Government to launch maternal registration system and public health clinics for vulnerable areas

South Korea is set to implement a "maternal registration system" to support high-risk pregnant women in medically vulnerable areas throughout their pregnancy and childbirth. Concurrently, the government plans to establish "public health clinics" to bridge primary care gaps in rural and fishing communities. These initiatives are part of a broader strategy to bolster regional, essential, and public healthcare infrastructure.

The government announced its "Regional Essential and Public Healthcare Strengthening Promotion Strategy" and "AI Basic Healthcare Promotion Strategy" at a meeting chaired by President Lee Jae-myung. The measures aim to address critical issues such as delayed treatment and the necessity for patients to travel long distances for medical services due to a weakened healthcare network.

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To resolve the shortage of essential medical services, rationalizing the medical fee system is important. We are reviewing policies to strengthen government responsibility for public and essential medical services.

President Lee emphasized the importance of rationalizing medical fees to resolve essential healthcare shortages and stated that the government is considering policies to strengthen its responsibility for public and essential medical services. He also highlighted that improving healthcare environments is crucial for regional balanced development and enhancing living conditions.

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Improving the medical environment is a key factor in regional balanced development and improving living conditions.

The government's plan involves categorizing the nation into large, medium, and small medical zones. Ten national university hospitals will be developed to handle severe and complex treatments, aiming for a standard comparable to Seoul's "Big 5" hospitals. In medium-sized zones, public hospitals and secondary general hospitals will focus on moderate illnesses and surgeries. Smaller zones, typically at the city and county level, will concentrate on treating mild conditions and health management through local clinics.

To tackle the healthcare void in rural areas, public health clinics will be introduced, potentially operated by private medical professionals under government-provided facilities and equipment. The maternal registration system, slated for implementation as early as next year, will pre-register high-risk mothers in designated hospitals and maternal-child health centers to ensure connected care from pregnancy through postpartum. Artificial intelligence will also be integrated as a support tool in areas lacking medical personnel and infrastructure, with an "AI Primary Care Transformation Package" to assist with tasks like image analysis and medical record generation.

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We need to create incentives to attract doctors who want to work in the regions. Providing doctors at local public hospitals with the status of national university professors or offering measures like rotational assignments and sabbatical years for long-term employment are examples.