a timely manner.
These hospitals maintain a 24-hour care system in specific fields. They provide essential services such as emergency care, hospitalization, and surgery to local residents. They will establish cooperation systems with nearby tertiary general hospitals and others.
The government will provide performance-based support funds to comprehensive secondary general hospitals on a differential basis. It will raise the intensive care unit reimbursement rate (the money the National Health Insurance Service pays hospitals). If a patient comes to the emergency room and undergoes emergency surgery within 24 hours, it will increase the add-on rate. In addition, it will support emergency room on-call expense. Son Yeong-rae, head of the Medical Innovation Promotion Team, said, "This is part of establishing a regional, complete essential care delivery system."