Ban-gu-dae Hospital Plans to Transfer 85.7% of Patients Amid Closure Concerns

Concerns are mounting over the fate of patients at Ban-gu-dae Hospital, a psychiatric facility in Ulsan, as it prepares to close its doors on September 3rd following a series of fatal incidents.

New details reveal that the hospital has a plan to transfer 85.7% of its 147 inpatients to other hospitals. While 11.56% are listed as returning 'home,' this includes the possibility of returning to other facilities, meaning a significant majority of patients, many with intellectual disabilities, may simply be moved to different institutional settings.

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We are concerned that intellectually disabled patients, who make up more than half of the inpatients, are being transferred to other psychiatric hospitals without sufficient judgment.

This transfer plan has sparked fears of a "closed ward shuffle," where vulnerable patients are moved between facilities without sufficient consideration for their autonomy or integration into the community. Critics argue that intellectually disabled individuals, who may not have severe psychiatric conditions, are often admitted to psychiatric hospitals due to difficulties in family care or a lack of available welfare facilities. The plan raises questions about whether these patients' right to self-determination is being adequately considered.

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Even if medication management is necessary, it is questionable whether hospitalization is always required.

Ban-gu-dae Hospital has been under scrutiny following repeated patient deaths, including one just days before the emergency closure decision. The hospital's director and administrator have been charged with professional negligence resulting in death. The Ministry of Health and Welfare has formed a joint committee to support patient transfers, but its role appears limited to addressing inquiries and requests for housing support after discharge. A member of this committee noted that transfer decisions are primarily based on the judgment of the attending physician.

Lawmaker Kim Ye-ji has criticized the transfer plan, questioning whether hospitalization is always necessary even for patients requiring medication management. She stressed that simply moving patients to other psychiatric hospitals based on severe intellectual disability is not a fundamental solution. Kim urged the Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Ulsan city government to develop practical support plans for community living that respect patients' self-determination and individual needs, rather than citing a lack of infrastructure.

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Simply transferring patients to another psychiatric hospital due to severe intellectual disability cannot be a fundamental solution.