Gov't to upgrade regional hospitals to 'Big Five' level

South Korea's government is set to bolster regional national university hospitals, aiming to elevate them to the caliber of the 'Big Five' medical institutions in Seoul. Starting next year, the plan involves expanding full-time faculty and increasing salary levels to bridge the gap in medical services and resources.

This initiative directly confronts the escalating 'regional medical crisis.' Currently, an estimated 4.6 trillion won is spent annually by patients traveling from regional areas to Seoul for treatment. Furthermore, a stark 12.7 percentage point difference exists in the mortality rates between regional and Seoul-based treatments, highlighting a critical disparity in healthcare accessibility and quality.

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Within three months, we plan to finalize discussions with the Ministry of the Interior and Safety regarding the scale of full-time faculty expansion for next year.

The core strategy focuses on expanding medical personnel at regional hospitals, which currently have about 2.3 specialists per 10 beds, significantly less than the approximately 4.3 specialists at Seoul's top five hospitals. The Ministry of Health and Welfare and the Ministry of Education will collaborate to determine the exact number of new faculty positions based on increased medical school admissions and regional healthcare needs.

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Previously, regional national university hospitals faced constraints in hiring additional medical personnel or offering incentives to top specialists, making it difficult to secure competitiveness. Declassification will enable rational personnel expansion.

To attract and retain talent, regulations hindering competitive compensation and rapid hiring will be eased. The government plans to revise salary structures, staffing quotas, and evaluation systems within the year, and aims to declassify these hospitals from their current 'other public institution' status by early next year. This will allow for more flexible and competitive remuneration and hiring practices tailored to each hospital's specific needs and financial capacity.

Regional national university hospitals will also be designated as 'control towers' for essential local medical services. They will be mandated as regional emergency medical centers, and are expected to operate at least three government-designated essential medical service centers, covering areas such as emergency care, maternal and child health, cardiovascular and trauma care, and pediatrics. Infrastructure development, equipment upgrades, and the establishment of collaborative networks with other regional medical institutions will also be supported through a newly established special account for regional essential healthcare.

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We urgently need a concrete roadmap detailing how faculty will be expanded year by year and how much will be invested in facilities.